The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-12 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIANIEN T.

HOUSE OF LORDS—(YESTERDAY.)
The LOB.D CaesonLon took his seat on the woolsack
sit five o'clock.

THIRD READINGS.
The following bills were read a third time and passed:
—Torquay Market and Slaughter-houses ; and Great
North of Scotland Railway.
LEGAL MEASURES BEFORE PARLIAMENT.
Lord ST. LEONARDS rose to ask a question of her
Majesty's Government with respect to certain legal
measures now before Parliament. The question he
wished to put was, what course her Majesty's Govern-
ment intended to pursue with respect to the Testamen-
tary Jurisdiction Bill ? He wished also to know what
it was intended to do with respect to the Ecclesiastical
Courts, and the amount of compensation to be given to
the officers whose duties would be abolished by the
passing of the legal measures now before Parliament ?
He also wished to know what course was to
be pursued with respect to the Tenants' Compensation
_
(Ireland) Bill ? He thought it was impossible for any
man who had the slightest regard for the rights of. pro-
perty to approve of the retrospective principles of that
bill. (Hear.) He was also desirous to know theinten-
tions of the Government with regard to the Court of
Chancery (Ireland) Bill. When he (Lord St. Leopards)
wasin Ireland he found the judges fully ably to tran-
sact all the, judicial business brought forward ; and he
did hope that it was not the intention of the Govern-
ment to encumber this bill with the appointment of
judges which were not required.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said with regard to
the Testamentary Jurisdiction Bill, Government had
considered it most convenient to introduce the bill into
the House of Commons, as their lordships had already
given it their approval. He had reason to believe that
in the form in which it now,stood it would receive the
sanction of the other house. Government had also pre-
pareda bill nearly similar for Ireland, which it was not
deemed expedient to introduce until the English bill was
disposed of. The other material points connected with
the reform of the ecclesiastical courts were those of di-
. vorce and clergy discipline. 'The Government had pre-
pared a Church Discipline Bill, and had submitted it to
the bishops for consideration. Some of the bishops had
expressed their appr-Oval of it, but others of them had
expressed considerable disapproval of it, and he had
been engaged during the last few days, and would
be engaged on the following day, in endeay.uring
t° Jelfettaila the exact point of which they die-
, aPPrArfcl. , With
_regard to the Irish Tenants Coinpen-
"ficiSl Aill,"he agreed witlelis noble and learned friend
that theaubject 'was important. He had quite as little
sympathy as his noble'and learned friend with the doe-
trineof retroepeetive compensation, but he was of opinion
that -the "case ofthe Irish tenant was an exceptional
case; Vihich.fOr the peace of society it was important to
deal within an exceptional manner.
Lord CAMPBELL would respectfully tender his
advice to the Government. He had offered it to them
before in private, and now he begged to give it them in 1
a public manner. He would offer them his respectful
and earnest advice, that before any measure for law
referrawas introduced it should be properly considered,
and all who were to take part in carrying it should be
consulted. Before such a measure was introduced in
either House of Parliament, there should be an arrange-
ment amongst all the members of the Government to
support it in both Houses of Parliament.

The Marquis of CLA.NRICARDE expressed his
satisfaction at hearing, that—the Government proposed
to do away with the Encumbered Estates Court, and to
provide a substitute for it by the introduction of cer-
tain amendments into the practice of the Court of
Chancery. The grievance arising from the operation
of the Encumbered Estates Court was very great indeed,
not to those under its operation, but to all those outside
its operation. The value of real property throughout
Ireland was affected by those operations, becani3 the
forced sales in that court led to the depreciation of the
whole rental and property of Ireland.

Lord BERNERS moved for a return of regiments of
militia embodied in each month to the preseet time, stating
the effective force of each when embodied, and at the pre-
sent time ; the number who had volunteered from each
regiment previous to and since their last trainin: ; the
number re-attested within the month stated in circular,
distinguishing those retained for future training ; and
number of those discharged in consequence of their
wives and families becoming chargeable to their .ear,shes.
Lord PANMURE was sorry to find that the noble
lord had thought it necessary to revive a subject that
bad been already submitted to the house, and by the
introduction of which the ranks of the militia regiments
had been to a certain extent depopulated. The period
of &month had been fixed upon in the circular in conse-
quence of a statement made to him by several officers of
militia, that after a month's absence amongst their
friends, many of the men, having spent their money,
would.voluntarily return. Therefore he had fixed in the
circular one month as the period during which, if they
rejoin the force, the 11. should be paid to them.
ESTATES BILLS.

The LORD CHANCELLOR called the attention of
their krtlships to the subject of Estates Bills, and laid
on the table a bill to provide for the cheaper and more
expeditions grantirt of powers hitherto obtainable only
through; special acts of Parliament. The noble and
learned lord said the necessity for the legislation he pro-
possod,..arese from the fact that the greatest prop.rtion
of the landed estates in the country was held by persons
who were not the allsolate.owners in fee simple, but who
had only a limited interest. In consequence t‘f the
owner not being-the absolute owner he was not able to
deal with his property in the most beneficial manner
either for himself or his family, or for the community at
large, unless by private acts of Parliament. Thee pri-
vate bills were attended with great expense. He had a
list of sixteen cases of private bills taken at haphazard
within the last five years, and he found that the aver-
age cost of these sixteen bills, which were for lenging,
for sales in exchange, or for mining, was 1,2701.
There were fourteen or fifteen of these bills every
year brought in, so that from 17,0001. to 20,0001.
a year was spent on— this species of private legisla-
tion. But that wax', not all, for though 1,200/. was
the average cost, persons having small properties
were absolutely debarred from obtaining the required
powers, except at a ruinous coat. He- proposed by this
bill to enable. tenants far` life, unless where the settle-
ments forbade such a power, to grant agricultural leases
for a tlirm, not of 21 years, as was done by the act of
Henry VIII., but for a, term not exceeding 14 years.
In the case of mining leases he proposed that a certain
portion of the rent should be retained for the benefit of
the inheritance.
Lord LYNDHURST approved of the principle and
object of the bill.
Lord CAMPBELL also expressed his concurrence in
the principle of the bill and its objects, and he hoped
that those objects would be effectively carried out.
The bill was read a first time.