The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-05-23 00:00:00

CUTLERY TRADE.

T►e Cafiery Trade Hill was read a second time, sad or.
dered to be committed on Monday next.

• DUKE OF KENT.
The Report on the Duke of Knit's Atinaitylt was re-
ceived, and the Hill ordered for the third nailing to-morrow.

WESTMINSTER GAS LIGHT.

The Westminster Gas Light Hal was read a steam/ time.

IRISH MILITIA PAY.
The Irish Militia Pay Hill passed through 8 Coo milk*,
owl the Report ordered fur In-morrow.

CAPE BRETON.
Mr. B►StlltTT gave notice that he would, on Tuesday
meta, %Monis • atones to the House reliantf lu the Island
of Cope &MM.

POOR LAWS.
Mr. React:Han rose to say a few words respect-
ing the conduct of the Committee on the Poor
Lay'''. He was fully sensible how much the coun-
try owed to that Committee. They load brought
in a Report containing very valuable information—
a safe superstructure fur any further legislative
measures. But however unwilling to tiodervalue
their services, lie could not help expressing some
degree of disappointment that they had not dune
more. They had brought iii three Bills iu the
course of the Session : the Poor Laws Amendment
Bill. the Select Vestries Bill, and the Settlement
,of the Poor Bill. He took it for granted th.t they
intended to stop there, and that they had no other
measure connected with the object of their appoint-
sago to propose. He should now state, that it was
hiatiteiition to bring forward a measure in the pre-
sent Session, if he could spare stifficieut time front
the Committee sitting up stairs (the Committee
on the Education of the Poor);* if not, early in the
next, provided he had the honour of enjoying his
seat there, with the view of affixing, if possible,
limits to the imposition of the burdens—of reducing
the present ones-asand thirdly, of discoversiag the
means or equalising the charges for the poor—so
that the whole burden might not fall. as it did by
the existing laws, on the landholder. If time would
permit, lie would bring forward the measures be-
fore the end of the Session, in the shape of resolu-
tions in a Committee, or Bills, the nature of which
might be well considered through the recess ; ut
present lie was busily engaged in the Committee up
stairs.

Mr. Flusitssett said, the House ought to be very
much obliged to the Hon. and Learned Gentle-
man, if he introduced any practical measure, effect-
ing so difficult an object as he proposed, to limit
the sums to be applied to the relief of the poor—
and to fix a scale, beyond the maximum establi.ll-
- by which the relief should never go. But the
Hon. and Learned Gentleman was very much mis-
taken, if he conceived that the Committee had ter-
tnivatrd their labours. If they had seen their way
so clearly as it seemed the Hon. and Learned Gen-
tleman did, they would have gone further. All he
wished, however, to say at ii esent was, to protest
against its bring supposed that it was the opiniori
of the Committee that not nothing more ought to
be done. As the subjects, however, were of great
difficulty, which the Hon. and Learned Gentleman
would himself allow, the Committee would be ex-
tremely glad to have his assistance.
Mr. Bnot:iiirAst rejoiced to fluid that the Com-
mittee had nut resolved to shut the door mi further
improvements of the law, after their three Hills. Hr
had been misunderstood in what he had said. lie
hail not intended to say. that he meant to propose a
maximum, bey and which relief should never be ex-
tended. However desirable that aright be at one
point of our history, bei now feared it was impos-
sible.