The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-11 00:00:00

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T 1
PRIVATE BILLS.
On the order of the day for going into committee of
supply,
Lord R. CECIL moved that, in the opinion of the house,
it was expedient that the duty of ascertaining the facts upon
which legislation in respect to private bills was to proceed
should be discharged by some tribunal eat real to the house.
Tie contended that there was the strongest 0€ cessity for the
alteration which he proposed.
Mr GIBSON admitted that the existing system entailed
very arduous duties upon hon. members; still, whatever
might be done to meet the objections raised on that ground,
it was necessary that there should be an ultimate appeal to
Parliament. He did not believe that dissatisfaction existed
out of doors at the decisions of committees, and he feared
that if any suggestion such as was now made, or of which
they had heard previously were carried out, the result would
be merely to create additional impedimenta to and conse-
quently increase the expense of private bill legislation.
The discuesion was continued by Colonel Patten, Lord
- Stanley, Mr Lowe, Mr R. Hodgson, Mr R. Dutton, and
other members, the balance of opinion being that the exist-
ing system was very far from perfect and required amend-
ment. There was not the same concurrence of mind as to
the test method of improving it; for whilst some contended
tb at the committees on private bills should act as a jury
~eith the' chairman as judge, others advocated the plan of
Lord R. Cecil, and all urged that it was desirable that where
great public works ware concerned the members of the com-
mittee should possess a knowledge of the localities.
Ultimately the motion was withdrawn, a division being
impossible without counting out the house, in consequence
of 19 members only being present.
Mr J. B. SMITH moved that the increasing trade and
commerce of India, and the consequent increasing demand
for a portable circulating medium, requires that a gold cur-
rency should be established in that empire. The hon. gen..
tleman observed that constant complaints were received
from India with regard to the difficulty experienced in in-
troducing commodities owing to the absence of a convenient
circulating medium, and called upon the Government to
state what their intentions on the subject were, I
I Colonel SYKES, speaking from his own personal expe-
rience, said there was no doubt whatever that the natives of
India were quite ready to receive European gold coins pro-
vided they could be assured of their purity. If a gold coin
were introduced, made of pure metal, of a certain weight
and certain conventional value, the people would take it ;
but then the Government must consent to accept it in pay-
ment of taxes at its market value.
Sir C. WOOD admitted that the subject was interesting
and important ; but the paper circulation in India had been
very successful, and was accepted by those who were en-
gaged in commerce there. For gold there was little demand,
whilst silver and copper circulated extensively. Even if a
gold coinage were established, he doubted whether it would
be of any great assistance in conducting mercantile opera-
tions, What the Indian treasuries desired was that the
sovereign should be received by them at a particular rate;
and he did not deny that it would be of advantage if the so-
vereign of England and of the colonies were circulated in
India, and that it would be a great accommodation to trade.
The value the treasuries wished to place upon the sovereign
was 10 rupees ; but the fact was, that the sovereign was
worth more than that in the market, and to adopt the stan-
dard named by the treasuries would involve a considerable
sacrifice. He was unable to ascertain what was the value
of gold in the markets of India with such certainty as to
place any reliance upou it ; but the memorials upon this
subject were under the consideration of the Government of
India. He could not therefore undertake to give an assur-
ance of what he was disposed to do until he had received
their opinion.

After some remarks from Mr WATK IN and Mr Gos CHEN;
the motion was withdrawn.

EDUCATION.
in answer to Mr DtiliLOP, Mr H. BRUCE stated that
the Government, having determined upon issuing a com-
mission to consider if it were not possible to erect a na-
tional system of education on the foundation of the old
parochial system in Scotland, had come to the conclusion to
suspend the revised code until the inquiry had been com-
pleted, provided, however, that it was completed within 12
months.