The Sun.
London, England, 1852-05-15 00:00:00

CHELSEA WATERWORKS BILL.

In reply to Mr. WAKLEY,
Lord G. MANNERS said the subject of rating in
regard to the supply of water was under the con-
sideration of the Government, and they would propose
the postponement of this Bill until they had come to a
decision on the subject.

ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.
It was then agreed that the House at its rising should
adjourn until Monday next.
MILItIA. BILL.
The House then went Into Committee upon this Bill,
Mr. BxRNAL in the Chair.

Clause 9 having laae;Proposed,
Mr. M. GIBSON, after presenting petitions against
the Bill from Nottingham and Cumber well, proceeded to
say that he required some explanation as to clause 9,
after altering clause 8 in the manner they did on Friday
night last. It was necessary to alter clause 9 so as to
make it read with clause 8, otherwise it would be sur-
plusage. The alteration effected in clause Bon Friday
night last changed the old system and law of the old
militia. It would be competent now for the Home Se-
cretary to raise the whole militia in one county, leaving
the other counties untouched, which was not the case
under the old militia-law, which required each county to
furnish its quota. Now, if the ballot were introduced,
it was fair it should tike efft ct over all the counties,
otherwise a great injustice would be committed.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the Right Hon.
Gentlemsn was mistaken. Although the 42d George
111. affixed the quotas, it only affixed them for three
years, down to 1805; after which a discretion was given
to the Queen in Council to affix the different quotas.
Mr. M. GIBSON complained that the explanation was
not satisfactory. The principle of affixing quotas had
not been hid down by the Hon. and Learned Attorney-
GenCral. He thought a novelty had been introduced in
the present measure calculated to do great injustice.
Mr. WALPOLE said the alteration in clause 8 was
entirely adopted on the suggestion of the Right Hon.
Baronet the Member for Halifax (Sir C. Wood). By
clause 8 the Queen in Council had the power of affixing
the quotas of each county, so as to apportion the whole
number.

In answer to Mr. G. J. HEATHCOTE,
Mr. WALPOLE said the intention was to arrange the
quotas equitably; but that a discretionary power would
rest with the Crown to determine what those quotas
should be.
Mr. BRIGHT said the Bth clause, as it stood in the
Bill, at first went upon the principle of ascertaining the
number of persons fit and liable to serve; and upon that
computation to fix or apportion the quotas of persons to
be raised for the militia. By using the words " fit at d
liable," they took as the basis of the measure the popula-
tion of the country, so that according to the number of
persons between 18 and 35 years of age would be the num-
ber of militiamen to be apportioned for the counties. But
as the clause now stood it contained no principle on which
the number of militia was to be raised; so that in the
discretion of the Secretary of State. Lancashire might
be called upan to raise 10,000 men, Yorkshire 5 000, and
Middlesex 15 000, without any reference whatever to
the relative population of the several counties. Ho con-
tended, therefore, that that was a point of which he had
a right to complain, and that the basis upon which the
men were to be raised ought to be clearly deternained and
explained.

Air. WALPOLE said the omission of the words " fit
and liable to serve" from the Bth clause was suggested
by the Right Hon. Baronet opposite (Sir C. Wood), and
he (Mr. Walpole) thought at the time that it was going
too far. Unquestionably the alteration had the effect of
giving the Crown a much larger discretionary power
than it would have had before the alteration was made;
but he did not see that it would prove burdensome where
the men were raised by voluntary enlistment, and the
Crown would have no power to put the ballot into ope-
ration otherwise than under the conditions stated in sub-
sequent clauses of the Bill.
he bad
Sir C. WOOD said it was quite true that
suggested the omission of the words
from the Bth clause, but the Attorney-Gene
ybetter
that he also thought the words were unnecebsasdar , and
the Chancellor of the Exchequer said they
the
form in
"fit
be left out. Had the clause remained
in the
before the
which it was introduced by
quotas could be fixed, the whole of _
some, and expensive process
the
the
through, in order to
George 111. would have to besgr
fiet and liable to serve;"
tedioU9, trouble-
ascertain who were the parties of ballot under the 42d
w
process would be totally
by voluntary enlistment, that
case, it mattered not what
hereas, supposing the whole Of the force to be raised
serve might be resident
number of men fit and
flia ,
the quotas were fixed ac-
cordingunnecessary ; for, in thatbleto
in a county. lc theirethomre
ut.?retthl etopbeepedunte,
was quite wean.) tnet the
of each county, it was all that
without going through the
was req
process o
words would resui ,in leaving a larger
omission of the wo ,
power with her Majesty in C. until; but
discretionary .
t the ballot. le
.no oij. welt to tha , b; cause he wa- eel.-
he enter,ained
taiit would be properly exercised. At a(' same t.tee,
if it were thought necess_ry, words might be inserted,
p,i,lieg that the apporttotanont ,:h uld be elude with
Ter.,leronCe to the population 01 each ei,Wlty,
Mr. mow Arr did not appreie nd that the di.cre
tier), ry power vested in the Crown w old he ( x•-tcered
partially in the eat,: of volunte. r:, It was not o b.- ex-
p, ctitt, it the v .iuntt•pr. frwt: N11.1(11 '-ex w.-r.. io:otiioo it,
ael a greaser cumber wer ta-rid in Su, tt,) than Aern
re quired, that the excess in the latter coml.), should net
be taken to balance the deficiency in the other. What
he dreaded, however, Was, that under the system of Isp-