The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-04 00:00:00

lIIIPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS—Last Evening,
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

COUNTY COURTS.

Lord CHELMSFORD presented a petition from certain
credit drapers called tallyraen, against the County Courts
Amendment Bill.

The LORD CHANCELLOR presented petitions in
favour of the bill, from the Board of Guardians of
Blackburn.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a second time :—Bolton
Gas—Great Eastern Railway (Highbeach Branch)—Bolton
Improvement—Ssvenoaks, Maidston, and Tunbridge Rail-
way—Crystal Palace and South London J unction. Railway,
Trent Coast Railway—Midland Railway (St. Pancras
Branch)—Liverpool Improvement--Liverpool Sanitary.
The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Scots Episcopal Fund and Bedford and Cambridge
Rail way.
THE RIOT AT ST. BERNARD'S REFORMATORY.
Lord BERNERS called attention to the riot which had
taken place amongst the boys at the St. Bernard's Refor-
matory, and said he should put a question to her Majesty's
Government in reference to the motion this day fortnight.

INSANE PRISONERS BILL.

The LORD CHANCELLOR brought up the report of
the select committee on this bill.
JAMAICA.

Lord DtiNSANY moved an humble address to
her Majesty for a copy of the correspondence between the
Secretary of State for the Colonies, the late Governor, and
late Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica respecting the esta-
blishment of party government or responsible government
in that island, and also a copy of a report presented to the
House of Assembly by a committee appointed to consider and
report to the house on certain points connected with the pro.
posed tramway between Spanish Town and Porus ; and also
to correspondence relating tothe.threat of dismissal made to
M. Espeut, member of the House of Assembly, if he
did not support the Lieutenant• Governor ; also for
a copy of the memorial sent to her Majesty by the
House of Assembly in Jamaica, and the correspendence
that had taken place between the Secretary of State for the
Colonies and the Lieutenant-Governor relative to the said
memorial.

Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY said there would be
no objection to•give the papers or extracts from them.

CHIMNEY SWEEPERS' BILL.

The house went into committee on this bill.

Lord SHAFTESBURY explained the objects of the bill
he had introduced for the amendment of the present law
regulating the mode of sweeping chimneys. The practice
of employing children of tender age in this occupation had
of late years much increased in some places in consequence
of the difficulties of procuring convictions under the existing
act. All he wished to do was to introduce such amendments
as should render it easier to put the law in force against
those who persisted in employing children in this trade. To
prove the necessity of some interference he read numerous
extracts from recent evidence of the revolting cruelty the
masters were forced to employ in training children to the
work. All this suffering, he asserted, was totally unneces-
sary, as chimney sweeping by the machine, when properly
done, was in all respects efficient. The employment of
children had been abolished in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leices-
ter, and other large places. In no place was it necessary,
as the machine was adapted to flues of every kind of con-
struction. Nor were the master sweeps, as a body, opposed
to the prohibition of children's labour. They stated that
they are frequently compelled to employ it by the prejudices
of householders, often of the wealthier classes, who will not
a'low a machine to be used in their chimneys. Having
further described the manner in which infants are bought
and sold for the trade, and reduced to a condition of slavery,
he implored the house not to reject the bill, by which he
had attempted to attack a cruel practice unknown to any
other civilised nation.

Lord BROUGHANI expressed his hearty approval of the

measure,

The house went into committee on the bill, and agreed to
the clauses with some auendments.

Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening.

The SPEIKUIt took the chair at 4 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Argyllshire Roads—London, Cha! ham, and Dover Rail-
way (No. 2) (New Lines, &c.)—Metropolitan and Saint
John's Wood Railway—Midland Railway (Bath and Thorn-
bury)—Rock Life Asatranco Company—Salop Fire Office
—Severn Valley Railway-1 hames Embankment (South
Side)—Trent, Anchohne, and Grimsby Railway—West-
minster Palace Hotel Company.