The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-23 00:00:00

SPAIN.

MADRID, June 22.—M. Balcarce, the Minister of
the Argentine Republic, yesterday exchanged ti o
ratifications of the treaty of recognition, peace, and
amity which was signed last year with the Spanish
Government.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening,
The SPZAKER to the chair at 12 o'clock.
FALMOUTH DOCKS BILL.
This bill Was read a third time and passed.
CHANCERY (IRELAND) BILL.
The A.TTO lINEY-GENERAL for IRELAND brcught
under notice the circumstances connected with the proceed-
ings of this bill yesterday afternoon, and moved that on
Thursday the house resolve itself into a committee of the
whole house to consichr the future progress of the bill.
Mr. LONGFIELD opposed the proposal on the ground
that, when the Chairman was ordered to leave the chair
under such circumstances, the order became " dropped."
He cited many authorities on the point.

Mr BU TT thought it quite in conformiT with usage ,to
agree to the propositim of the hon. and learned ,gentlenntn.
the Attorney-General for IrclaLd.

Mr WHITESIDE said when he addressed the house yes-
terday his first intention was to move that the chairman re-
port progress, but one of his hen. friends informed him that
the proper mode would be to move that "the chairman do
leave the chair,!' which he considered analogous to moving
the " previous question," which, if carried, was considered
to terminate the matter under discussion. At all evcnts, it
was not usual to revive a subject, the debate upon which
had been terminated in the carrying of the " previous
question."

The SPEAKER said a committee had no power to ex-
tinguish a bill; that authority belonged to the house alone.
It would be quits in conformity with precedent, and en-
tirely in the power of the hcuse, to order the committee to
meet again and again to consider the bill.

After acme further discussion, the motion of the Attor-
ney-General for Ireland was agreed to.

JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES (VOTING PAPERS)

BILL.

On the motion for the house going into committee on

his bill,

Mr E. CRAUFURD moved that the house resolve itself
into committee on the bill that day three months, as he had
serious objections against the measure.

Mr D. GRIFFITH said the objections of the hon. gen-
tleman could be fully considered in committee.
The motion was then withdrawn, and the house accord-
ingly went into committee on the bill.
Mr. CRAWFURD suggested that the bill should
simply give the shareholder the power of using the voting
paper confided to him at the meeting or afterwards, and
moved an amendment to that effect.

Mr GRIFFITH could not consent to the amendment.
Sir C. O'LOUGHLIN thought the best course to pursue
was that the chairman do report progress, and he made
that motion accordingly.
Mr PEACOCKS said as the house seemed to be rather
doubtful as to the question before it, ho therefore moved
that the Chairman do leave the chair.

After some discussion, the motion for reporting progress
was withdrawn; and

The committee divided, when there appeared—

For the motion .. 76
Against it ..
Majority
The Chairman accordingly lett the chair, and the house
resumed.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES (METRIC SYSTEM)

BILL.
The house then went into committee on this bill.

Mr E WART said an arrangement had been arrived at
between himself and his right hon, friend the President of
the Board of Trade, whore suggestions he had adopted
He therefore hoped that the metric system would be intro-
duced into this country, where he felt it would give the
greatest satisfaction. He then moved the omission of
clause 2 for the purpose of introducing another in its place.
Mr ROEBUCK doubted whether the bill would give the
satisfaction anticipated by the hon. gentleman opposite; he
rather thought it would lead to confusion.
Mr LOCKE thought that the adoption of the meric
system would be of great advantage, as every person would
have the opportunity of knowing exactly how much a cer-
tain measure—such, for instance, as a pottle or seive—con-
tained, which was now not the case.

Mr M. GIBSON said what had been Cone on this sub-
ject would not interfere with the recognised system of
weights and measures; all the preeent act da was to
legalise contracts made on the metric system.

The clause was awn struck out, and anothEr rec2gnsing
the legality of contracts made in the mettle system h-..virg
been moved and agreed to, the Chairman reported progress,
and the house resumed.