The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-21 00:00:00

TIM SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JUNE 21, 1864.

EXPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS.---This Day.

In consequence of there not being 40 members pre-
sent till half-past twelve o'clock, the SPEAKER did not
take his seat till that hour.

• THIRD READINGS.
The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Lancaster Canal Transfer—London and North Western
Railway (Additional Powers)—London (City) Tithes—
North Staffordshire Railway (New Works)—North Staf-
fordshire Railway (Silverdale, Madeley, and Drayton)—
Sheffield Waterworks (Bradfield Inundation)—South Wales
Mineral Railway—Swansea Vale and Neeth and Brecon
Junction Railway—Tunstall Railway—Wellington and
Drayton Railway—Wilts and Gloucestershire Railway.
COURT OF CHANCERY (Ireland) BILL.
The house went into committee:on this bill, and clauses
from 1 to 11 were agreed to without amendment,

On clause 12
Mr. GEORGE objected to the manner in which the bill
was being pressed forward.
Mr. WHITESIDE complained of the manner in which
the bill was being forced throughout parliament, and said
he thought it of so great importance that a bill making
such extensive alterations should be dealt with in a house
so thinly attended (there being no more than 18 or 20 mem-
bers present.) He was in attendance previous to the Speaker
taking the chair, and only left the door to obtain a book in the
library, and on his return he found that a house had been
made, and in about four minutes nine of the most important
clauses had been smuggled through the house. He thought
it highly unseemly in a Government, that narrowly escaped
censure the other night by a majority of about half a dozen,
and who met with a distinct defeat last night, to go on
with this measure in such an objectionable manner, and at
a day sitting. He again asked, was it at all seemly to press
the bill forward under such circumstances. He should
like to know if there was any mode by which the clauses
already passed could be reconsidered.
The CHAIRMAN (Mr Massey) said the only course
open to the hon. gentleman was to move that he (the Chair-
man) report progress, and then on that being agreed to, to
mo'e that the bill be referred to a select committee.
Mr WHITESIDE then having formally made a motion
to the first effect, went on to state his objections to many of
the provisions of the bill.
LEFT SITTING.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening.
The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway (No 1)—
Dublin and Baltinglass J unction Railway—Monkland
Railways—Railway Passengers' Assurance Company—
Shrewsbury Bridges—Simpson's Asylum—Southam Rail-
way—Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway (New
Lines)—Llanelly Railway and Dock Company (No. 2) (New
Line)—Pembroke and Tenby Railway—Rhymney Railway
(Cardiff to Caerphilly, &c.)—Rhymney Railway (Eaten-
sions)—and St. Helens Canal and Railway Bill.
NEW WRIT.

Oa the motion of Mr BRAND, a writ was ordered to
issue for the election of a knight of the shire to serve in
Parliament for the northern division of the county of
Durham, in the room of the late Lord Adolphus Vane Tem-
pest.
THE COMPANY OF AFRICAN TRADERS

subject of prison discipline last year. Amongst those re-1
commendations were these—that the discipline, diet, and
labour established in prisons should in future be uniform,
and that the separate system should be enforced as far as
was practicable. Some misapprehension, he observed, pre•
veiled with regard to the fourth clause. It was believed
that that clause would give extraordinary powers to the
Home Secretary, and, enable him to appoint Roman Catho-
lic chaplains in gaols against the wish of the county and
local magistracy. He denied that the clause would have
such an effect; but if it were thought by the house that it
would, he should be ready to omit it from the bill. lts real
object was to empower the Home Secretary to amend the
prison rules at any period of the year, instead of in the
,morph of September only, as at present,
Mr ADDER LEY was of opinion that no legislation to
amend the present law relating to gaols could be satisfac-
tory that did not include some definition of hard labour
and a schedule of rules for gaols, and which did not provide
for all gaols being gradually adapted to the separate system
and for a uniform and classified treatment of all prisoners.
After the statement of the Horne Secretary, that he had no
objection to withdraw the fourth clause, he would not op-
pose the bill in its present stage.
Mr NEWDEGATE moved, as an amendment, that the
bill be read a second time that day three months, on the
ground that it violated the principle of local self-govern-
ment, and failed to provide any adequate security or re-
sponsibility to guard its application, and render it an in-
strument effective for good. The honourable gentleman
admitted that it was desirable that a measure for the regu-
lation of gaols should pass, but he contended that the defi-
nition of the rules should not be left with the Home.office,
but should be laid down and enacted by Parliament
itself, or the Home Secretary might, on his own responsibi-
lity, appoint Roman Catholic chaplains in prisons without
consulting the justices, who would then be left to incur the
odium of levying a tax for the expenditure.
Mr BARK° NV seconded the amendment, resting his
opposition to the measure mainly upon its centralising ten-
dency.
Sir J. PAKINGTON approved of the bill as a necessary
one, and thought the right hon. gentleman had acted rightly
in consenting to withdraw the fourth clause.

Mr MAGUIRE commented on tine speech of Mr Newde-
gate, and argued that the Roman Catholic prisoners had as
much right to the ministrations of the priests of their reli-
gion as the Protestant prisoners had to theirs.
The debate was continued by Mr WHALLEY and Mr
WALTER. _

Mr MITFORD agreed that some legislation was neces•
sary, and was therefore prepared to ascent to the second
reading of the bill.
Mr HIBBERT was glad Sir G. Grey had intimated his
intention to omit the fourth clause. He
should be sorry,
however, if another clause which gave the unwarrantable
power to the Home Secretary of removing prisoners from
certain local gaols and placing them in county gaols were

retained,
Mr S. ESTCOTJRT supported the bill, and, referring to
the objectionable fourth clause, said it did not confer any
power upon the Home Secretary that he did not already

possess.
Sir G. GREY, in reply, obs'rved that whilst willing to
strike out the clause he did so without admitting that there
was the slightest foundation for the apprehension enter-
taintd by Mr. Newdegate.
On a division the numbers were—
For the amendment ........ 49
Against it
Majority.... • —67
The bill was then read a second time.
COLLECTION OF TAXES BILL.

On the order for resuming the adjourned debate on the
motion for the third reading of the Collection of Taxes

Bill,
Sir J, TROLLOPE offered various objections to the
bill, which, he thought, was utterly uncalled for, and
which, he observed, though permissive, was only a prelude
to a compulsory measure, and he moved to defer the third
reading for three months.
The amendment was seconded by Mr PACKE.
Mr Cox and Mr S. Booth opposed the bill, which was
supported by Mr Ayrton.
Mr HORSF ALL, though he had voted for the second
reading of this bill, said he should vote against the third
reading, on the ground of its excepting the metropolis
from its operation.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied to
objections, and explained the reasons for excepting the
metropolis from the operation of the bill, which did not
apply to other large towns, reiterating the arguments he
had urged is support of the measure in its earlier stages.
Sir S. NOR CHCOTE objected to the bill that, though
called permissive, the decision was to be made by the Land
Tax Commissioners, who were not elected by the taxpayers,
whose opinions were not, therefore, tested upon the ques-
tion. He thought that the house, representing the tax-
payers, should not throw the decision upon the Commis-
sioners.
Mr Locke, Mr Lewis, and Mr Newdegate continued the
discussion amid much interruption.
The house then divided—
For the third reading
Against it
Majority ..

The result was received with cheers from the Opposicivu

benches.
The Railway Construction Facilities Bill passed through
committee.
RAILWAY TRAVELLIN G (IRELAND) BILL.
Sir C. O'LOGHLEN moved the second reading of the
Railway Travelling (Ireland) Bill, the objects of which
were to deprive Irish railway companies of the power of
shutting out whole districts of country from railway com-
munication on Sundays, and enacting that every railway
company in Ireland should be compelled to run one train
at least on Sundays each way at such hours as might be
approved by the Board of Trade ; also to confer certain
rights upon third-class passengers.
Mr BLAKE opposed the bill on the ground that there
was no Sunday traffic in Ireland to justify the house in
putting the companies to such an expense.
He proposed as
an amendment that the bill be read a second time that day
three months.
The amendment was seconded by Lord NAAS,
who said
that already the smaller railways in Ireland were working
at a loss, and that if this bill passed it would have the effect
of increasing that loss. Such legislation was novel and un-
fair; no great public good would be accomplished, whilst
much evil would be inflicted.
Major GJivi:sr and Mr O'REILLY supported the bill.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it
was a question for the house whether, considering the no,
ture of the powers conferred by the act of 1854, it was ad•
visable to impose this additional burden upon the com.

panies.
The bill was opposed by Mr Hassard, Mr Lefroy, and Mr
Whiteside ; and upon a division was thrown out by 40
to 21,

The Pilotage Order Confirmation Bill and the Piers and
Harbours Confirmation Bill passed through committee,
The Lunacy (Scotland) Bill was read a second time,
The Countess of Elgin and liincardine's Annuity Bill
was read a second time.
Other bills were also advanced a stage, and the house
adjourned.

The Statistical Abstract,

This very convenient annual collection of some
of our national statistics has just been issued by
the board of Trade. It states cur revenue for the
past year at £70,208,964, being £2,037,964 more
than the estimate in the Budget ; and our expendi-
ture at £67,056,286, being £1,226,714 less than the
Budget estimate. In the last 16 years, over which
these tables extend, there have been nine years
with a surplus and seven with a deficiency. In
the 15 years 18494863 taxes have been repealed
(deducting new taxes imposed) to the amount of
£8,173,798. The charge for interest of the debt in
1563--i500,000 a week—was less by £2,000,000 than

it was in 1849: for the forces, also £500,000 a week,
the charge was £10,500,000 more than in 1849,
but the charge for 1863 includes £BOO,OOO Funk in
fortifications; the civil charges were £3,8U0,000
more than in 1849. The revenue raised was nearly
£13,000,000 more than in 1849. There was
£4,200,000 more raised by Customs and Excise
duties, £2,300,000 more by stamps, £3,600,000
more by income-tax, £1,600,000 more through the
Post-office, £1,000,000 less by assessed taxes, owing
to the repeal of the window duty. The item of
" stamps" includes the succession duty imposed in
1853; the produce of Customs and Excise increased
as just stated, although duties to the amount of
£7,000,000 were repealed or reduced. With respect
to imports and exports, their value was far greater
in 1863 than in any previous year. The merchandise
brought into or sent forth from the United
Kingdom in 1863 together exceeded the value
of £8,500,000 a week. The greater part of this
little volume is occupied by accounts of these im-
ports and exports, their value and quantities,
whence the imports came and whither the exports
went, comparing the year item by item with its
predecessors. Without counting river steamers,
20,877 vessels, employing 184,727 men, were en-
gaged is our home and foreign trade. 838,724
childrea were born in Great Britain in the year,
and death cut down 547,003 persons. Of Ireland
in this particular no account can be given. The
official estimate is that in the middle of the ye..r
1863 the population uf England was 20,554,137,
and of Scotland 3,097,006, not counting army,
navy, and merchant seamen abroad at the time. The
average Gazette price of British wheat in 1863 was
as low as 445. 9d.