The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-23 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

(THIS EVENING.)

HOUSE OF LORDS:
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool-
sack at Five o'clock.
AMENDMENT OF WILLS.
The LORD CHANCELLOR moved the second
reading of the Law of Wills Amendment Bill. By
the present imperfect and doubtful state of
the law hundreds of wills had been de-
clared void, and misery and nhappiness caused
to numerous families. It was now proposed
to amend that by providing that all wills should be valid
to which the names should be signed in such a manner
as to leave it without doubt that the will was such as
the testator meant to give his sanction to. He also pro-
posed to alter the existing state of the law with respect
to the signature of the attesting witnesses, both with re-
gard to their being obliged to witness the declaration of
the signature by the testator, and also as to their
witnessing the will in the presence of the testator.
So vague and unsatisfactory was the present state of
the law in these respects, that in many instances' it had
been found impossible to get juries to return verdicts in
accordance with the arbitrary and purely technical pre-
cedents which had been laid down. Ho hoped that their
Lordships would give him their concurrence in passing
this Bill through all its stages, for the anomalies in this
respect were such as ought not to exist in the law of
England.
Lord BROUGHAM said ho had no objection to the
second reading of this Bill, though he did not approve of
all its provisions, nor indeed did he at present under-
stand them. _ _ _

Lord CRANWORTU was in favour of the principle
of the present Bill, but he thought that the evils to which
the Noble and Learned Lord on the Woolsack had al-
luded had arisen more from the wrong decisions on the
subject than from the imperfect state of the law itself.
These evils, however, whatever their cause, required re-
medy, and he should not, therefore, oppose the second
reading of the Bill.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said the defects of
the present law were so great, that he thought the Noble
and Learned Lord was quite justified in bringing for-
ward the present measure.
The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to
be committed on Thursday next.
THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.
Lord BEAUMONT rose to put a question to the
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs relating to the
present state of the Argentine Confederation. It was
not his intention to criticise the policy of former Go-
vernments with regard to this Confederation, but simply
to obtain information as to the present state of our rela-
tions with that quarter of the world, and to press
upon the present Government the absolute necessity
of commencing negotiations in that part of the
worid, and not to lose the present golden opportunity of
extending oar commercial intercourse, and to attempt to
establish there a permanent peace. The Noble Lord
then proceeded to contrast the progress of the two great
races, Anglo-Saxon and Spanish, in the great continent
of America, and attributed the inferiority of the latter
to the propensity of the Spanish Government to
exclude as much as possible all European intercourse.
The independence of the Banda Oriental had been
established by a treaty between Brazil and Buenos
Ayres, in 1828, which independence it had always been
the policy of the English Government to maintain.
(LEFT SPEARING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
NEW MEMBER.

Viscount GALWAY took the oaths ani his seat on his
re-election for East Retford.

SECOND READINGS.

The Asthall and Buckland Road Bill, the Idle Drain-
age Bill, and the Metropolis Water Supply Bill were
read a second time. The last Bill was referred to a Se-
lect Committee.

SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE MINING DISTRICT
WATER COMPANY BILL.

on the motion for the zecondreading of this Bill,

Mr. BEST opposed the Biil on the ground that it
proposed to abstract a large body of water from the
river at Kidderminster, which, at present, was scarcely
adequate to the requiremPnti of the manufactures in the
town. The manufacture of carpets was extensively car-
ried on at Kidderminster, and it was absolutely neces-
sary that those engaged in that branch of industry should
have a good supply of water by means of a running
s'ream. He moved that the Bill be read a second time
this day six months.
Mr. THORNELY supported the second reading.
Mr. GEAC II also supported the Bill, and bore testi-
mony to -,he want of water in the districts proposed to
be supplied.
Alderman SIDNEY should vote in favour of the
amendment.

Mr. C. VILLIERS Clid the question was between
making carpets and preserving human life. There was
no district in England so badly supplied with water. and
that was th© reason why it was so frequently visited
with cholera and epidemics. Ile hoped no further oppo-
sition would be offered to the Bill.
`tr. KNIGHT considered that if the Bill were passed
it would ruin the trade of Kidderminster, because the
manufacturers required a running stream to enable them
to dye their yarns, and the Bill would deprive them of
the advantage they now enjoyed.
Colonel ANSON supported the Bill.
Sir R. H. INGLIS was opposed to the second reading.
The House then divided, when there appeared—
For the second reading ... 75
Against it ... ... 89
Majority • . ... —l4
The Bill was consequently lost.
PETITIONS.

Colonel FREESTUN presented a petition from the
postmasters of the borough of Weymouth and Melcombe
Regis, complaining of their being taxed at 25 per cent.
on their gross earnings, whilst railways are only charged
5 per cent. on their passenger receipts, and no tax on
their carriages or goods traffic; and praying for the im-
mediate repeal of the post-horse duties and assessed tax
on carriages kept to let to hire.
Mr. D'EYNCOURT presented a petition from Lam-
beth against calling out the Militia; and from Louth,
Lincolnshire, for repealing the endowment of Maynooth
College.
Mr. ELLIS presented a petition from Leicester,
against church rates:
Lord C. MANNERS presented several petitions from
places in Leicestershire against the Maynooth grant.
Col. VESY presented a petition from Wakefield,
against the post-horse duty.
Sir R. H. INGLIS presented a petition from the So-
ciety for the relief of the sons of poor clergymen, pray-
ing to be exempt from the operation of the Charitable
Trusts Bill.

Mr. J. B. SMITH presented a petition from Dun-
fermline, praying the House to withold its sanction to
any alteration in the free-trade policy.
Mr. P. HOWARD presented a petition from Carlisle,
praying for the repeal of the taxes on knowledge.
Mr. KEOGH presented a petition from a place in
Westmeath in favour of tenant right.'
Mr. SCULLY presented a similar petition from a
place in the county of Kerry.
Mr. M. GIBSON presented a petition from Man-
chester, praying that there might be no alteration in our
commercial policy.
Mr. COWAN presented a petition from Montrose
against the Maynooth grant.
Mr. WALTER presented a petition from Nottingham
in favour of ocean penny postage.
Mr. COBDEN presented a petition from Leeds, pray-
ing for the repeal of all taxes on knowledge.
Mr. GLADSTONE presented petitions from the
clergy of our North American Colonies against any
alteration in the law relating to the property which they
hold for church purposes.
NOTICE OF MOTION.
Mr. TRELAWNEY gave notice that he should move
his resolution on the subject of church-rates on Thurs
day week.