The Sun.
London, England, 1839-06-29 00:00:00

Through some inadvertence on the part of the solicitor,
the parties were not prepared according to the Orders of
the Committee on Private Bills, and he would therefore
now move that the Order of the Day for the second reading
of the Bill should be discharged. He would also move
that the Bill be withdrawn.
Mr. W. PATTEN said he had been requested by Mr.
Greene, the Hon. Member for Lancashire, to state that the
parties had consented to withdraw the Bill and introduce
another in its place. He had promised his Ho-
nourable Friend that he would certainly mention this
to the House, although he could not agree with
it himself. He thought the parties having already in-
fringed the rules of the House twice, ought not to be per-
mitted to adopt the course they were now attempting.
Mr. POULETT THOMSON said it was his in.
tention upon two grounds to resist both the second
reading of the present Bill, and also the substitu-
tion of another Bill in its place. The first ground
of objection was that he considered the conduct of the par-
ties with regard to the measure such that the House ought
not to sanction ; and, secondly, he thought it would be a
great deal fairer to oppose the second reading now than
allow the case to be brought forward in an amended form.
The circumstances of these Hull Docks were rather
peculiar, and the public revenue was interested in not
proceeding to legislate too hastily upon the subject. By
the Hull Dock Charter, the Company was entitled not
only to levy dues on ships coming into the Docks, but
also upon vessels entering the harbour, and they were
also entitled to levy dues upon foreign vessels, and these
dues, according to the reciprocity Acts, must be repaid by
the Treasury.—( Hear, bear ) Then, as to the limits of
these Docks, the Company contend that they extend over
the entire river Humber, which was extremely
doubtful, and it was intended to try that question
in a Court of Law. It would be premature, under
these circumstances, to give to any party the exclu.
sive right to the land in question, as it would debar others
from competing with them on a future occasion. On these
grounds, and because it was contrary to the forms and pro.
ceedings of the House, he should object to a second Bill
being introduced, and he would then move that the Bill
be read a second time that day three months.
Mr. HANDLE Y said it was owing to a mistake of the
solicitor, that the clauses in question, to which the Hon.
Member for Hull had alluded, were not introduced.
Mr. BROA DLE Y supported the Bill, The parties
had done nothing at all suspicious, as they had acted un-
der legal advice. It was impossible that the Bill could
have been brought in sooner, as the petition for it was
actually presented before the Bill enabling the parties to
sell the land had received the Royal assent. All parties
in Hull were in favour of the Bill, and he hoped the
House would allow it to be brought on.
Sir W. JAMES said the Right Hon. Gentleman said
the case was one of much suspicion, but he could assure
the House that he had the word of honour of the Solicitor
for the Bill, that, acting under the advice of professional
men, they were of opinion that the clauses could only
be added in the 'Committee on the Bill, and that
it was by mere inadvertence that the mistake arose.
He should have no objection, to introduce a clause pro.
viding that all those pending questions to which the Right
Hon. Gentlemen in his very lung speech attached so much
importance, should not be affected by the present Bill, and
he therefore hoped that no further objection would be
offered to his motion.

Mr. PR YM E agreed there was a great demand for
duck rcom at Hull, but he did not see why they should
allow this Company to gain possession of this piece of
ground, which was the most eligible for a dock, and to keep
all other persons out of competition for two years. He
should vote against the Bill.

Sir J. Gli-A HAM woaid support the motion of his
Right Hon. Friend. The only point on which he bad any
doubt was as to whether Parliament ought or ought not to
interfere.

Mr. PEASE had inquired into the merits of the case,
and from that inquiry he felt bound to support the
Government in the line which they proposed to adopt.
Mr. BETH ELL felt assured that the Company had no
possible interest in making the Docks.
Sir E. KNATCHBULL thought the Bill ought to be
allowed to proceed.
Mr. CA YLEY said the Corporation, the Trinity
House, the Town Committee, and the Chamber of Com-
merce were in favour of the object.
The Bill was then withdrawn, and,
Sir W. JAMES moved for leave to bring in another
Bill "to empower the Hull Dock Company to hold cer-
tain lauds for a limited period.
The House divided, and the numbers were—
Fel- the motion
Against it

70
Majority
Mr. FRESH FIELD moved the further consideration of
he Report of the Committee on Alison's Divorce Bill.
The Hon. and Learned Member then moved that the
Bill be read a third time on Monday next.
After a few words from Mr. WYNN and Mr. WILSON
PATTEN, the motion was agreed to.
On the motion of Mr. BAINES, the Pontefract Honour
Court Bill was read a third time and passed.
On the motion of Mr. BROTH E RTON, Lord Tern-
Wernore's Estate Bill was read a third time and passed.
The Lords amendinents to the Ballochney Railway
Bill were agreed to.
On the motion of Mr. WODE HOUSE, the Lords
amendments to the Norwich Tonnage Bill were agreed to.
Colonel VERNER moved that the Standing Orders be
dispensed with in the case of the Belfast Waterworks Bill,
and that the Committee have leave to sit on Monday week.
Agreed to.

SMALL DEBTS BILL.
Lord STANLEY wished to call the attention of the
ouse to the state in which they were with respect to nu.
tn,rous Bills to which reference had been made by his
Noble Friend and Colleague—he alluded to the Satall
Debts Bill.—( Hear, hear.) It would be in the re-
collection -.of the House, that upon that occasion,
the further proceedings of the Committees on these Bills
were suspended until the general Bill on the sub.
ject was introduced. He understood that the Com-
mittee which the House had appointed on the County
Courts Bill would sit on noiday, and that they
would be enabled to report in a few days afterwards.
If such was the case it would be most desirable that some
person should take the trouble when that Report was
brought up, of extracting from the Bill its leading prin-
ciples, in order that they might be discussed, for the pur-
pose of establishing them as precedents upon which the
House might proceed with respect to the Small Debts and
other Bills similarly situated. He would suggest whether
it would not be expedient to make a further pos•ponement
of these Small Debts Bills for a few days, with a distinct
understanding that the House would fix an early day next
week, when the question might be discussed, and some
general principle adopted.
Sir G. GREY believed the Committee had already
agreed upon the principle, and it was likely they would
make a report early in the ensuing week.
Lord STANLEY said the main object of the House
should be to lay down some principle, by way of resolution,
for the guidance of these Private. Bills.
Lord J. RUSSELL was anxious that these Private
Bills should be proceeded with as soon as possible ; but it
was necessary that some general principle should be laid
down before they could come to any satisfactory conclusion.
Sir GEO. STRICKLAND complained of the delay
which had been occasioned to the progress of these Balls
through the House. He thought parties ought to be
allowed to go on with their Bills, and that a general Bill
should, if possible, be passed this Session, but at all events
next Session ; and that the other Bills should only remain
operative until such general Bill was passed.
Mr. P. THOMSON thought the better way would be
for the adjournment of the Committees on Small Debts
Bills to be extended till Monday week, and that the
House should in the mean time decide on what course
should be pursued.
This was agreed to, and the conversation dropped.
Mr. FOX MA ULE gave notice of a motion for leave
to bring in a Bill to continue the Turnpike Act.