The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-11 00:00:00

SECOND READINGS.

The following bills were read a second time :—lsle of
Wight Railways (Extensions)—Merthyr, Tredegar, and
Abergavenny Railway—and Tottenham and Hampstead
Junction Railway.
INNKEEPERS' LIABILITY (No, I) BILL.
Mr. W. MARTIN moved that the Speaker do leave the
chair.

Sir F. GOLDSMID desired to intimate that he should
offer no further opposition to the measure. The promoters
had placed various amendments on the paper, which would
completely alter and at the same time materially improve
the provisions of the bill.
Mr. PACKE also withdrew his opposition to the
measure.
The house then went into committee.
Clause 1 was withdrawn, and the following amendment,
by Mt. HUNT, substituted :--"" After the passing of this act
no innkeeper shall be liable to snake good to any guest of
such innkeeper any loss of or injury to goods or property
brought to his inn, not being a horse or ether live animal,
or any gear appertaining thereto, or any carriage, to a
greater amount than the sum of thirty pounds, except ire
the following cases .—That is to say--1. Where such goods
or property shall have been stolen, lost, or injured through
the wilful default or neglect of such innkeeper, or any servant
in his employ ; and, 2. where such goods or property shall
have been deposited expressly for safe custody with such
innkeeper, or his servant authorised 14 him for that pur-
poses. Provided always, that in the case of such deposit
it shall be lawful for such innkeeper, if he think fit, to re-
quire, as a condition of his liability, that such goods or pro-
perty shall be deposited in a box or other receptacle, and
that the person depositing the same shall affix his seal to
the fastening thereof."
Mr. ROEBUCK proposed a clause to the effect that £3O
be the limit of compensation, and that the onus of proving
the value thereof rest with the owner.
Mr. LOCKE said it would be incumbent upon the owner,
if he went to law, to prove the value of the property.
Mr. HEYGAIE supported the clause, and mentioned a
case of great injustice which had occurred to an innkeeper
in Leicestershire,
After a short discussion, the proviso of the hon. and
learned member for Sheffield was withdrawn.
Mr. W. MARTIN proposed the adoption of the follow-
ing clauses :--" If any innkeeper shall refuse to receive for
safe custody, as before mentioned, any goods or property of
his guest, or if any such guest shall, through any
default of such innkeeper, be unable to deposit such
goods or property as aforesaid, he shall not be en.
titled to the benefit of this Act, in respect of such.
goods or property. Every innkeeper shall cause to be
printed in plain type the first section of this act, and shall
cause at least one copy thereof to be exhibited in a conspicu-
ous part of the hall or entrance to his inn, and he shall be
entitled to the benefit of this act in respect of such goods or
property only as shall be brought to his inn while such
copy shall be exhibited ; and he shall also append to such
copy a notice in writing, signed by himself, containing the
name of the servant (if any) authorised by him to receive
goods and property for safe custody."
Sir F. GOLDSMID proposed an amendment in the pre-
amble to the effect that " it is expedient to amend the law
concerning the liability of innkeepers in respect of the goods
of their guests in manner hereinafter."
Mr. W. MARTIN assented.
The bill then passed through committee, and the chair-
man ordered to report the fact to the house.
The house resumed.
SAVINGS BANKS ACTS AMENDMENT BILL.
Sir H, WILLOUGHBY moved that the house go into
committee on this bill. Ho said the bill would consolidate
eight savings banks acts, and had no reference whatever to
the investment of savings banks moneys or the Post-offices
banks, and was in exact accordance with the suggestions of
the committee of 1858. The consolidation of these acts
would be a great convenience to all the persons connected
with those institutions. Moreover, the bill had received
the fiat of Mr. Tidd Pratt, the registrar of friendly societies.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER assented
to the committee on the bill, which reflected great credit
upon the hon. baronet and the hon. member for the Tower
Hamlets (Mr. Ayrton), and those with whom they had
acted, on account of the faithful way in which they had
acted in the business. The Government intended to pro-
pose some amendments, which would be submitted to the
house in the report.
The house then went into committee, and in the course
of a long discussion various omissions and amendments
were agreed to. Clauses 63, 64, 65, and 66 wore omitted.
Mr. HIBBERT moved an amendment to clause 37, but
after a short discussion the hon. member withdrew it.
The house resumed.
ELECTION PETITIONS BILL.

Mr. HUNT moved the second reading. The bill pro-
posed that no election petition should be withdrawn with-
out the reasons being disclosed to a standing committee of
that house, to be called the " Election Petitions With-
drawal Committee." It would prevent the practice of pre-
senting sham petitions to that house, whether for the pur-
pose of annoying or for extorting money. It was well
known that after a general election as soon as a peti-
tion of a frivolous nature was presented against a
Liberal member, one followed against a Conservative,
on the ground, he supposed, of restoring the
balance. (Hear, and laughter.) Great expense and
annoyance were the result. When it was found that
petitions were frivolous and vexatious, the recognizances
entered into would be estreated and paid into the Exchequer.
In cases of compromise the petitioners would be doubtless
well able to afford to pay the penalty that lie proposed to
exact.
Mr. COX warmly supported the bill. In 1857 he was
made the victim of a sham petition charging him with every
crime that could possibly vitiate his election. (Laughter.)
Within 24 hours of the period the members of the commit-
tee would have been struck, he received a confidential offer
from the agent, who subsequently made the acquaintance
of the Bankruptcy Court, that the petition would be with-
drawn it a sum of £5OO were paid. Knowing that he had
not been guilty of any offence, he indignantly refused to
accede to the application, but nevertheless the petition was
withdrawn. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. COLLINS supported the preamble, though he ob-
jected to the clauses. (Laughter.) If election committees
were more strict, and followed up the law, the evil of sham
petitions would be greatly mitigated. They would ihid it
very difficult to compel people to proceed with petitions, so
with ordinary prosecutions, against their will.
Mr. BOUVERIE supported the bill.
Mr. AYRTON doubted whether they would not do more
harm than good in discouraging the presentation of petitions
against the validity of the return of members. If, unlike
ordinary prosecutions, which involved no costs, they cast
heavy responsibilities on petitioners against the return of
members, the house would perpetrate a great injustice. If
the bill was read a second time it would require much
amendment in committee. The house should not encou-
rage fanciful proceedings of this nature.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL joined in the praises
that had been bestowed on the general principle of the bill.
The evil to be guarded against was unduly interfering with.
the right of the subject to petition that house. Were the
bill to be passed in its present state it would actually inter-
fere with the right of petition. The Election Petitions Act
of 1848 provided that sureties should be entered into by
one, two, three, or four persons to the extent of £l,OOO in
one or several sums, to prosecute petitions, and it provided
that in the event of the withdrawal of petitions against re-
turns the cost of sitting members and all other parties should
be defrayed by the petitioners. The right hon. gentleman
pointed out several clauses of this bill that appeared to him
to require amendment at a future age, such as freeing peti-
tioners who might be proved to have acted bona fide from
costs. He should support the second reading.
Sergeant PIGOTT supported the bill, considering that
it would not commit any injustice, but, on the contrary,
would initiate a wholesome system of fair dealing%
Sir W. MILES referred to the nefarious and recent Tx
of Lisburn in order to show the importance of election
mittees. With some alterations in the details of
measure It would work well.
fitted
oneedbnilel
RAILWAY BILLS
BlLLfOrtnight.
The second reading was postponed for aL
swdaays rneeaxdt. a second time in order to be comm
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The committee wasp ostponed 11
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a gracious act on the part of the
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watering the streets,.
when there
parishes. The materials were only of the value of old iron,
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appeared—
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part of the bill. Theii
Against it
Majority 54
The —43
remain-
ing clauses were agreed to, and the house resumed.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
This bill was read a thirdPLEMENTAL BILL.
time and passed.
OFFICERS OF ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE BILL.
This bill passed through committee.
DOCKYARDS PROTECTION ACT AMENDMENT

•
This bill was read a thirdßlLL time and passed.
The house adjourned at ten minutes to six,

FREEHOLD LAND IN WEST WORCESTERSHIRE.—
The 48th purchase of estates in 20 counties (being
the second acquisition of freehold building property in West
Worcestershire) has just been made by the Conservative
Land Society. The estate is situated just outside the city
boundary of Worcester, near the Renwick station, and
fronting the high road to Ludlow. The land is close to the
Severn and the Race-course, and from the estate
mending views views of the picturesque range of the 'Malvern
Hills are obtained. No town in the kingdom has increased
and flourished to such as extent es Worcester, 15itICC its ex-
traordinary development of
the railroad cHillommsu, Henicareford and
tions with
London, Birmingham, M

Waies.
DEATH OF HUGH MILLER'S 1110THER.—We re-,
gret to learn that the venerable mother of this dis-
tinguished author died at Cr, marty on Saturday Light
last. She NVB 13 in the eighty-third year of her age. Since
the death of her lamented son, she enjoyed a pension of
£3O per annum from the Government, granted to her on
the recommendation of the Duke of Argyle, and an equal
n peaceful and her dying
yts necessary comfort calcu-
allowance from the widow of the eminent geologist. She
died within a few yards of the spot where Hugh r
of surrounded 1 lhnedre withast
moments
oemveer
couch smooth and easy.--Invernessdvf? ttser,
lwaates bodtorn:•d