The Sun.
London, England, 1837-12-22 00:00:00

MALTA.

Mr. HUNIE said that soon after the House met, he would
put a question to the Secretary to the Colonial Department,
respecting certain reports made to her Majesty's Government
relating to Malta. He wished now, before the House sepa-
rated, to ask in what state those reports were, and when they
might expect they would be laid on the table?
Sir GEORGE GREY had hoped those reports would have
been ready before the recess ; but in order to obviate the
delay thereby occasioned, it was the intention of Government
to present them in such a form that they would be ready to
he put into the hands of Members the moment they would
be ready.
Lord J. RUSSELL brought to the bar and laid on the
table certain returns from the Colonial-office, of which the par-
ticulars were not understood in the Gallery.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.

Colonel SIBTHORP said that he had a question to put to
the Noble Lord opposite, respecting the business of the House.—
( A laugh.) Many Hon. Members, who, like himself, came
down, at every personal inconvenience, to discharge their
duty to their constituents, were last night greatly disappointed
at finding that it was not the pleasure of her Majesty's
Ministers that a Mouse should be made.
The SPEAKER, asked the Hon. and Gallant Member
whether he meant to conclude his observations with a ques-
tion or a motion; if with a question, he should confine himself
to the subject matter of that question.
Colonel SIBTHORP said that he and others had been
♦ery much disappointed last night by the conduct of Ministers
in not making a House, and he now wished to ask the
Noble Lord the Secretary for the Home Department,
whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to
evade the motion of which he (Col. Sibthorp) had given
notice for this night.—(A laugh.) His motion was respect-
ing the allowance to the Duchess of Kent—( Hoar)—and he
wished to ask the Noble Lord whether it was the intention of
the Government to evade that question, in order that he and
others might be relieved from the supererogatory duty of
attending in the House with a view to that question.—( Hear,
and a laugh.)

Lord .1011 N RUSSELL •said that it was by no means
the wish of her Majesty's Government to evade the noz,ion
of the Honourable Member, whom they were always glad
to see in his place, and sedulous in his 'duties—(A laugh.)
Whenever the Hon. and Gallant Member chose to bring for-

ward his motion, her Majesty's Minist,Ts, Members of that
House, were quite ready to meet it.
Colonel SI BT 110 P —( A laugh.)
Lord JOHN RUSSEL L—There is no desire on the pail

of her MHjesty's Government to evade the motion. Speafdig
for that portion of her Nlaje,ty's Government who have the
honour of seats in this H. use, I was do.; n here yes:crday be-
fore four o'cock ; the Chancellor of the Exchequer was
with me, and w:.‘. were disappointed to find that a House could
not be made.

Col. SIBTHORP—If you wished to make a House, you
would have hcen down here at three o'clock.—( Laughter.)

THE. CASE OF DR. HAMPDEN.

Mr. LUSI I I NGTON begged to ask the Noble Lord the
Secretary of the Home Department, whether he had read the
protest of Dr. Hemp den, the Regius Profcssor in the Uni-
versity of Oxftrd. and whether her Majesty's Government
had taken any official notice of that protest?
The SPEAKER s,id the lion. Member ought not, in
asking a question, to state any thing which sni;ht lead to
discussion
Lord JOHN RUSSELL—I can only say that no official
application has been made to me by Dr. Hampden upon
the subject, nor has any such application, I believe, been
made to any other Memb rof the Government, and at presort
there is certainly no intention on the part of the Government
to institute proceedings on the subject.
COMPENSATION TO LORD CANTERBURY.

Mr. WARBURTON wished to make an explanAtion as to
some state:cent ho had been supposed to make on the late debate
on the question of granting compensation to Lord Canterbury.
He had not said that as to the sum of 5001. which the late
Speaker had received from the Treasury for certain articles
of furniture, that lie had paid to the Lord Chamberlain an
equivalent sum of 5001. In feed he (Mr. W.) could not have
stated that, for he knew at the time that it was only a nomi-
nal consideration IN 1-h:eh had been paid by the late Speaker to
the Lord Chamberlain.
SODOR AND MANN.

Sir WILLIAM FOLLETT presented a petition from the
Dean and Chapter of Exeter, against the annexation of the
bishopric of Sodor and iNI,Inn to the see of Carlisle.
SHERIFFS' COURTS.

Captain PECH ELL asked the Attorney-General, who had
stated on a former occasion that the Lord Chancellor and the
Judges had the subject of Sheriffs' Courts under their consi-
deration, whether it was the serious intention of the Law Of-
ficers of the Crown to bring forward a measure for the exten-
sion of Sheriffs' Courts.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said, that the Lord
Chancellor, with the assistance of the twelve Judges, was
inquiring. His Lordship had not yetmado up his mind upon
it, but before the meeting of Parliament, after the recess, be
(the Attorney-General) would communicate to the Hon. and
Gallant Member his Lordship's determination ; and if his
Lordship did not intend to introduce a measure upon
this subject to the other House of Parliament, he
(the Attorney General) would offer no opposition to the Hon.
and Gallant Member's bringing forward a Bill upon the sub-
ject.—(Hear, hear. )