The Sun.
London, England, 1830-12-18 00:00:00

LABOURERS.

The second reading of the Labouring Poor Bill (Lord
Nugent's measure) was, after a few words from his Lord-
ship, Colonel Sibthorpe, Mr. Sadler, and some other lion.
Members, postponed till February 10.
The Judgment and Execution Bill went through a
Committee, and was ordered to be reported without
amendments to-morrow.
CARRICKFER3US ELECTION.

Sir ROBERT INGLIS moved that a petition he had
presented to the House yesterday evening, from Lord
George Hill, stating that some of the names signed to the
petition from CArrickfergus, complaining of his return, hail
been forged, be referred to a Committee.
Sir A. CHICHESTER opposed the motion, and stated
that he was ready to defer the petition complained of.
After a few words from Lord l'Atattarrox, Mr.
Hour, and Sir lasts' GILAUAM,
Sir A. CHICHESTER bore testimony to the cha-
racter of some of the petitioners, and denied that the state-
ments against them were substantiated.
The motion Was then agreed to, and a Committee ap-
pointed forthwith to report on the petition to the House.
_ _

THE LABOURING POOll.
Mr. CIIRTEIIi, in presenting a petition from Sussex,
took occasion to make some observation" on the state of
the labouring poor, and declared he had conversed with
many farmers, who one and all asserted that they never
paid less than twelve shillings a week to any description
labourers, whether married or single. For his part,
although it had been stated that be paid to his own Is-
bourers Is. 9d. a day, be invariably paid as., with the
option of their taking piece work, if they pleased. The
agricultural interests were, however, in such a state of des-
titution, that they must, would, and should be protected.
—(hear.)
hlr. BRISCOE, in alluding to the condition of the Is.
bnurers, said he was satisfied the only remedy for their
distress would be found in the extension of the system 01
spade labour in the cultivation of ground allotted to them
for that purpose.

Mr. LONG WELLESLEY bore testimony to the ef-
ficacy of this system. Itt a part of the county of Essex,
near Tilbury fort, six or seven hundred of the labourers
who had been in a state of insurrection were reduced to
quietude and comparative comfort, by the immediate adop-
tion of the system of spade labour. Ile deprecated, how-
ever, the discussion of these and other vitally important
subjects on the mere presentation of a petition, and in the
presence of WI small a number of Members.
Sir JOHN SEIMIGIIT had devoted a good deal of
his attention to the subject of spade labour, and actually
allotted gardens to persons in his own parish, who were
by no means connected with hid property. Ile found, how-
ever, that all projects of that kind lAiled.
lord NUGENT knew in many eases that persons who
paid fifteen shillings of rent and two shillings of poor-rates
for a rood of land, had actually earned five pounds by the
cultivation of potatoes with spade Labour. Ile was con-
vinced that land let at a high rent for spade labour would
produce an adequate return for the support of the labourer
and the relief of the rates.

Sir J. SEBRIGHT said in explanation, that on a
large scale he was sure it would fail.
Mr. BRISCOE, in explanation, considered half an acre
sufficient for the object they had in view with respect to
spade labour.
Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN begged to give notice that
on the 15th of February he would submit to the House a
string of resolutions, showing the destructive tendency of
the present general depreciation of property.
Mr. SLANEY attributed much of the existing evil to
the perversion of the Poor Laws which had taken place in
some parts of the country.
Mr. WARBURTON reprobated the terms of the de-
claration by the Hon. Member for Sussex,.—that, the
agricultural interest must, would, and should be protected.

Such hingaige nee calculated to increase the existing ex-
citement. _

Colonel SIBTHORPE coincided in the opinion ex-
pressed by the Hon. Member for Sussex respecting the
necessity of protecting the agricultural interest.
After a few words from Mr. Iltithven, Mr. Duncombe,
Mr. P. Courtenay, Mr. Curteis, and Mr. Grove Price,
the petition, which was from a pariah in Sussex, praying
for a repeal of the malt duty, was brought up and reml.

Mr. CURTEIS, in moving that the petition should be
printed, said he could not have imagined that by the ex-
pression which he had used with reference to the necessity,
of protecting the agricultural interest, he should have been
euppostd to allude to any appeal to force, or to any means
but petition and argument. What he meant was, that the
state of the agricultural interest was such, that it must is
attended to ; that if it depended oc the Members for Sus-
sex it should be attended to ; and that if the House did
their duty it would be attended to.
The petition was then ordered to be printed ; as scar
another petition of a similar nature, presented by Mr.
CIIZTEIS, from another parish in the same county.