The Sun.
London, England, 1837-02-16 00:00:00

CHURCH RATES.

Mr. OSWALD gave notice that to-morrow he would
present a petition from Glasgow, signed by 42,000 indivi-
duals, praying for the total abolition of Church-rates.
Mr. GitOTE presented a petition from the Dissenters
of the city of London, praying for the total abolition of
Church-rates.

BRITISH *MUSEUM.
Mr. HAWES, seeing the Noble Lord the Member for
South Lancashire in his place, wished to know from
him, as he was one of the Trustees of the British
Museum, whether any steps had been taken to carry into
effect the recommendation of the Select Committee with
respect to the opening of the Museum generally to the public
during the hnlydays, and regarding the extending of the
hours during which the reading-room was kept open.
Lord STANLEY was happy to inform the lion.
Gentleman, that so far as the trustees had it in their
power every recommendation of the Select Committee
would be carried into effect ; but with regard to the opening
of the Museum, and the extending of the hours for reading in
the Library, they had, if possible, gone beyond the Resolu-
tions of the Committee ; at all events their recommendations
would be carried fully into effect—the Museum would be
open to the public during the holydays on every day except
Saturday, and it was in contemplation to extend the hours of
the library being kept open. During the last year there
were no less than 383,000 visitors at the Museum, and on
one day alone they,amounted to 9,000 persons.
Mr. HAWES was very glad to hear the answer of the
Noble Lord, and in a very short time he would move fer
Returns upon the subject.
Lord STANLEY begged to observe that as the 25th
11,Iareh ended the financial year of the Museum, the
regulations would not come into operation till then. The
Museum, however, would be opened generally, according to
the new regulations, before Easter.
MUNICIPAL CORPORATION BILL.

Sir E. KNATCHBULL, before the House went into
Committee on this Bill, presented a petition from certain
burgesses in the town of I.4the, in Kent, complaining of

certain grievances which they had suffered from the opera-
tion of the Bill. The Hon. Member was going into a long
detail of the statements of the petition, when
Mr. ROEBUCK rose to order. The Hon. Member
was going into a statement of the petition which he considered
unfair to the other Members, who were bound by the rules
of the House to present their petitions without saying a
word upon them.
The SPEAKER made a few observations which were
inaudible in the Gallery.
The HONOURABLE BARONET then proceeded. He
said, that all he wished to know was, whether it was
intended to introduce any clause for the purpose of putting
the questions in the petition at rest. The Hon. Baronet
concluded by moving that the petition be printed.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the petition was
a highly proper petition to be submitted to the considera-
tion of the House. At all events, he was aware that
abuses had existed for some time in the borough of Hythe,
and that complaints had been made against the oqicers of
that Corporation. But the proper remedy would be ob-
tained by means of a criminal information. He was ready
to co-operate most earnestly with the Right Hon. Baronet
in any measure that would prevent these abuses, and it was
his intention to introduce a clause in the Bill which would
have the effect of putting a stop to the very expensive and
vexatious litigation which had arisen out of cases connected
with the working of the Municipal Corporation Act. To
that clause no opposition would, he anticipated, be offered
in that House, nor, he believed, in the other ; and he
wished to avoid, as much as possible, prolonged discussion
on the Bill. By this Bill it was not intended to alter the con-
stitution of the municipal bodies as they stood at present,
but to correct and remove certain abuses which prevailed
in them.
Lord STANLEY thought the reasoning of the Hon.
and Learned Gentleman was very much beside the ques-
tion. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman said that these
parties might be proceeded against by way of information,
with a view to punish their misconduct ; but when a law
for the remedy of abuses was under consideration, what was
the course that was worthy of a legislator ? To leave
each case of misconduct to meet its punishment as it arose,
or so to shape the provisions of the law as to remove the
possibilities of similar misconduct for the future ? He
could not think the Hon. and Learned Gentleman would
find it difficult to introduce such a clause into this Bill as
would effectually meet the case in question. If the Court
of King's Bench disclaimed the power of rectifying these
abuses, was there any difficulty in the way of giving that
power, or establishing a court which should have that
power ? It was intolerable that parties should be obliged
to sit down, without a remedy, under decisions which, it
was admitted, were unsupported by law, and were, besides,
open to suspicions of corruption.—( Cheers.)
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the Noble Lord
had omitted, notwithstanding he had dwelt at some length
on the subject, to suggest any thing like a practical remedy
for the grievance of which he complained. It was his epi-
nion that these persons should be made to conform to the
law ; not that the law should be shaped according to their
errors.—(Hear, hear.) It was most important that the
Bill should not be delayed.
Sir E. KNATCHBULL thought the Hon. and Learned
Gentleman had wholly given the go-bye to the question he
(Sir E. Knatchbull) had put.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL w ished that the House
would at once proceed to discuss the clauses in the Bill.
Sir W. FOLLETT observed that his Learned Friend
said that his Bill was intended to put a stop to certain legal
proceedings which had been commenced in the shape of quo
warrantos, but many other matters had been introduced
into the Bill. He therefore could not imagine why a re-
medy to an abuse such as had been described by his Right
Hon. Friend should not be allowed to be inserted in it. It
was useless applying to the Court of King's Bench on the
subject, because the Court had determined that it had no
power on the subject. The whole borough constituency
for municipal purposes was therefore at the mercy of the
mayor and his assessors. The mayor of a place might thus,
if he pleased, reject one-half of the constituency, and as
the -law now stood there was no appeal whatever from his
decision. Under these circumstances he thought that the
suggestion thrown out by his Right Hon. Friend was well
worthy of the attention of his Majesty's Ministers and
the Attorney-General, who, in his opinion, were bound to
take such'steps as would effectually put a stop to such a
state of things.
Mr. JERVIS said, that gentlemen opposite seemed to
think that no measure eould be introduced by a person on
his (the Ministerial) side of the House, that had not for
its object the promotion of party purposes. He protested
' against such an assumption. He understood the Right
Hon. BarOnet to complain that the names of fifteen per-
sons entitled to be registered as burgesses in the borough
of Hythe' had been omitted from the burgess roll by •the
Mayor. If there was no temedy for this, and if the mat-
ter were of such a simple nature, why did not his Learned
Friend the Member for Exeter introduce a clause in com-
mittee to remove the ground of complaint, instead of then
getting up a discussion ? He was sure if the remedy were
so simple, it would at once receive the sanction of all
parties ; but he trusted that the Attorney-General would
not consent to postpone the progress of his Bill.
Mr. C. PELHAM contended that the Municipal Bill
had promoted, in every place where it had been in opera-
tion, the most objectionable party spirit.
Sir EDWARD KNATCHBULL trusted that if the
present clauses of the Bill went through the Committee, the
Attorney-General would consent to the Chairman re-
porting progress, and asking leave to sit again, when he
(Sir E. Knatchbull) would introduce his clause.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL could -not consent to
any such arrangement, as the Right Hon. Baronet could
introduce his clause on the report being brought up. He
should be happy to render him any assistance in his power
in drawing up the clause.
The petition was then brought up.
Sir ROBERT PEEL would ask a question of the At-
torney-General with reference to the Municipal Corpora-
tion Act. That Act directed that the Town-clerk of
every borough should make out a list of all persons who at
the time of passing the Act had been admitted burgesses or
freemen, and that their rights should be respected ; it also
directed that all persons who should hereafter become enti-
tled to be admitted burgesses or freemen, and who should
claim to be admitted, should, on establiShing their claims,
be enrolled in the list of freemen for the borough. There
was, however, a third class of persons, with respect to whom
it did not appear that any provision was made ; he meant
persons who were entitled and duly qualified to be enrolled
before the passing of the Act, but who had not had their
names inserted in the burgess-roll. Instances had occurred
where persons thus situated had been refused when they
applied to be enrolled as freemen. He thought that some
provision should be made for such cases ; at any rate, if
there were any doubt, the law ought to be made clear on-
the subject.—s-( Hear.)
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL thought that in such
cases as had been stated by the Right Hon. Baronet there
could be no doubt as to the right, and that they must be
allowed. He was not aware that there was any doubt on
the subject, but be would turn his attention to the point,
and take steps to meet the case alluded to by the Right
Hon. Baronet.
Sir ROBERT PEEL was perfectly satisfied with the
explanation of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman. If he
looked at the fifth clause of the Act he would at once see
the point.

Mr. SCARLETT objected to proceeding with Acts of
Parliament which were merely intended to prevent the
friends of the Government feeling the effects of their own
negligence. This was a most objectionable mode of pro-
ceeding.
Sir W. FOLLETT was at a loss to understand the ob-
ject in view in introducing the last clause into the Bill ; lie
trusted, therefore, his Learned Friend would explain it be-
fore the House went into Committee. He could not under-
stand the clause if it were not intended to allow the King
to grant a charter to a town without the permission of its
inhabitants. •

......
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL thought that it would
be more convenient to discuss the details in committee. The
object of the clause, however, was to enable the King to
grant charters to towns which were included in the Act, or
not, as the case might be. Several towns were mentioned
in the Act which required charters, but which could not be
granted as the law now stood. The case of Sunderland was
a remarkable instance of the kind. Again, there were se-
veral places which were now Corporations to which the ad-
vantages of the Municipal Act could not be extended, be-
cause being Corporations the King had not the power to
grant them charters. The Act could only be extended to
such places as Birmingham and Dudley, which were not
Corporations.

Sir WILLIAM FOLLETT presumed there would be
no objection to the introduction. into the Bill of some re-
striction, as in the former Act, whereby no place should be
incorporated except on petition froth the inhabitants.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said there would be
no objection to such a restriction being introduced.
The House then went into Committee.
Clauses I to 9 were respectively agreed to, with a few
verbal amendments.

Sir E. KNATCHBULL moved that clause 10 be post-
poned.
The Committee divided, when there appeared—
For postponement ................................. 18
Against it ........................ . .
..... .......... 78
Majority- ... ........................... —6O
The clause was then agreed to.
The other clauses of the Bill were then agreed to.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, proposed a new clause,
repealinc, that provision in the original Act, declaring that
unless the Council were reduced to two-thirds, casual va-
cancies were not to be filled up, The clause provided that