The Sun.
London, England, 1830-06-09 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS-(LAST NIGHT.)

A person from the office of Woods and Forests
presented the 7th report of his Majesty's Commis-
sioners of Woods and Forests.

Mr. SYKES presented a petition from Hull,
praying for the abolition of negro slavery, and com-
plaining of the delay which had taken place in carry-
ing into effect the resolutions agreed to by that
House in 1823. Also a petition from the same
place, praying for the repeal of the stamp duty on
receipts under 101.—To be printed.
Mr. CURTEIS presented a petition from
Brighton, against the punishment of death for forgery.
Mr. KEKEWICH presented a petition from
chymists and druggists of the city of Exeter, praying
for the repeal of the Medicine Stamp Act.—To be
printed.
Mr. G. DAWSON presented a petition from
Londonderry, earnestly praying the House that. the
intentions of the Chancellor of the Exchequer with
respect to raising the duties on spirits in Ireland
might not be carried into execution.—Ordered to
be printed.
Mr. G. DAWSON presented a petition from
Londonderry and Donegal, complaining of the pre-
sent constitution of the Manor Courts of Ireland.

Mr. O'CONNELL knew the allegations of the
petition to be true.—The petition to be printed.
Sir G. HILL presented a petition from the Cham-
ber of Commerce of Londonderry, praying for free
trade with India.—Referred to the Committee on
the East India Charter.

Sir G. HILL presented petitions from the same
body against the duty on coals carried into Ireland,
and against the increase of taxation in Ireland, espe-
cially in stamps on newspapers.---To be printed.
Mr. C. N. PALLMER presented a petition, the
nature of which we could not learn, and it was not
read by the clerk.
Mr. Alderman WOOD had yesterday named
Thursday as the day on which he should move for

Jury Courts of Scotland since the establishment
thereof, distinguishing the number of cases in each
of the classes he had just enumerated.—Agreed to.
Lord STANLEY presented a petition from the
chemists and druggists of Manchester against the
Medicine Stamp Act.
Mr. F. BUXTON moved that an address be pre-
sented to the Crown, for copies of all informations
received by the Government of India respecting the
agnount of tax levied on pilgrims to the Temple
of Juggernaut.—Agreed to.
Mr. O'CONNELL presented a petition from a
parish in the county of Z ipperary, against the in-
crease in the taxation of Ireland.---To be printed.
The HON. MEMBER also presented a petition from
inhabitants of London and Westminster, members

of the Metropolitan Political Union, complaining
of the conduct of this country with regard to Greece,

and praying that there might be no; further inter-
ference on our part in the affairs of that country.
Mr. HUME regretted that, after we had with-
drawn from the Holy Alliance, we should have
thought of interfering in the affairs of other nations.
The late Mr. Canning had fallen into a great error
with regard to Greece, and the Government had
acted on that error since the death of Mr. Canning.
He hoped that now, at least, though it was late,
Greece would be left to choose what Government
it liked best, and that we should not persist i❑ at-
tempts to force a King upon that people.
Mr. HOBHOUSE concurred in what had fallen
from his Hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen,

except, indeed, in thinking that this country was
against any further interference. He agreed that it
was a most fortunate thing that Prince Leopold had
refti,ed to concur in our forcing him on the Greeks,
and he thought the people of this country were of
the same opinion.
After a few words from Mr. IL GRATTAN, Mr.
O'CONNELL, and Sir It. PEEL,

Mr. O'CONNELL gave notice that he would
revert to the subject on Thursday.

STAMPS ON MEDICINES.

Mr. HOBIIOUSE had a petition to presen

from a most respectable body, the chymists and
druggists of London, Westminster, and Southwark,
complaining of the vexatious operation of the Law
which imposed Stamp Duties on certain kinds of
Medicines. The petitioners complained that the
distinction made by the Act, the 23d Geo. 111., be-
tween patent medicines, proprietary medicines, and
medicines sold as nostrums or specifics, were not
kept up ; but that, contrary to the intentions of that
Act, stamps were now required on ordinary medi-
cines, the prescriptions for which were to be found
in the Pharmacopoeias of London, Edinburgh, and
Dublin. There were several Acts afterwards on the
same subject, but that of the 42d Geo. 111. was the
chief; and under the operation of that Act, in Ihe
schedule of which were included many medicines
which it could not have been the intention of the
Act to have stamped, the chymists and druggists
suffered great annoyances, as penalties were
sought and recovered for the sale, without
stamped labels, of medicines which were quite
common and in every pharmacopeia. But a
great cause of complaint was the uncertainty
respecting these penal proceedings. In some cases,
the Commissioners of the Board of Stamps remitted
the penalties at their pleasure. Some of the parties
against whom process was instituted remained quiet,
sad the proceedings were not followed up, while
others who resisted were compelled to pay the
penalties; and with respect to others, the penalties
were greatly mitigated or given up. Now, he
thought it was never the intention of the Legislature
to give to the Commissioners the power of dispens-
ing with the law. If the law were just, it ought to
be enforced; but if it were vexatious and oppressive,
it ought to be given up altogether. He did not blame
the Commissioners of Stamps for what they did, or
the respectable individual who acted as the solicitor
to the board : he blamed the law which could be so
construed as to give them this power. The Hon.
Member then went on to contend that the Act of
Parliament contemplated only such medicines as he
had before mentioned, and could not have required a
stamp for common medicines which were to be found
in every dispensatory. He concluded by moving
that the petition be brought up.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
could assure the petitioners, that there was every
disposition on the part of the Government, and of
the Commissioners of Stamps, to come to any ar-
rangement by which annoyance to them might be
avoided. Considerable alterations would, for this
purpose, be made in the schedule.
Mr. WARBURTON supported the prayer of the
petition. There were many medicines which the,
Commissioners said required stamps, but which were
in the Pharmacopc2ias; but he did not see why soda
water should be included.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
—Soda water was not included in the schedule to
the new Bill.
Mr. WARBURTON was glad to hear it; but
he would suggest to do away with all the duties,
and allow the parties to take out a license to make
up those medicines.
Mr. HUME was glad to hear the Right Hon.
Gentleman had gone so far as to give up the duty
on soda water, and as this amounted to 12,0001.
out of the 37,0001., he thought it was hardly worth
while to continue the remaining 25,0001.
The petition was brought up and read.
Mr. HOI3HOUSE, in moving that it be printed,
was glad to hear the Right Hon. Gentleman had
gone so far as to give up part of the duty, and he
hoped he might be induced to give up the remainder.
The petition was ordered to be printed.
COMMISSIONERS OF NEW CHURCHES.

Mr. HUiVIE had been requested to present a pe-
tition from the charchwardens, vestry, and inhabi-
tants of the parish of St. Luke, Middlesex; to which
he would beg the attention of the Right Hon. Se-
cretary (Sir R. Peel), because he was sure the
Right Hon. Gentleman would admit that when a
power was given to Commissioners to erect new
churches, it was not intended that they should be
that plague and nuisance to the community which
they had since proved themselves in so many in-
stances. It appeared that about five or six years
ago a chapel was erected in this parish by the
Commissioners, but so little was it wanted by
the parish, that it remained for two or
three years before it was completely fitted up.—
It was now in his opinion rather hard that the
parish should have three churches forced on it by
Commissioners, when the two already built were
never tilled; and certainly such a latitude of autho-
rity could never have been contemplated by Parlia-
ment- Throughout the whole correspondence, it
was surprising to observe how little consideration
for the parties concerned had been evinced by the
divines. In one of the churches the pews were
open free of charge to the public, yet it was uni-
formly very thinly attended; and in the new church

Hon. Member in the expediency of appointing a
Select Committee, inasmuch 'as it did not appear
that a case had been made out which could warrant
such a procedure, even on his own showing. He
alleged that the Commissioners had declined confer-
ring with certain parties relative to the subjects re-
ferred to, but was it not very possible that they
might have previously obtained all the requisite in-
formation from those who possessed the best means
of being acquainted with the parochial aff. irs ? A
rule was laid down by Parliament for their direc-
tions, enjoining them to inquire in what parishes
room was wanting for the adequate accommodation
of the parishioners when they as,embled in the exer-
cise of public worship, to examine in what places
there existed a disproportion between the popula-
tion and the space allotted for divine service, and
provide accommodation in proportion to the num-
ber of the inhabitants. In compliance with these
instructions, they had selected the parish of St.
Luke as legitimately coining within the meaning of
the said rule, as the population in 1821 was ascer-
tained to amount to 40,876, while there was not ac-
commodation in the places of worship for more than,
1,200 persons, and they gave accommodation to
2,500 in addition to that number, making in all but
3,700, out of 40,876, who were thus given an oppor-
tunity of going to church. The assertion that the
new church was almost empty, had no foundation
whatever, if he might believe the testimony of the
respectable clergyman who usually officiated. With
respect to the poverty of the parish, he should ob-
serve, that poor parishes above all others had en-
tered into the contemplation of Parliament N 1 hen it
made such a provision. The parish in question
seemed to him to have been peculiarly well selected.
Mr. J. WOOD could only judge of the Commis-
sioners from their scandalous encroachments on the
property of the people, and from local information
relative to their abuses. They were continually
bringing in Bills, which exhibited a grasping and
over-reaching disposition ; and their prodigality and
extravagance were equally discreditable to those
who passively suffered such excesses, and to them-
selves who had committed them. Their Secretary

had 1,0001. a year ; and the Clerk, who no doubt
discharged the whole duty, had 3501. In addition
to this wasteful expenditure, they persisted in con-
tinually intl;cting churches on those who did not
want more than they were in possession of already.
He thought that a Select Committee should be ap-
pointed to inquire into the subject generally. He
did not mean as a dissenter to impugn the Chris-
tian character of the established church. He
was the best friend to religion when he sought the
prevention of cant and hypocrisy—the besetting
sins of the day, and recommended to the Church the
adoption of greater Christian forbearance and
humility.
After a few words from Lord J. RUSSELL, Mr.
TRANT, Mr. R. COLBORNE, and Mr. Serjeant
ONSLOW,

Mr. HUME, in moving the petitions be laid on
the table, said there were 1,200 inhabitants of the
parish of St. Luke, paying an average rate of 301.
per annum, offering to prove at the bar of the House,
that so far from the new churches of which they
complained being wanted, those they had were not
half filled. Who best should know the fact of the
necessity of this new church, this or that Bishop,
or this or that Member of the Commission, who
knew nothing of the wants of the parish, or 1,200
respectable inhabitants necessarily best acquainted
with those wants, and necessarily most interested in
their removal ? There was, in fact, no parish in
the metropolis better supplied with houses of
worship, or more truly " church going." Not less
than 5,000 persons attended several of 20 chapels
which the parish contained every Sabbath day ;
showing that there was no necessity for building
new churches. He repeated he could not but ex-
press his surprise at the manner in which the Right
Hon. Gentleman had met this important petition.
After a few words from Mr. W. Smtni, and
Mr. BARING, the petition was laid on the table, Mr.
HUME giving notice that he should on Monday next
move that it be referred to a Select Committee.
Mr. BULLER presented two petitions from
places in Yorkshire, in favour of an open trade with
China and the East Indies.
On the motion of the same HoN. GENTLEMAN,
returns are ordered of the number of newspapers
published in Great Britain and Ireland, and amount
of stamp duty paid within the last two years.
Dr. PHILLIMORE gave notice that he should,
to-morrow, move for returns of the number of di-
vorces granted in the Commissary Courts of Edin-
burgh within the last five years.
The Earl of BELFAST presented a petition
from the distillers of Belfast for a reduction of duty
on coals.