The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-21 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

Mr. LASLETT presented a petition praying for a reduc-
tion in the duty on fire insurance.
Mr. EWART presented similar petitions.
Co]. SYKES presented petitions from several Indian
officers praying for redress.
Sir G. BOWYER presented similar petitions.
The O'CONNOR DON presented a petition praying for an
alteration of the law as regards landlord and tenant.
Sir J. SHELLEY presented a number of petitions for open-
ing the metropolitan bridges toll-free, and also petitions for
the reduction of fire insurances.

Mr. WILD presented a petition from Bodmin praying
for the reduction of fire insurances, and also for a reduction
of the mileage duty.
Mr. BAINES presented petitions from Liverpool and
Birkenhead in favour of the reduction of fire insurances.
STAGE CARRIAGES.
_ _

Mr. HUNT moved for a return connected with the stage
carriage licences, in -continuation of Parliamentary paper
of session 1859.
PATENT-OFFICE ACCOUNTS.

Mr. HODGKINSON moved for a copy of the reports
made to the Commissioners of Patents by Mr. Hindmarch,
Q.C., and Mr. Greenwood, Q.C., the Commissioners ap-
pointed to institute inquiries in reference to the Patent-
office accounts, and of any evidence on which such reports
were founded, and of any answers that may have been
made thereto.
The return was ordered.
PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE. .

Mr. HANKEY asked the Secretary for State for the
Home Department when he proposed to introduce his bill
for the better protection of life and property against fires
in the metropolis.
Mr. BARING said he hoped to introduce his bill very
shortly.
WATERWORKS RESERVOIRS.
Mr. FERRAND asked the Secretary of State for the
Home Department if Mr. Rawlinson, the Government en-
gineer, had made any other reports on the state of Water-
works Reservoirs than those already published ; and, if so,
whether he would lay them upon the table of the house ?
Sir G. GREY said a report had been made in the present
year with respect to certain waterworks at Rochdale ;
there would be no objection to lay the reports on the table
if the hon. gentleman moved for it.

PUBLIC EXECUTIONS.
Mr. LAWSON asked the Secretary of Stato for the
Home Department whether his attention had been called to
the horrible scene which took place at the execution of
Matthew Atkinson in Durham ; and whether he had made
inquiry into the conduct of the authorities who had the
management of the execution ?
Sir G. GREY said he had made no inquiry, because the
day after the unhappy occurrence the governor of the gaol
had written to him with respect to the matter. He had,
however, written to the high sheriff of the county express-
ing a hops that greater precautions would be taken for the
future.

CONSULAR REPORTS.
Mr. BAINES asked the Under Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs whether it was intended to issue the con-
sular reports of the secretaries of legation, for the infor-
mation of the mercantile public, at shorter intervals ?
Mr. LAYARD said arrangements had been made at the
Foreign-office for the more speedy issuing of these reports.
He hoped they would be laid on the table in future at the
end of every month.
OFFICE OF WOODS AND PORESTS.
Mr. A. SMITH rose to move for a select committee to
inquire into the Office of Works and the Office of Woods
and Forests and Land Revenue. He stated that the ex-
penditure of the two offices some years ago was £36,000,
whilst in the last 10 years they cost £68,000 a year, showing
that there was a regular increasing amount from year to
year. The hon. member urged that the general
management was so defective and inefficient that the
most searching inquiry was imperatively demanded.
There were errors connected with the demolition of
the State Paper-office and re-building of the
of the new Government offices in Downing-street which
ought to be strictly inquired into. Then with respect to
the woods and forests, there had been many of the estates
disforested at the expense of the public which ought not
to have been permitted. The moneyreceived for the timber
which had been cut down and sold, when these forests were
converted into building land, ought to have been paid into the
public exchequer, instead of which it had been appropriated
by the Commissioners of Woods and Forests just as they
pleased, without the slightest attempt to obtain the sanc-
tion of Parliament for its outlay. (Cries of "Divide,
divide.") He should be extremely happy to divide, but
he should not proceed to the division until he had concluded
his statement,and it would be well for hon. members to give
him their attention for a ',short time, because then they
would know which side to take when the division came.

Mr. NEATE thought it very desirable that the com-
mittee should be granted, believing from personal experi-
ence it was certainly necessary.
Mr. F. PEEL said there had been several inquiries into
the working of these two departments, and that there was
no need for any further examination.
[LEFT SPEAKING.]

Mr. ROBERT SAWYER (our old friend of Pick-
wick ?) in a letter to the Daily News, tells a fair
story apropos of Dr. Cumming and the spread of Roman
Catholicism. "This morning," he says, "I spoke about it
to a friend. Bob,' says he, I've read that learned doctor's
works, and I'd take his word before any newspaper in the
world: But, Bob,' says he, what's it matter ? The whole
concern is going to bo wound up right off, out of hand,
either next year or the year after, and it will be all the
same to you and me and those Catholics."