The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-26 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS-LAST EVENING.

The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
THE BELFAST WATER BILL.
On the order of the day for the third reading of this bill,
Mr. O'REILLY moved that the bill be read a third time
that day fortnight.
Sir H. CAIRNS objected to the postponement.
After some discussion the bill was read a third time and
passed.

COLONEL DAWKIS' CASE.
Mr. D. GRIFFITHS gave notice that to-morrow even-
ing, on the order of the day for going into committee of
supply, he would move for all letters that have passed be-
tween the Commander-in-Chief and the major-general
commanding the regiment in which Colonel Dawkins
served ; also the papers referring to the inquiries held in
reference to the matter.
ALLEGED CLAIMS BY AMERICA.

Sir J. WALSH gave notice that he would to-morrow
evening ask a question in reference to the claims made by
the United States Government on England as compensa-
tion for the depredations made by the Alabama and other
Confederate vessels on United States merchantmen. He
desired to learn whether any new claims had been made,
and what had passed in reference to the claims it was
known had already been made.
THE LEEDS BANKRUPTCY COURT.

Mr. FERRAND gave notice that to-morrow he would
move that the select committee to sit upon this matter be
composed of fire members, with two other hon. gentlemen
to conduct the examination, but not to vote.
THE LATE SURVEYOR GENERAL OF CUSTOMS.

Mr. MONSELL asked the Secretary to the Treasury in
what way the Government proposed to give effect to the
recommendation of the Commissioners of Customs that the
services of their late senior Surveyor-General, Mr. St. john,
should be recognised in some special manner.
Mr. F. PEEL said the Pensions' Act gave the Treasury
no authority whatever to grant pensions to the widows and
families of public officers, however extraordinary their ser-
vices might have been.
TIPPERARY POLICE.

In answer to Mr. LANIGAN,
Sir R. PEEL said that the extra police in the county of
Tipperary, paid out of the local rates, were sent there at
the request of the magistrates. If they had no duties to
perform, and the magistrates petitioned for their removal,
they would be removed at once.
THE BELLEROPHON.
In reply to Mr. ToRRENS,
Lord C. PAGET said the design for the Bellerophon was
proved on the 23d July, 1863. The building was com-
menced on the following 28th December. She went out
of dock in 1865 in perfect readiness for receiving her en-
gines, boilers, and masts. She will probably be completed
for sea by the end of November next.
MALT DUTY BILL.
In answer to Sir F. KELLY,

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER proposed to
postpone the motion for the second reading of this bill for
a week.

UNION CHARGEABILITY BILL.

On the motion for the third reading of this bill,

Mr. HENLEY reverted once more to the report of Dr.
Hunter and the charge it brought against the landed pro-
prietors of having made a wholesale demolition of the cot-
tages of the poor. Alluding especially to the statements
which affected his own county, Oxford, the right hon.
gentleman said that since last the subject was discussed
he had carefully analysed the circumstances of the eighty
parishes where it was represented by the commissioner the
number of cottages had decreased, and explained that the
diminution in the population was not confined to the rural
districts, but included the principal towns in the county,
and that in the vast majority of the parishes alluded to
there were numerous houses lying unoccupied. The fact
was, that the population of the county, as shown by the
census, had decreased, and this was confirmed by the rate
of wages which during the last 15 years had increased from•
10 to 12 per cent. From all the circumstances of the case,
therefore, he arrived at the conclusion that a more un-
founded charge than that which had been brought against
the landlords of Oxfordshire could not have been invented.
His surprise was, indeed, that there had not been a much
more extensive diminution of cottage accommodation.
Turning then to the bill, he protested against the manner
in which it had been conducted through the house, and
contended that, by converting the country unions into so
many parishes, the measure would extend the evils which
now pertained to large parishes, and that by not adopting
the principle of irremovability, the state of the poor would
be worse rather than better.
Mr. BENTINCK condemned the bill as a political move
founded upon hypocritical pretences.
Mr. KNIGHT observed that there were two arguments
used in favour of the bill, one in the lobby, the other in the
house. The cry against close parishes was raised in the
house, but in the lobby the cry of the borough members
was—Vote for the bill, that our constituents may gain so
much at the expense of the country parishes.
After a few words from Mr. MITFORD the bill was
read a third time and passed, amid cheers from the Minis-
terial benches. _ .

The Partnership Amendment Bill and the General Post-
office (Additional Site) Bill were also road a third time and
passed.

BANK NOTES ISSUE BILL.
A proposal of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to recom-
mit the Bank Notes Issue Bill led to some discussion in
which Mr. Cobbold, Mr. Heygate, Mr. Greaves, Mr. Clay,
Mr. Hubbard, Mr. Hadfield, and other members took part.
Colonel EDWARDS remarked that, if the bill passed
in its then shape, it would inflict serious consequences

upon the trade of the country, and that a more dangerous
measure, so far as the provincial banking interests were
concerned, had never been concocted on the Treasury
bench. In brief, it was a wholesale confiscation of bank-
ing property, and he recommended that it should be with-

drawn.
Ultimately, however, the bill was recommitted, when
Mr. COBBOLD moved to omit a portion of the Bth
clause, and insert words to the effect that the Lords
Commissioners of the Treasury might, on and at any
time after the Ist January, 1879, by notice in the Lon-
don Gazette, declare that, unless Parliament otherwise de-
termined, at the expiration of ono year from the date of
the notice all issues of banks in respect of which a per-
centage might be payable under the act should cease,
and that such issues should cease accordingly.
Mr. AYRTON opposed the amendment, and character-
ised as monstrous the claim set up by the country bankers
to make indefinite the term during which their power of
issue should continue ; and called upon the committee
not to assent to the entangling language of the clause
proposed by Mr. Cobbold.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER objected to
the new clause as altogether out of character, because it
was proposed for the express purpose of introducing utter
vagueness and uncertainty into the provisions of the bill,
and would practically have the effect of rather implying on
the part of Parliament a belief or an intention that the
private issues under the act might be continued as a
monopoly. The words were innocent enough in them-
_ _ _

selves, but the spirit and aim with which they were pro-
posed rendered them inadmissable.
After some discussion the amendment was withdrawn,

and on the motion of the Ca&scELLort of the EXCIIECLU
the following words were inserted in the preamble, further
to define the objects of the bill :—"And to fix by law a
time whereat the present statutory right of issue on the
part of bankers obtaining such exemption shall determine,
in order that either their issues may become subject to the
enactments of the Bank Act of 1844 hereinafter mentioned
in respect to lapsed issues of bank-notes, or that Parlia-
ment may make further provision concerning them as it
shall think fit upon grounds of public policy."
The bill was then passed through committee. -
FIRE BRIGADE (METROPOLIS) BILL.
Mr. T. G. BARING moved the second reading of the
Fire Brigade (Metropolis) Bill, and explained that at pre-
sent the fire brigade was supported by the Insurance Com-
panies, but was found to be wholly insufficient to meet the
growing wants of the metropolis. Moreover, these com-
panies were not disposed any longer to maintain the exist-
ing establishment. It was, therefore, proposed by the bill
to transfer the service to the Metropolitan Board of Works,
and that the funds for its maintenance on an extended and
improved form, amounting to about £50,000 a year, should
be raised by a rate of a halfpenny in the pound on the
assessable property within metropolitan limits, a contribu-
lilillu of
£lO,OOO by the State, and a percentage upon the
value of insurances effected with the companies. It was
further proposed that the establishment should be increased
bythe addition of three new floating engines, and addi-
tional stations at Woolwich, Greenwich, Temple Bar, St.
James's Palace, Buckingham Palace, the British Museum,
and Chelsea. Power was also given to the Board of Works,
as the rateable value property increased and the half
penny penny rate brought °in
ashareger
increase, to purchase the ofs the um'anexdpeasninse would
garasinsurance
augmented the companies' s
larger
of the Royal society
for the Protection of Life from fire-escapes
Sir W. JOLLIFFE approved of the general scope and
object of the bill, but entertained,a
somev doubts with regard
s to be hereafter
relieve the
to the mode in which the brigade
ma-
naged. it seemed to him that thebillwould
thriving insurance companies at the expense oftherate-
payers ; and that the Board of Works was hardly the best
metropolis.
a s.
machinery for managing the fire brigade of the
poli
Mr. BLACKBURN thought that £lO,OOO a 3
the
contribution of the State for the protection of Oovernment
offices and public buildings was exc and suggested
that these structures should be assessed in the same manner
as other property.
Observations were also made by
Mr. Ayrton, Mr. Vance,
Mr. R. Mills, Mr. Aldertmin Rose, and Mr. Locke.
Mr. PEACOCKE would have preferred seeing the bri-
gade placed under the metropolitan police rather than the
Board of Works, which did • not possess the public con-

fidence.
Mr. HANKEY, as chairman of the select committee upon
whose recommendations the bill was founded, said he at
once entertained the same opinions as that just expressed,
but upon farther reflection he had come to a different con-
clusion.
The bill was read a second time.