The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-16 00:00:00

RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

The Earl of MALMESBURY rose to call the atten-
tion of her Majesty's Government to a correspondence
which has taken place between Mr. Spence and the
Board of Trade, on the subject of a bridge on the North
Shields Railway. Since the last time he had addressed
their lordships, a fortnight ago, five railway accidents
of the most serious nature had taken place, in conse-
quence of which, 11 persons had been suddenly destroyed,
and 40 others seriously, if not permanently injured. He
considered that these accidents were all owing to mis-
management on the part of the railway company, and
the want of some proper supervision of the Government.
This superintending power might, he thought, be well
exercised in overlooking the state of the roads, in fixing
a maximum of speed, and in fixing also a minimum of
the intervals between the starting of trains.
Lord STANLEY of Alderley, said the subject was
one of great importance, and claimed a great share of
the consideration of the Government. No steps, how-
ever, could be taken until the report of the Committee
of the House of Commons now sitting was presented.
After a few words from Lord BRAUMONT and Lord
GALWAY, the subject dropped.
COUNTY COURTS.

Lord BROUGHAM rose to move for certain returns
containing the same information with respect to the
superior courts of law which had already been furnished
to the other house of Parliament with respect to the

county courts. The noble lord said that he would take
that opportunity of setting right a mistake which had
gone a..)road with respect to a statement which he had
made a few nights ago, as to the amount of the sums re-
coverel in the county courts as contrasted with the
enormms amount of taxes levied in those courts in the
form d fees. He had stated that a sum of 272,0001. had

been bvied during the last year in the form of law taxes,
and tat that bore a great proportion to the whole
amend of sums recovered in those courts. Six hun-
dred and odd thousand pounds had been the amount
of tho sums recovered by judgment ; but this by no
wears represented the whole amount recovered,
for it might perhaps be said that not less than
100,0001. had been paid into court, and that sums
to the amount of 300,0001. had been settled by the
parties ; so that they had to compare this 272,0001.,
whi:th was extorted from the suitors in law taxes, with
1,000,0001. or 1,200,0001. recovered by this beneficial
system of local judicature, but their lordships would see
that that the law taxes still bore a large proportion to
the sums recovered. Nevertheless, he was bound to
adnit that notwithstanding this evil, which it would be
their duty to remedy, the advantage was prodigious
waich suitors and the public had gained by this admir-
able system of local judicature, and he could not help
hoping that the system would be improved in England, .
rind would be extended to Scotland. The difficulties
which stood in the way of extending the system to Scot-
land were all but insuperable ; but he thought that they
might do so much as this, namely, to extend to Scotland
a local judicature to the amount of 50/., parol proceedings
and not written proceedings, and no appeal to the sheriff
from the local court, nor from the local court to a non-resi-
dent judge, but an appeal, as in England, on matters of
law alone, to the Supreme Court. If so much were given
to Scotland, he thought that the most prodigious advan-
tage would be gained by that country, and the agitation
now existing against the whole of the system at present
established would be put an end to. He was rejoiced
to learn that the Government had resolved to issue a
commission to inquire into the whole of that great sub-
ject, the assimilation of the mercantile law in the differ-
ent parts of the United Kingdom. The most important
branch of the subject, and that which had most occu-
pied the attention of the English mercantile interests,
both in the provinces and in the city of London, was the
assimilation in a certain degree, and in some manner, of
the law of bankruptcy and insolvency. He would not
say that this could be done by applying the English
system entirely to Scotland, nor by substituting the
Scotch system in place of our own, but in all probability
they might arrive at a third system better than either,
and compounded of the best ports of both ; and he had
that the result of the inquiries about to be instituted
would tend substantially to effect that object. He was
about to present a bill to their lordships, which he
considered as going in a right direction, and which, if
the English system were to be applied to Scotland—
namely, that of administering bankruptcy in a court
and by judges, of giving the inestimable blessing of
official assignees to that country, and the equally solid
advantage in a legal, commercial, and moral view of
three classes of certificates—would be found to work out
those objects satisfactorily. He would not pledge him-
self to the whole of the details of the bill, nor would he
undertake to say that he might not upon inquiry
be of opinion that it would be inexpedient to apply to
Scotland the bankruptcy system which was established
in this country. But if the principles of our English
system could be safely and beneficially applied to Scot-
land, then he felt that the great mercantile body, whose
wishes and views he on that occasion represented, would
have done good service by urging upon their lordships'
attention the details and principles of the bill which he
had now the honour of laying on their lordships' table.
His lordship concluded by moving the first reading of
the bill, which was entitled, "An Act to Improve the
Administration of Bankruptcy and Insolvency in Scot-
land."

The bill was read a first time, and the returns moved
for by the noble and learned lord were agreed to.
Lord WIIARNCLIFFE gave notice that he should
ask the Postmaster-General on an early day, whether
_ _

her Majesty's Government proposed to take any mea-
sures for the more certain transmission of mails to Aus-

tralia, and particularly for enforcing the contract for
that purpose with the Australian Royal Mail Steam Na-
vigation Company.
__ _

Their lords'hip; then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The report upon the Redruth and Chasewater Rail-
way Bill was brought up and agreed to.

ISLE OF WIGHT RAILWAY BILL.

On the motion for the second reading of this bill,
Mr. VANSITTART moved that the bill be read a
second time this day six months, on the ground that it
was opposed by the inhabitants of the island.
Mr. LAING saw no reason for departing from the
usual course adopted by the house, of allowing railway
bills to be read a second time, in order to be referred
to a committee. He stated that at all the public meet-
ings held in the Isle °Might in reference to the railway,
with the exception of one, had passed resolutions in
favour of the project.
Mr. HARCOURT said the majority of the landowners
in the island, as well as a great number of the respect-
able tradesmen in the four principal towns, were opposed
to the construction of the railway. He had no interest
either one way or the other, but he thought it right to
state the facts, and to leave the house in its wisdom to
say whether or not the project should be proceeded
with.

Mr. CROMPTON and Sir R. H. INGLIS supported the
amendment.
The house then divided, when there appeared—
For the second reading 92
Against it 133

Majority
The bill was consequently lost.
LONDON AND MID-WESTERN RAILWAY
BILL.

On the motion for the second reading of this bill,
Sir R. H. INGLIS opposed the bill, as it would ap-
proach the Observatory of Oxford University within a
quarter of a mile, and greatly interfere with observations
from that building.
Mr. OLIVEIRA said he believed the authorities of the
University were in favour of the bill. He should be happy
in committee to come to any arrangement with the right
hon. bart., or any bf the authorities of the University,
with the view of obviating the objections which he had
mentioned. He hoped the right hon. gentleman would
be satisfied with this assurance.
The bill was then read a second time.
LONDON (WATFORD) SPRING WATER COM-