The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-13 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

Several petitions were presented, chiefly against the
operation of the income tax, and praying. for the exemption
from the tax of all incomes under £l6O a year; for the
repression of the liquor traffic; for an alteration in the
poor law; from certain schoolmasters against provisions in
the Revised Code, &c.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE.
On the motion of Colonel PENNANT, a fortnight's
leave of absence was granted to Mr. Holland, on the ground
of domestic affliction.
REDUCTION OF THE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE.
Sir C. DOUGLAS (in the absence of the hon. member
Mr. Stansfeld), gave notice that on that day three weeks
his hon. friend would bring forward a motion to the effect
that it was desirable to reduce the public expenditure.
(Hear, hear.)
OUR RELATIONS WITH CHINA.
Mr. WHITE gave notice that on an early (lay he should
call the attention of the house to our relations with China.
THE BALLOT. _ _

Mr. BERKELEY gave notic3 that he would, on the
27th instant, move for leave to introduce a bill providing
for the taking of votes at elections by ballot. (Hear, hear,
and laughter.)
REMUNERATION TO POSTMASTERS.
Mr. W. MARTIN asked the Secretary to the Treasury
whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Government
to give any remuneration to the postmasters in consequence
of the additional labour imposed upon them by the institu
tion of post-office savings banks.
Mr. PEEL said that the question was under considera
tion.

LUNATIC ASYLUMS (IRELAND).
Mr. MACEVOY asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland
whether any, and, if any, what changes had been recently
made by the Irish Government in the rules and manage-
ment of district lunatic asylums ?
Sir R. PEEL said that the subject of lunatic asylums in
Ireland and the rules which had been introduced for their
more efficient management, had given great satisfaction.
CIVIL SERVANTS IN BOMBAY.
Mr. ADAM asked the Secretary of State for India whe-
ther he had rec-ived any memorial from her Majesty's
covenanted civil servants in Bombay praying for the redress
of certain grievances, and when the memorials from civil
servants in Bengal and Madras would bo in the hands of
members f'
Mr. BARING said that these papers had been laid on
the table last Friday.
Mr. HODGKINSON asked the President of the Poor-
law Board, whether ho had any official knowledge that, in
consequence of the Government having in the last and the
present session promoted a bill to amend the law respect-
ing Parochial Assessments, the revision of the assessments
in a large number of parishes was postponed ; and whether
there was a probability of the bill now before the select
committee of which he was chairman being reported to the
house so as to give sufficient time for its consideration and
being passed into law during the present session.
Mr. V ILLIERS was understood to say that he had re-
ceived no official information in reference to the subject of
the first question. With regard to the other question, the
bill alluded to would shortly be prepared, and would be in-
troduced in time to enable its being passed this session.
MISCELLANEOUS EXPENDITURE.
Lord R. MONTAGU asked the First Lord of the Treasury
if it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to bring
forward any measure, during the present session, for the pur •
pose of carrying into effect the recommendations contained in
the report of the committee on miscellaneous expenditure,
so far as they suggest a transfer of all public works (save
those for naval and military purposes) to one depart-
ment, and the appointment of a permanent commissioner of
works.
Lord PALMERSTON said that all the public works,
with the exception of those intended for naval and military
purposes, were under the control of the Commissioners of
Public Works. Her Majesty's Government had no inten-
tion whatever of appointing to the head of the Public
Works Department a permanent officer, because the effect
would be to deprive the house of the control which they
now possessed relative to public works.
COURTS OF JUSTICE MONEY BILL. '

Mr. COLLINS asked the First Commissioner of Works
whether it was his intention to proceed with the Courts of
Justice (Money) Bill, the second reading of which was
negatived on the 10th of April last.
Mr. CO WPER said it would be most convenient to
proceed with this bill.
PENSION TO MR. GEORGE LINNIEUS BANKS.
Mr. BENTINCK asked the Secretary to the Treasury,
whether it was true that Mr. George Linnaeus Banks had
been placed on the Civil List for a pension of £5O per an-
num?
Lord PALMERSTON said that no such pension had
been granted. It was represented to him that Mr. Banks
was a gentleman of considerable literary attainments, and
in consequence of having devoted a great deal
of his time to the promotion of mechanics' insti-
-1 tutes, a very meritorious act, he had embarrassed himself.
Under these circumstances, he (Lord Palmerston) recom-
mended that he should receive a donation of £5O from the
royal bounty, but that must involve a continuance of tae
grant.

CAPTAIN COLE'S SHIELDS.
In reply to Lord R. MowrAcitt and Admiral WALCOTT,
Lord C. PAGET said that Captain Coles had written a
letter to the Tiases stating that he had not been consulted
in the repairing of the shields, and as he had a great
respect for that gentlemen he regret ted his having adopted
such a course. The shields in question had undergone
experiments which impaired them to some extent, and his
noble friend the Duke of Somerset decided that they should
be subjected to a further with guns of 1601 b. calibre. Capt.
Coles was communicated with, and his 40-operation was
invited. He repeated his regret that Capt. Coles, as an officer
on full pay, should have written to a newspaper on this
subject. Captain Coles was not a shipbuilder, and the plan
of ships which he presented to the Government had been
declined, and he was only responsible for the shields.
TRAMWAYS BILL.
Mr. AYRTON, in moving for leave to bring in this
bill, to authorise the construction of tramways and othe
tor
roads in England, explained that he did not propose
give as extensive powers in this bill as were given for the
construction of these roads in Scotland and Ireland. He
contended that tramways could be constructed free from the
defects of those now in the metropolis. In the event of
any complaint about any particular tramway to be ma made
ses-
e, the
matter might be referred to the magistates at quarte
sions, and they could forbid its construction if they thought
fit to do so.
Sir J. SHELLEY opposed the motion.
After various discussion, leave was given to bring in the
bill.
HULL CITADEL.
Mr. A. SMITH moved for an address for a copy of the
case prepared in the War-office for the law officers of the
Crown respecting Hull Citadel, and their opinion thereon.
Mr. PEEL said that the law officers of the Crown were
of opinion that the property belonged to the Crown from
hereditary right.
After some discu ion
n the house dividel—
For the motion
Against it .......
Majority ....
The motion was accordingly lost. .. —139
INCOME-TAX.
Mr HUBBARD moved that the incidence of an
income-tax should not fall upon capital or property,
and and that when applied to the annual roceeds of inves-
ted property it should fall only on the net incomes
arising therefrom ; and that the net profits, gains, or
salaries of persons and partnerships (not by public com-
panies), engaged in any trade, farm, or manufacture,
profession, or salaried employment, should be subject, pre-
vious to assessment, to such an abatement as may equally
adust the burthen thrown upon intelligence and skill, as
compared with property.
[LEFT SPEAKING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS-YESTERDAY.
ALLEGED DEFEAT OF HUSSEIN PASHA.

In reply to Mr. FREELAND,
Mr. LAYARD advised the hon. member not to pay
much attention to the telegrams from Ragusa. As far as
her Majesty's Government were concerned, they were in-
formed that the Turkish troops in the Herzegovina were
successful, although they had sustained some temporary