The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-02 00:00:00

luisii BILLS.

Mr. p. T_TIZQU HART asked the Chief Secretary for Ire-
/and whether he meant to proceed with the committee on
the I'oor Relief (Ireland) Bill before the Easter recess : and
whether he meant to proceed with the other Irish measures
before the Faster recess ?

Sir R. I'EEL said that he was not able to make greater

progress than he had done with those bills. He was afraid
he would not be able to proceed with the Pool• Law Eili
bef,re, Easter— (hear, hear)—but he should do all in his
power to press it on.

WEST HARTLEPOOL RAIT,WAY-BREACII OF

PRIVILEGE.

Mr. FARRER drew the attention of the house to a
matter personal to himself, in which a breach of privilege
had been committed. His hon. and learned friend
the member for Sheffield brought forward a motion
the other evening with a view to the appointment
of a select committee in reference to a private
bill, and in a petition which he presented certain charges
were made to which he thought it right to give a denial.
Laving alluded to some correspondence which had taken
place with a gentleman whose name was connected with the
company in question, he said the breach of privilege of
which ho complained was contained in an article
in the Stockton Gazette and Middlesborough Timms, and
the writer described his (Mr. Farrer's) statement as a" de-
liberate lie." Ho would not call on the house to summons
the printer of that journal to the bar of the house, but he
thought he would bo unworthy of a seat in Parliament if
he did not bring forward this subject. (Hear, hear.)
Sir G. GREY said he thought the hon. member should
,71"-:t Pass over this mat: cc, but he thought his (Mr. Farrer's)
nigh character was quite refutation sufficient of such a
char re..
(hear, hear.)
In re TILE EASTER RECESS.
ply t 0 Mr. DISEAELT,
Lord
vikThursday, wtheiERSTON raid that ho would state next
the Easter Tee:, Government propoEed
.to adjourn for
C OM PETITI \71.1
XA.MINATTON IN THE CIVIL
Mr. lIENNESSy in"RXICE.
" That this
(7,1 the following resolutions :
house is
permontiunion that the best mode of
procuring competent
tctoufill,the junior clerkships
in the Civil Service would
com-
petitive examination open to
ul'i.to:Th. a system of
I%)tects of the Queen
who fulfil certain definite conditions
character; and that, with a -yiow
of o:taa.g.ei,hhealth, and
c,,mpeti, ion ! it is
vblain
rtruim:otht,j.sabutoefel:thh
system of open desirable that
Presented to her
experiment
,firz-A, tried in the India Itooge
re-
peated from time to time in the other de
Civil Service: that, an humble address be
Majesty on the foregoing- resolution."
Mr. VANS ETTART seconded the motion.
Mr. COCHRANE moved, as an amendment, ic
`
many of the qualities constituting a good "public
officer—good principles, good habits, sound judgment;,
general intelligence, and energy—ea nnot
introduction, h.e t e ted
by any plan ot public competition ; the
therefore, of such a system into all the .tlerr4rti-ne.nt: of
ffi
the public service would be very ittittri;iusi fo thetr.
t_
cieney." ridiculed the description of. -eqrmiiatu o
which carldidalus for the civil service werorit*oted.

Mr. PEACOWiE seconded the amendment..
Lord STANLEY approved of the present system, ivllieh
king found to answer in ono branch of the public servitv,
Iva% Most reasonably extended to another.
Sir G. C. LEWIS deprecated repeated discussions upon
regulations so long sanctioned by Parliament, and briefly
described the_ nature of the examinations sanctioned and
approved by Government.
After considerable discussion, in the course of which
/4C)11. lumbers approving and disapproving.competitive

- --

examinations re-affirmed the arguments of preceding years
the amendment was negatived without a division.

Sir G. C. LEWIS then moved the previous question.
Sir C. WOOD seconded this amendment.
The house then divided on the previous question :
Ayes
Noes
The motion, therefore, was not put,
FIRE INSURANCE.

Mr. H. B. SHERIDAN asked leave to introduce a bill
to reduce the duty on fire insurances. The hon. member
stated the amount of reduction provided for by the bill,
and pointed out its effect upon the revenue, contending
that were his proposition adopted, it was clear from cal-
culations in his possession, that the revenue would
ultimately be greatly benefited. The amonnt of
revenue which the Chancellor of the EXchequer was
requested to abandon by the reduction of this im-
politic tax was under a quarter of a million sterling, and
that immediate loaa could easily be replaced by the sale of
Government stokes or wooden ships, which recent events
had now 1;-coved to be useless. The tax was levied only
upon 'insurers, while that class of the community who never
Insured avoided it altogether; it was, therefore, most un-
reasonable, unjust, and impolitic.
Mr. HADFIELD seconded the motion.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER considered
the subject both upon precedent, upon principle, and upon
facts, and expressed a hope that the house would at once
meet the question, because it was mischievous to play with
taxation, and held out hopes which obviously could never
be realised. lie deprecated the speculative opinions of Mr.
Sheridan. They would do nothing towards meeting defi
ciency and supplying the wants of the public service. He
further objected to individual members making isolated
motions for the reduction of taxation before the budget was
brought before the house. He was not disputing or deny.
ing that an increase of duty would arise from a reduction
of taxation; but the question was, whether this tax so
pressed upon them that its abolition should take precedence
of all others. It was their duty first to look at their means
and obligations before giving anything away, and if they
had a surplus to spare, to ascertain what tax had the
strongest claim for reduction. At present they were called
upon to express an' opinion in the dark, and he therefore
hoped the house would meet the motion with a direct
negative.

Mr. MALINS contended that this duty upon fire
insurance was altogether unjustifiable, most inexpedient,
and ought to be abolished. He should, therefore, support
the motion.

Mr. HAWKEY said the objection to this tax was, that
it was not levied upon equitable principles, and therefore
while leaving himself unfettered upon the second reading,
he should upon this occasion support the motion.

After a few observations from Mr. ROGERS and Mr.
Noiueis,
Lord PALMERSTON observed that his great objection
to the measure was the time at which it was brought for'
ward. The natural course in such cases was to allow the
Government to propose their financial arrangements, and
not to enter blindfolded upon schemes which, perhaps, upon
fuller information, might prove not the most pressing upon
their attention.

After a few words from Mr. SHERIDAN in reply,
The house divided, when th© numbers were—
For the motion
Against it

Leave was then given to bring in the bill.
JUDGMENTS LAW AMENDMENT (IRELAND).
Mr. WHITESIDE obtained leave to introduce a bill to
amend the law of judgments in Ireland.

DEBENTURES ON LAND (IRELAND).

Mr. WHITESIDE obtained leave to bring in a bill to
authorise the issue of debentures chargeable on land in It e-
land in connection with sales made by the Landed Estates
Court.