The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-20 00:00:00

RAILWAY PASSENGERS BILL.

Lord St. LEONARDS moved the second reading of this
bill.

Earl GRANVILLE said he thought this was a subject
which Parliament should carefully consider before they
proceeded to legislate on a matter of such importance as
the safety of the public.
The Duke of MARLBOROUGH trusted that they would
receive such an assurance from the Government. There
was a very general impression in the public mind, after the
recent fearful accidents, that the subject of railway manage-
ment had not been met or dealt with by the Government in
a proper manner. It seemed to him an anomaly that the
Government should have power to prevent a line being
opened unless it was properly constructed, but that they
should have no power to see that it was properly managed.
He thought the railway directors ought to be made more
directly responsible than they were at present, in respect to
accidents, for the truth was that the greater number of
such aocidents arose from carelessness or mismanagement,
and were easily preventible.
After a few words from Lord WHAILNCLIFFE,
The Duke of MONTROSE said he thought the bill an
unnecessary one, because, as a matter of fact, it was not at
present the custom of railways to lock passengers in. He
thought that it was expedient to give the Board of Trade
greater power to control railway management-than they
possessed at present; but he did not think it was desirable
to interfere by piecemeal legislation such as the bill before
the house.

After some observations from the Marquis of WEST-
MEATH,

Earl GRANVILLE said that her Majesty's Government
bad been considering the matter, and would give their very
best consideration to it. But as at present they wore not
aware of any measure which would not cause greater diffi-
culties than it was intended to obviate, it was impossible
for him to give a pledge as to any specific measure.

Lord ST. LEONARDS then withdrew the bill.
SINGAPORE.

The Earl of ALBE3fARLE nskod tho President of the
Council what progress had been made in the transfer of
Singapore and the other settlements in the Straits of Ma-
lacca from the Indian to tho Colonial Government ?

Earl GRANVILLE said that some practical difficulties
had arisen in settling the various details which required to
be provided for; and although the Government was very
desirous to introduce a bill to carry out the transfor in ques-
tion, he was not able to give the noble earl any assurance
that that could be done during the present session.
The Prisons (Scotland) Act Amendment Bill and the
Traspass (Scotland) Bill were road a second time.

The reports of amendments on the Partnership Amend-
ment Bill was received and agreed to.
The Pier and Harbour Orders Confirmation Bill, the
Lunatics Asylums Act (1853) Amendment Bill, the Pilot-
age Orders Confirmation (No. 2) Bill, the Smoke Nuisances
(Scotland) Acts Amendment Bill, the Procurators' (Scot-
laud) Bill, the Churches and Chapels Exemption (Scot-
land) Bill, the Colonial Laws Validity Bill, the Colonial
Marriages Validity Bill, and the Defence Act (1860)
Amendment Bill were read a second time.

The report of amendments on the Union Chargeability
Bill was received and agreed to.
The Dockyard Extensions Bill, the Drainage and Im-
'movement of Lands Acts (Ireland) Amendment Bill, and
the Drainage and Improvement of Lands (Ireland) (Provi-
sional Order Confirmation) (No. 2) Bill were read a third
time and passed.
The house adjournod at fiva minutes before SOYOU o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS-LAST EVENING.

The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Diane Valley Railway ; Edinburgh Merchant Company ;
GirTan and Portpatrick Junction Railway; Great Northern
Railway (Junctions at Newark, &c.) ; Ham Oyster Fishery ;
Edinburgh and Glasgow and Monk-land Railway Com-
panies; Southam Railway ; Strathspey Railway; Vale of
Noath Railway (Swansea Lines, &c.) ; and Watchet and
Minehead Railway.