The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-22 00:00:00

CHURCH RATES COMMUTATION.

Mr. NEWDEGATE obtained leave to bring in a bill for
the commutation of church rates, which was read a first
time.

The Game Licences (Ireland) and the Dublin Interna-
tional Exhibition (1865) bills were read a third time and
passed.

The Civil Bill Courts Procedure (Ireland) Act (1864)
Amendment Bill passed through committee, with amend-
ments.

In committee of the whole house resolutions were agreed
to in reference to the Courts of Justice Building (Defi-
ciencies) and the Common Law Courts (Fees), Leave was
given to introduce bills founded thereupon.
The bills were brought in and read a first time.
The house then adjourned.

Association of Chambers of Commerce of the
United Kingdom,

The annual meeting of the delegates from the
various provincial Chambers of Commerce consti-
tuting this association commenced yesterday at the
Westminster Palace Hotel—Mr. Sampson S. Lloyd,
the chairman of the association, presiding.
There were present the following delegates :
Messrs. H. Pease, M.P., Darlington ; E. Baines,
M.P., E. A. Leatham, M.P., G. Moffatt, M.P., Mr.
Bass, ALP., Somerset Beaumont, M.P., W. Daven-
port Bromley, M.P., W. E. Forster, M.P., G. Had-
field, M.P. ; J. Somes, M.P., and J. Clay, M.P.,
Hull ; Sir F. Crossley, M.P. ; Messrs. W. Buchanan,
M.P., Glasgow ; C. Norwood, Hull; E. Akroyd,
Halifax ; W. H. Wills, C. H. Low, M. Whitwell,
and L. Bruton, Bristol ; W. F. Price, Glocester ; C.
Allhussen, James Hall, and John Hall, Newcastle-
on-Tyne ; H. J. Atkinson, Hull ; J. Whitwell and
C. Braithwaite, jun., Kendall ; D. Lupton and W.
Hirst, Leeds ; T. Wilson, Goole ; E. L. Help, J.
Batley, and C. H. Jones, Huddersfield ; R. H.
Ellis, J. Mitchell, and T. H. Cook, Dewsbury ; J.
Harris, Darlington ; W. C. Corsan, R. Leader, W.
Smith, C. Atkinson (Master Cutler of Sheffield),
and R. Jackson, Sheffield ; H. W. Ripley, J. Beh-
rens, and J. Darlington, Bradford ; L. Haymenn and
S. Collinson, Nottingham ; W. T. Cox and J.
Renals, Derby ; W. Armstrong, South of Scotland
Chamber ; J. S. Wright, G. D. Goodman and G.
Dixon, Birmingham; M. D. Hollins, Staffordshire
Potteries ; W. Morris, Halifax ; J. B. Holroyde,
Halifax Chamber ; I. Wilson, Middlesborough ;
W. R. I. Hopkins; J. Brooke, Huddersfield; J.
Crossley, Halifax, and G. B. Lloyd, Birmingham.
The CHAIRMAN said the standing committee were
glad to meet their fellow-delegates, and able to an-
nounce to them a large accession of members to the
association. There were now 27 Chambers of Com-
merce in active working with the association. Those
chambers represented a great deal of the commer-
cial intelligence of the country ; and he was happy
to say that the income arising from their subscrip-
tions made the association self-supporting, with the
exception of the extraordinary expenditure chiefly
arising from the movement of the association in
Austria. The leading journal had that morning
thought fit to infer that the association was weak
because three of the most important places in the
country, Liverpool, Manchester, and Glasgow, were
not connected with it. The association would, cer-
tainly, be very glad to have their co-operation, and
it was not the fault of the association that those im-
portant towns stood aloof ; but while the association
represented the entire county of York, and the
towns of Birmingham, Bristol, Wolverhampton,
and other places, it felt itself sufficiently strong to
labour effectually for the good of commerce even
without the joint action of those three chambers.
The chairman then adverted to the establishing of
free trade with Austria, and said that efforts had
been made to bring about a more liberal commercial
policy in that country. A commission of inquiry had
been appointed by the Austrian Government, similar
to that appointed by the Emperor of the French a
year or two ago, and it might be anticipated with
some confidence that the steps taken would lead
to some modification of the protective policy of
Austria, and which would tend greatly to increase
the wealth of the two countries. He concluded by
observing that the labours of the association had
been productive of great good to the commercial
interests of the country, and then moved that the
report and accounts (which had been taken as read)
be adopted.

COC AKROYD (Halifax) seconded the motion,
which was agreed to unanimously.

BANRCPTCY LAW REFORM.

The CHAIRMAN then moved the following resolu

tions

the"eTvihdaetntcheetaekxep:ribeefnocere
the
ethseelectcCommittee
commercialcommunityitteeof and
the
of Commons last Session combine to show that a thorough
House
reform of the English law of bankruptcy and of the system
of procedure under it is urgently needed. That in such
reform the following are important desiderata :—I. Provi-
sions for the safe, economical, and speedy realization and
distribution of the estate. That in the opinion of this
meeting the provisions of the Scottish Law of Bankruptcy
(19th and 20th Vict., c. 79) accomplish these objects very
satisfactorily, and this meeting approves their adoption in
England. 11. Provisions for the adequate and certain pun-
ishment for insolvency arising from the wilful and reckless
incurring of debt, to an extent beyond that which the
bankrupt had reasonable expectation of discharging, as
well as for actually fraudulent bankruptcy. That in re-
ference to this point it is desirable that the acts constitut-
ing reckless insolvency and fraudulent bankruptcy should
be clearly defined (irrespective of the condition of intent to
defraud); and that the definitions of the French Code de
Commerce (articles 585, 586, 591, 593) appear in the
main to do this satisfactorily. 111. The appointment
of a Chief Judge to secure uniformity of decisions
and greater facilities and economy in cases of ap-
peal. IV. The administration in the Court of Bank-
ruptcy of the estates of deceased insolvents. V. The
abolition of the limitation under the 221st section of the
Act of 1861, by which an offender is only punishable for a
misdemeanour if committed within three months prior to
bankruptcy. VI. The assimilation (as far as practicable) of
the statute law of EnglandiScotland, and Ireland on this sub-
ject. VII. The provision of means for the recovery of British
bankruptcy assets situate in any part of the British empire,
and the endeavour (by negotiation or otherwise) to obtain
means for the recovery of British bankruptcy assets situate
in foreign countries. VII. Tho abolition of the rule by
which secured creditors are permitted to vote for deeds of
composition in respect to such part of their claims as is
secured. IX. The consolidation of the entire statute law on
this subject into one act."

He observed that by the provisions of the present
law misdemeanours committed within three months
before the bankruptcy were punishable, but those
committed for a longer period were not. The bank-
rupt therefore escaped all punishment if the fiat were
not issued within three months and one day after
the offence was committed. By the present law
creditors who were secured had not interest in the
bankrupt's estate, and yet they were allowed to vote
in opposition to the creditors, whose interests were
bound up in the welfare of the estate. Nothing could
be more unjust than such a rule. The chairman
then adverted to the Scotch law of bankruptcy, and
observed that under that system adjudication of
bankruptcy took place either on the debtor's own
petition, or on the petition of one creditor of £5O, or
of two of £7O, or of more than two of £lOO. The
Court then appointed a meeting of creditors, who
elected a trustee, who might not be a creditor.
Every facility was given for offering a composi-
tion ; a dividend must be declared every four

months, whether there was little or much to

divide. Therefore, of an assignee failing for £13,000
or £14,000 nothing was ever heard in Scotland.
The bankrupt in that country might apply for his
discharge in one month after sequestration, with
the consent of a majority of four-fifths in value of
his creditors, and in 12 months with the consent of
a majority in number, and after 24 months he might
obtain his discharge without the consent of any
creditor, but power of opposition was given to three
or more creditors. The most important point in the
Scotch system was the appointment of an accountant
whose functions were entirely different from the