The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-08 00:00:00

BILL.

On the motion for the third reading of this bill the
Usher of the Black Rod appeared and summoned the house
to the House of Peers to hear her Majesty's royal assent, by
commission, given to certain bills. On the return of the
Speaker,
Mr. AYTOUN proceeded to call the attention of the
house to the proceedings of the contractors for these works
with respect to this bill, and said ho had no objection to
the passing of tho bill, providing the ratepayers were not
made responsible for all the losses that might be incurred
in carrying out the bill, providing the contractors were not
able to complete the works. He thought it was his duty to
ask the house to adjourn the further consideration of
the bill after Easter. The hon. gentleman concluded with
a motion to that effect.

Mr. KNIGHT hoped the house would not allow the
bill to be postponed.
Mr. HEADLAM, as chairman of the committee to which
the bill had been referred, said so far as he could see it
appeared to bo the desire of the honourable gentle-
man to get the house to insert two clauses into
the bill which had been rejected by the committee. The
Metropolitan Board of Works were the guardians of the
ratepayers, and as they were well acquainted with the
whole matter, ho thought the house would be of opinion
that the interests of that numerous class of persons
had not been overlooked. He did not think there was
any reason either for the insertion of the clause, or for the
postponement of the bill till of ter Easter.

Mr. HENLEY thought there were some very grave con-
siderations with respect to tho bill, that the house ought to
take time before it sanctioned such a measure.

Sir G. GREY had serious objections to clause 15, which
made the Secretary of State for the Home Department the
sole arbiter as to the forfeiture or non-forfeiture of the
whole of the caution-money of the concessionaries in the
event of the principal culverts not being completed within
the time laid down in the bill. He thought that if the fur-
ther
consideration of the bill was postponed until the 25th 1
time could be given to all parties interested in the bill to
confer together and endeavour to get rid of the objections
urged against the measure.

Mr. H. LEWIS said the arrangement was that the bill
should be carried into effect without the ratepayers being
made responsible for the work in case of failure. He thought
the bill ought to bo further considered.
Mr. W. PATTEN was of opinion that the bill had bettor
be postponed till after Easter.

Sir W. RUSSELL said after the expression of opinion
by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, ho
would at once consent to the postponement until after
Easter.

The second reading was accordingly postponed.
NEW WRITS.

On the motion of Mr. BRAND, a new writ was ordered to
be issued for the election of a member for Rochdale, in tho
room of the late Richard Cobden, Esi.
A new writ was also ordered to issue for Wigtown, in
the room of Sir W. Dunbar, who since his election had
accepted the office of one of the commissioners for auditing
the public accounts.
A new writ was also issued for the election of a member
for Clackmannan, in the room of Mr. Adam, who has ac-
cepted tho office of one of the Lords of the Treasury.