The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-13 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS-THIS EVENING.

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat at the usual hour.

IRISH CONSTABULARY.

Earl GRANVILLE in reply to Lord Donoughmore said
he had no objection to the production of certain papers
touching the constabulary of Ireland.
Lord HOUGHTON moved for a return of the number of

unions or parishes that have availed themselves of the act
of July 29, 1864, enabling them to receive from the Metro-
politan Board of Works the sums of money expended in the
relief of the casual poor, of the amount of money hitherto
so expended, and of the unions where the guardians have
provided new wards or other places of reception for this
class of poor since the passing of act.
The motion was agreed to.
Earl FORTES CUE expressed an opinion that the act had
not worked well. Never, he seid, had the metropolis been
more infested with poor as at the present time. As the
act was only a temporary one, he thought, perhaps, dis-
cussion upon it might be deferred.
The Earl of LONGFORD thought the authors of the
Westminster Improvement Bill should make some provi-
sion for the 3,500 poor they contemplated expelling from
such homes as they had, by making their improvements.
The motion was agreed to ; and their lordships ad-
journed at twenty-five minutes past five.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—THIS EVENING.
The SPEAKER took the chair at a quarter to four o'clock.

THE NEW COURTS OF JUSTICE.
The Sheriffs of the City of London appeared at the bar,
and presented petitions from the Corporation in favour of
the bill for the site of the New Courts of Justice, and the
bill for providing the money for the same.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The standing orders were declared to have been com-
plied with in the case of several private bills, including the
Wimbledon Common Bill, the North Staffordshire Rail-
way, &c.

PETITIONS.
Mr. G. TURNER presented a petition from Lancaster in
favour of the abolition of the duty on tea and coffee.
Mr. HENLEY presented a petition from two captains
in the Bombay army praying for an alteration in the regu-
lations relating to that department of the army.
Alderman SALomoss presented a petition from the in-
habitants of Greenwich in favour of a reduction in the
duty on lire insurance.

NEW WRIT,
On the motion of Mr. P. HENNESSY, a writ was or-
dered to issue for the election of a member for the county
of Tipperary, in the room of D. O'Donoghue, Esq., com-
monly called The O'Donoghue, who had accepted the office
of steward of the Chiltern Hundreds.
FIRE INSURANCE DUTY.
Mr. SHERIDAN gave notice that he would introduce a
bill on this subject.
EMPLOYMENT OF BRITISH OFFICERS IN CHINA.
Col. SYKES gave notice that he would ask a question of
Government on this and some other subjects.
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF INDIA.
Sir H. CAIRNS asked the Secretary of State for India
whether the Legislative Council of India had passed an act
enabling district and other judges in India to enforce spe-
cific performance of personal contracts by sentencing the
defendants in actions on such contracts to terms of impri-
sonment, and whether he would lay the act upon the table.
Sir C. WOOD said that no such act had been passed in
India, but the subject occupied the attention of the Gover-
nment. The code of civil pi ocedure in India was not in
that state that it could be laid on the table of the house.

IRISH MAIL SERVICE.
Mr. SCULLY asked if the attention of Government had
been recently directed to the great and increasing delays
and irregularities in performing the Irish mail service under
the postal contract of the 3d of January, 1859, and if it was
intended either to determine that contract soon after the
Ist October next, or to place the Postmaster-General in a
position to enforce its performance ?
Mr. F. PEEL said that there could be no doubt there
were great irregularities in the manner in which the Irish
postal service was at present conducted, but there was
no power to enforce the penalty to which the hon. mem-
ber referred. However, the subject was under the consi-
deration of Government.

THE LAW OF FORFEIT LIRE FOR FELONY.
Mr. C. FORSTER asked the Attorney-General whether
he is prepared to introduce a bill to alter the law of for-
feiture on conviction of felony ?
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he had a bill in
preparation, but it was not his intention to introduce it
during the present session.

THE MAIN DRAINAGE OP THE METROPOLIS.
In reply to a question of Viscount ENFIELD,
Mr. TITE said that the drainage on the south side of
the river had been completed, and that at the Middlesex
side was in progress. He did not consider that the drain-
age in connection with the works of the Thames Embank-
ment could be finished until the completion of their
works.