The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-26 00:00:00

GLOUCESTER ELECTION-(TIIIS DAY

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.
STATE OF THE POLL—TEN O'CLOCK.
Berkeley,
Powell,
Potter, 209

TWELVE O'CLOCK.

Berkeley,
Powell,
Potter,
Two O'CLOCK.

. 527
. 498
. 443

Berkeley,.
Powell,
Potter,
CLOSE OF THE POLL—FOUR O'CLOCK.
Berkeley,
Powell,
Potter,

672
.....
583

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—Tnis DAY.
The SPEAKER took the chair at a few minutes after 12
o' clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The London and North 'Western Railway, and Chester
and Holyhead Railway (Capital) Bill was read a second
time.

PETITION.

Lord A. PAGET presented a petition from the Mayor
and Corporation of Leicester, praying for the abolition of
the duty on Fire Insurance.
WHIPPING BILL,

Mr. HADFIELD moved that this bill be read a second

Sir G. GREY said he thought the hon. gentleman had
very properly introduced the measure, as while there was
no regulations in respect of temporal punishments inflicted
in convict establishments, there was none in respect of
other prisons, but as the prison inspectors are about to
bring up a report on the subject he thought the matter
might be left in the hands of the Secretary of State. As to
the power put into the hands of visiting justices for in-
flicting flogging on juvenile offenders, there was no doubt
but the law was in a most unsatisfactory state ; but he thought
that were the hon. gentleman to withdraw this measure
and leave the question to be considered by the Government
in connection with the reports of the prison inspectors on
the subject, when no doubt a bill would be introduced re-
gulating corporal punishment inflicted on juvenile offenders,
he thought his object would be fully attained.
Mr. HADFIE4D said he had introduced the clause in
respect of juvenile offenders because of the severity of the
punishment inflicted on juvenile offenders in some counties
when there was no such punishment inflicted in others.
He should however consent to the proposition of the right
hon. bart.

After a few words from Mr. S. Estcourt, Mr. A. Kin-
naird, and Sir F. Smith, who said that, having seen while
in the army that flogging was attended with no relaiming
tendency, he had been always opposed to it, and he was
therefore glad to hear from the Secretary of State that he
intended taking the matter up in respect of juvenile offen-
ders, the order of the day for the second reading of the bill
was discharged and the bill withdrawn.
METROPOLIS LOCAL MANAGEMENT ACTS
AMENDMENT BILL.

Mr. TITE moved the second reading of this bill.
Mr. CRAWFORD did not wish to object to the second
reading of the bill, but he would suggest the proprie`y of
affording proper time for consideration before the bill was
committed. The bill affected his constituents lo a consi-
derable extent, and it was right that they should have time
for considering its various clauses.

After some discussion thebill was read a second time, and
ordered to be committed on the 19th March.
CONVEYANCE OF VOTERS BILL.
On the order of the day being read for the second reading
of this bill,

Mr, CARR moved, as an amendment, that tho bill be
read a second time that day six months.
Mr. Paull, Sir It. Clifton, and Mr. Vance opposed the

measure.

Mr. LAWSON supported the measure. He thought
objections IN hich had been urged respecting large boroughs
could be got over by exempting them from the operations

of the act.

Lord JOHN MANNERS said he had of late years
heard many modes propounded of extending the franchise,
but the system proposed by this mes-Jure was certainly the
most novel he had as yet heard. It simply was that a man's
vote should depend upon a test of pedestrianism, to which the
hon. member was to subject the voter. To his mind it would,
however, have the effect of curtailing the franchise as
regarded the poorer classes, for while the rich man could
travel in his carriage, or some other conveyance, to the
polling place, the poor man, who could command no such
conveyance, must stay at home, and consequently lose his
vote.

Mr. TAYLOR supported the measure.
After a few words from Mr. COLLIER and Mr. KNIGRT-
LEY,

Sir G. GREY supported the second reading of the bill.
The subject had been fully considered by the committee to
whom the subject had been referred, and that committee,
while they recommended the continuance of the pre-
sent law as regarded counties, held that the travel-
ling expenses of borough electors ought to be dia-
l'
allowed. That committee had evidence before them
of the immense expense created during elections in the
metropolitan and other boroughs, even when the electors
had not any great distance to travel, and seeing the burden
to be so great on the candidate they came to the conclusion
of recommending their being disallowed. As to the case li
of burgesses living at a great distance from the
burgh in which they had the right to exercise
the franchise, that description of franchise was fast dying
out, and he did not think it would be reasonable to retard
the passing of such a measure as this out of respect to that
class of voters. He had been told this bill would be very
much opposed to the liberal cause, inasmuch as it wou'd
enable the rich to come to the poll and exercise the fran-
chise, while the poor man who had no conveyance could
not do so ; but he did not think there was any cause for
fear on that head, as voters earnest in the cause of a par-
ticular candidate would not be deterred by any such con-
sideration from coming up to the poll and voting in his be.
half.

Mr. HUNT considered that until they provided some
other mode of conveying voters to the poll who are not in
a position to give their votes without such conveyance,
they were not justified in taking away the mode of con-
veyance which they had at present. If they admitted the
principle that if in counties people could not come to the
poll without some mode of conveyance in consequence
of the distance, and that therefore such con.
veyances ought to be allowed, they ought to admit the
same principle in the case of boroughs. If they exempted
some particular boroughs from the operations of the act, he
was afraid they would find the schedule of exemption to ex-
tend to a considerable length, and he should therefore
oppose the measure.
Mr. AYRTON justified the clause he had got inserted
into the act regulating the system of voting, as being in-
tended to prevent the exercise of a legitimate right being
converted into a means of bribery and corruption. The
rule he laid down was, that they should not legalise the
payment of money to an elector, which might be appro-
priated to corrupt purposes ; but it was never meant to
prevent any man taking an elector to the pelt by
any conveyance which he chose. There were cases
where money was given to electors to pay for their
conveyance, who, instead of using it for that purpose,
walked to the poll and appropriated the money for other
purposes. That was what he meant to contend against,
and not against electors being conveyed to the poll where
such was necessary. A man might only have his dinner
hour to go to the poll, and his master might refuse to take
him back to his employment should he not return at the
proper time, and consequently the conduct of electors might
by such means be put into the hands of the wealthy few,
to the great detriment of the working man. Ile should
' not object to go into committee on the reeeaure, but be

thought the measure as it stood would fail in its intended
object. (Cheers.)
After a few a words from Mr. CLAY in support of the
measure, the house divided, when there appeared—
For the second reading l3O
Against it
160
Majority against ............. e
—3O
The bill was consequently lost.
TRADE MARKS BILL.
Mr. ROEBUCK, in moving the second reading of this
bill, stated that he did not do so for the purpose of raising
any discussion on the measure, but simply that it might be
referred to a select committee, and be considered along with
the general bill on the same subject.
After a few words from Mr. CRAWFORD and Mr.
MOFFAT, the bill was read a second time, and ordered to be
referred to a select committee.

QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICES ABOLITION
BILL.

Mr. HADFIELD moved the third reading of this bill,
to which Mr. NEWDEGATE having moved a negative, the
house divided, when there appeared—

For the third reading
Against it
Majority for the third reading..
The announcement was received with loud cheers, and
the bill was read a third time and passed.
METROPOLIS LOCAL MANAGEMENT ACT.

Mr. LOCKE moved an address fora return of the num-
ber of ratepayers in each of the 23 parishes in Schedule A
of the Metropolis Local Management Act; adding, in a
separate column, the numbers of vestrymen who voted
for the present members of each parish as their repre-
sentative or representatives of the Metropolitan Board of
Works, distinguishing (if any) those who were elected by
ballot; and similar returns from the parishes united into
districts under schedule B of the said Act.—Agreed to.
The house then adjourned at 20 minutes past four.