The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-18 00:00:00

Metropolitan Board of Works.

This Board held its usual meeting yesterday at
the offices in Spring-gardens. The President took
the chair at 12 o'clock.

FINANCE.
The cash statement for the current week shows a
total general balance of £684,526 13s. 10d.

THE NORTH LONDON RAILWAY.--POPLAR DISTRICT..
The board received a deputation from the Board
of Works for the Poplar district, to present a me-
morial soliciting the co-operation of this board
in a contemplated opposition to the North
London Railwty Additional Powers Bill, with the
view of procuring a second bridge to be constructed
across the proposed cut into the Railway Dock at
Blackwall.

The deputation was introduced by Mr. SAMUDA,
who moved that the subject of the memorial be
taken into considerationwhen the Streets Committee
brought up their report as to the proposed railway.

Agreed to.
REPORT FROM STREETS COMMITTEE.—LUDGATE-HILL.

A report was brought up from this committee re-
commending (among other things) that Ludgate-
street and Ludgate-hill should in future be known
by the one designation of " Ludgate-hill," and that
the several houses in those localities be numbered
accordingly.
Agreed to.
NORTHERN 0 LTTFALL SEWER WORKS.-THE CONTRACTOR

MOSES AND SON'S
E• READY-MADE and BESPOKE CLOTIIINU los

all classes and all ages.

with the conviction that great and serious errors
attended the course pursued by the Government,
tehnatt,
and the feeble replies and flippant repartees
were made by the Ministerial speakers ke
all improve their case or sptheaeersffecdtidof not
the
at
t
damaging orations of their opponents. Apart from
his view of the question, there can be no doubt
that a great gain is effected by the subject being
brought before the notice of Parliament. Such A
plan is always the surest and safest way to ensure
a better course being adopted for the future, and it
brings the case before the public in a more efficient
manner than any other mode can possibly do. The
very inefficient manner in which the present Go- i
vernment conduct the legislation of Ireland justifies
the indignation so constantly expressed by Irish
members, and indeed in no other part of their one-
rous duties do they so so entirely fail as in this par-
ticular. As Sir HUGH CAIRNS ably put the matter,
" there is one thing worse than bad legislation, and
that is a bad administration of the law." This is a
very correct definition of the state of affars in
Ireland, and describes the condition of feeling
which actuates the people. Sir HUGH CAIRNS
spoke strongly against the appointment of the
Commission of Inquiry, and gave it as his opinion
that it would not only prove to be of no benefit, but,
on the contrary, effect injuries to the cause of justice.
Sir ROBERT PEEL, was not at all equal to the task
before him, of replying to the observations of Sir
HUGH CAIRNS, and evidenced on that occasion, as on
many others, that he thought more of making jests
and jokes than of addressing himself to the true
and important issues of the case before him. He
adopted the usual tactics of Ministers, and more
especially so of the present ones, of declaring that
it would be much better to wait until the Commis-
sion had finished its labours and given in its report.
This was very ingenious, but not at all a consistent
mode of excusing the want of earnestness on the
Treasury benches, because the faulty management
which led to the outbreak of the riots, and the very
imperfect manner in which the tumults were sup-
pressed, were errors of the Government, and no
decision come to, or opinion expressed by the Com-
missioner, can alter that circumstance or effect a
change in the impression made upon the Irish
people. He attributed much of the disastrous state
of affairs to the faulty management of the local
magistrates, and declared that the Executive of
Ireland had always discharged their duties with
impartiality and fairness. Mr. WHITESIDE, with
his usual acuteness, attributed the riots in a great
measure to the fact of so many members of the
Government being absent at the time from Ireland,
which no doubt contributed in a great degree to the
unfortunate occurrences, and presented their being
efficiently and speedily checked. The eloquent
conclusion of his speech was received with great
applause, and doubtless will find in many minds
from its bold utterance of mundane truths, and
its earnest vindication of the rights of Ireland
" I warn the noble viscount," said Mr. WHITESIDE,
" that in spite of his high position and popularity,
the exhibition of to-night will not strengthen his
administration. Ireland has been governed in a
way to which we will no longer submit. We de-
mand for our country a full measure of justice, no
right-minded Irishman could be satisfied with less,
the highest ambition ought not to covet more." It
would be well if the Government would take to
heart the warnings thus conveyed to them by the
most eloquent representatives of Ireland in the
House, and who rival any of the orators there in
their particular style. It is the principle of the
Government of Ireland that is in fault, as well as
the practice and working, but a fundamental
change can alter it. In large matters a time-
serving course of expediency is adopted, which fails
for want of vigour, and in small events a tyrannical
mode is followed, which greatly irritates the com-
munity and lays the foundation of ills hereafter.
It has been shown on many occasions that this
faulty style of procedure fails egregiously, but no
heed is paid to the teaching of circumstances, and
it would almost seem that the Government defy
inquiry and treat remonstrance with scorn. They
proverbially neglect the requests of Irish members,
and do all they can to shirk inquiry when Irish sub-
jects come before the House. Now that a case of
serious import has been brought under their notice
by one who will be heard, their replies are unequal
and their reasons insufficient. Such a mode of pro-
cedure is perverse and prejudicial, and cannot but
make a Ministry unpopular.