The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-10 00:00:00

CUSTOMS BILL.

The Customs Bill, as amended, was agreed to, and
the bill passed through committee.
Mr. SAWLE complained that smugglers sentenced to
Imprisonment had to be supported by the county, whereas
the Customs department were bound in law to maintain
them.
Mr. WILSON admitted that there was considerable
hardship in the case, and he had suggested that the Com-
missioners of Customs should point out the propriety of
convicted smugglers when they believed it to exist. The
whole subject was, however, under consideration.
DEFACING THE COIN.
The Defacing the Coin Bill was read a third time and
passed.
LINEN MANUFACTURES (IRELAND).
The Linen Manufactures (Ireland) Bill was read a third
time and passed.
CROWN SUITS.
The Crown Suits Bill, as amended, was agreed to, and
ordered to be read a third time.
FEMALE CONVICTS.
The Female Convicts Bill was read a third time and
passed.
APPREHENSION OF OFFENDERS.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
MARRIAGES—HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, HULME.
This bill was also read a second and third time and
passed.
REGISTRAR OF MEETINGS.

Tho house then went into committee on the Registrar of
Meetings Bill, and the bill was ordered to be reported.
PUBLIC WORKS ACTS AMENDMENT (IRELAND).
The Public Works Acts Amendment (Ireland) Bill was
ordered to be read a third time next (this) day.
SMOKE NUISANCE ABATEMENT.

The Smoke Nuisance Abatement Bill was ordered to be
read a third time next (this) day.
_ _

.ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION.
Mr. R. PHILLIMORE said, considering the late period
of the session, he should not press his objection to this
bill.

The bill was accordingly ordered to be read a third time
next (this) day.

MILITIA.

Tbe Militia Ballot Suspension and the Militia Law
Am6ndment Bill was ordered to be read a third time next
(this) day,
Sir J. Y. BULLER having withdrawn his amendment
respecting the exemption of militia officers from serving as
sheriffs.

COPYHOLD COMMISSION.
The Copyhohl Commission Continuance Bill went through
Committee.

COMMONS INCLOSURE.
The Commons Inclosure (No. 3) Bill went through com-
mittee.

HACKNEY CARRIAGES.
On the motion that the Hackney Carriages Bill be read
a third time,
Colonel SIBTHORP said he felt great interest in the
bill for one motive alone—namely, his desire to see a pro-
per arrangement of the hackney carriages, for the purpose
of ensuring the lives and the safety of the public. Only
a few days ago he saw no less than four omnibuses abreast
in Regent-street, leaving no possible room for even a
female to pass. Loss of life and limb had ensued from the
misconduct of the set of persons engaged in omnibuses,
some of whom were among the greatest ruffians on the face
of the earth. He had, therefore, framed a set of resolu-
tions white he believed would meet the case, and which he
hoped the house would adopt. If his servant offered an
insult to any one, he should feel it his duty to punish him.
Under these circumstances he moved the resolutions

" That no omnibus or public carriage of that description
shall be permitted to take up or set down any passenger in
the middle or centre of any public street, road, or tho-
roughfAre, but on each side of the street, road, or thorough-
fare adjoining the pavement or causeway when going or
coming to and fro ; penalty for each offence 405., or im-
prisonment for one month.
That the name and residence of each proprietor, as
well as driver, of each carriage, be printed on each card or
ticket that is to be delivered by each driver to the person
or parties.requiring such card or ticket at the time of
hiring ; penalty for omission 405., or one month's impri-
sonment.
" That no driver or other person connected with such
public carriage shall occupy or sit within side of any such
cab or public carriage during the time such cab or public
carriage is on the public stand, or during the period that
any such shall be hired. Penalty each offence 405., or one
month's imprisonment.
" That the police officers on duty in each street or dis-
trict be authorised and have full power to take cognisance
of any misconduct on the part of any driver of any public
carriage, or other person connected therewith, or for
neglect or deviation from the enactments of the bill, and
either to rectify at the time or make special report thereof
in each case, and act as referees as to any complaint by
any person or party concerned."
Mr. LOWE was sorry he could not consent to the clauses
proposed by the hon. and gallant gentleman. They were
at variance with the principle of the bill, and as they were
of a penal nature they ought to have gone through the
usual ordeal of the bill. The police already had a discre-
tionary power with regard to omnibuses drawing up in the
middle of the street. The printing of the name of the
driver would be attended with great inconvenience, as in
the event of the driver being discharged the proprietor
would not have cards printed with the name of the new
driver. He had no great faith in the wisdom of a police-
officer, and for these reasons he must oppose the clauses.
Colonel SIBTHORP would have more confidence in the
wisdom of a police-officer than in that of half the members
of the Treasury bench. (A laugh.) Whether his clauses
were rejected or not, he felt that he had done his duty, and
let hon. gentlemen opposite be responsible.
The clauses were then put and negatived.
Sir D. NORREYS then moved the admission of the fol-
lowing clause :—" That in any case of dispute as to dis-
tance which cannot be decided by reference to the book of
fares, which the commissioners of police are authorised to
publish, the magistrate presiding may determine the same
by measurement on some authentic copy of the Ordnance
map of London, or on the reduced copy thereof already
published under the authority of the Board of Ordnance ;
and in order to determine the points of hiring and setting
down, where the hiring may not be from an authorised
cab stand, the place of hiring shall be taken to be the first
street, or passage, or public building, or any object dis-
tinctly marked on such map, which shall be passed after
hiring, and the place of setting down shall be the last
street, passage, building, or object which shall be passed
before setting down ; and if the place of setting down, or
to which the hackney carriage shall be driven, shall be in a
street which is not intersected by any other street, or
which has in it no building or object so marked on the
map as aforesaid, the magistrate may, at his discretion,
according to the evidence, take the end or middle of such
street as the point to which such carriage shall have been
driven, or at which the hirer thereof shall have been set
down." _ _

Mr. LOWE could not agree with the clause. It was
open to the same objection as the other, being a too minute
legislation. Parties at present could make use of the Ord-
nance map, but where an objection was raised then there
must be an actual admeasurement. He thought the clause
was somewhat indefinite, and was also on that account
objectionable.
Mr. F. SCULLY then moved the insertion of the fol-
lowing clause :—" That the proprietor of every hackney
carriage or metropolitan stage carriage, licensed to ply for
hire within the limits of this act, who shall withdraw his
carriage from hire for two consecutive days, or for any two
days in one week, without just cause, of which the magis-
trate before whom the complaint is heard shall be the
judge, shall be liable to a penalty of a sum not exceeding
20s. in respect for every carriage for each day he shall so
withdraw the same ; and the licence of such proprietor
shall be suspended or recalled, and taken away at the dis-
cretion of the said commissioners of police : provided
always, that it shall be lawful for such proprietor, upon
giving 10 days' notice to the commissioners of police, to
withdraw his carriage from hire." It would prevent the
very great inconvenience to the public that occurred a short
time since, and would not operate unfairly to the proprie-
tors or owners of cabs or carriages.
➢lr. FREWEN had been informed that the loss calcu-
lated to have been sustained by the cab proprietors by the
late strike, which lasted three days, was as much as
2,500/.
Sir J. SFIELLEY-2,500/. a-day.

- --- .
Mr. FREWEN—If that were the case, then he thought
they would be cautious how they repeated the experi-
ment. And, under these circumstances, he doubted if it
would be wise to substitute the proposition of the hon.
member.
Lord D. STUART considered the remedy proposed was
an objectionable one, and he trusted the house would not
agree to it. It would operate most tyranically upon indi-
viduals engaged in the hackney carriage trade ; and he
should therefore vote against the proposition.
Sir J. SHELLEY said that the house had not only the
cab proprietors to protect, but the public out of doors,
who had been put to great inconvenience by the late
strike. The proposition of the hon. member (Mr. F.
Scully) was a reasonable one, and he should give it his
cordial support.
Mr. W. J. FOX said it was within his knowledge that
many of the drivers were much dissatisfied with the late
strike. He should support the clause.
el4Wr. LOWE said the cab proprietors had had all the con-
c ,Wsi was
con-
cessions they required before they struck, and he thought
it , only just that the public should bo protected from
such combinations, which had for their object, not so much
Povrer oi of
the carrying
for the Home any particular point, as the exhibition of
the
to it.
to say that hill:Parties engaging in them. He was happy
ID hon. friend the Under Secretary of State
member
The clause was instructions to a
oar.
pepartment had seen the clause of the hon.
Scully), and that he (Mr. Lowe) had his
mote. the bill.
CULLY read a second time, passed through
coTimr.i.vtte.es,
to substitute for clause 13 the
following clause :—..-wva
discharged beyond the eany
hackney carriage shall be
milescircumference of a circle the radius
from Temple-bar, it shall be
of which shall be four
lawful for the driver of such carriage,
the act of the present
ieage, in addition to the
fare now directed to be paid,
ti
ar p
where he is so
session of Parliament, chapterart
a 3 f a mile, ,
to chargeie a sum of 6d.
distance per mile
betweenfrir eal i
themite,place o
, in respect of the
} the nearest point of such circumference." discharged and
Sir W. CLAY seconded the clause, and suggested that
the line to govern the minor, or City fares, should be in an
elliptical, instead of a circular form, the form of the City
being elliptical and not circular.
Mr. SPOONER thought it would be advisable to have
1 two points from which to calculate the distances—one for
cabs going westward from Charing-cross, the other east-
;
' ward from St. Paul's.
red. Spooner,
and said the clause ought to be re-consic e Mr. FREWEN concurred in op
and Mr.
the re-consideration
of the bill
that prevailed, moved that
Colonel SIBTHORP, seeing the diff erenee of opinion.
be postpone( 1 to a future day, and that the matter be left
to the sole direction of Lord Palmerston.
Cork.
for Mr. LOWE said he had no objection to
adopt the clause
proposed by the hon. member (Mr. Scully)
After a few words from Mr. FOX,
The clause was agreed to, and added to the bill.
hackney car.
Mr.
sus© moved the addition of the following
words to c 14 :—" And whenever any