The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-16 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

Lord ST. LEONARDS presented a petition from
Birmingham against the South Sea Arrangement Bill.
SECOND READINGS.
The following bills were read a second time :
Consolidated Fund Appropriation, Militia Pay,
Land Tax Redemption Act Amendment, South
Sea and other Annuities Provision for Payment, &c. ;
Apprehension of Offenders Act Amendment, Bet-
ting Houses, Commons Inclosure (No. 2), Female
Convicts, Loan Societies, Holy Trinity Church (Hulme)
Validity Marriages, Friendly Societies ; Copyhold, &c.,
Commission Continuance, and Metropolitan Sewers Acts
Continuance.

The following bills went through committee, and
were ordered to be read a third time :—Land Tax Com-
missioners' Names, Coin Defacing ; Linen, &c., Manu-
factures (Ireland) ; Militia Ballots Suspension and Mili-
tia Law Amendment.
PILOTAGE BILL.

The report of the amendments to this bill was con-
sidered and agreed to.

THIRD READINGS.

The following bills were readla third time and passed :
Merchant Shipping ; tDrainage of Lands (Ireland)
Act Amendment ; Universities (Scotland) ; Employ-
ment of Children in Factories ; Public Works Acts
Amendments (Ireland.)
[LEFT SITTING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(THIS EVENING.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at three o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Lords' amendments to the following bills were
considered and agreed to :—Warrington and Altrincham
Junction Railway (Warrington, &c.) ; Coleford, Mon-
mouth, Usk, and Pontypool Railway.
Rushbrooke's Divorce Bill was read a third time and
passed.

PETITIONS.
Mr. A. PELLA.TT presented a petition from West-
minster in favour of the rights of labour and the People's
Charter.
Mr. COBDEN presented several petitions against the
sale of intoxicating liquors on Sunday ; also, a petition
from a public meeting in favour of international arbi-
tration.
CIVIL LAW (CHANNEL ISLANDS).
Lord D. STUART asked the Secretary of State for
the Home Department whether, in conformity with the
intention announced by the Government in 1846, an in-
quiry had been instituted into the civil law of the Chan-
nel Islands land, if not, whether it was the intention of
the present 'Government to institute any such inquiry ?
Lord PALMERSTON said an able commission had
been appointed to inquire into the criminal law of the
islands, and they had made a report on the subject ;
but he had not yet had time to master its details. It
was not the intention of the Government at present to
master its details. It was not the intention of the
Government at present to issue a commission respecting
the criminal law.
ISSUE OF HALF-CROWNS.
Mr. OLIVEIRA, in reference to the report of
the committee upon decimal currency, and the inconve-
nience felt by bankers and traders by the circulation of
half-crowns and florins at the same time, asked the
Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it might not be
desirable for the commercial interest and the public
generally to give orders from the Treasury to the Bank
of England to discontinue any further issue of half-
crowns, and b) allow to be exchanged at the Mint all
half-crowns that may be paid into the Bank for silver
coins of other denominations, so as gradually to with-
draw half-crowns from circulation ?

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said no
half-crowns had been coined by the Mint since 1850, and
no further issue would take place until the Government
had taken into consideration the report of the committee
on decimal coinage.
REDUCTION OF DUTY ON SALT IN INDIA.
Sir J. PAKINGTON asked the President of the
Board of Control whether it was the intention of her
Majesty's Government to effect any change in the mode
of levying a duty upon salt manufactured in India, and
whether they intended to make any reduction in the
amount of duty now paid by salt in India, whether im-
ported or manufactured in that country ?
Sir C. WOOD said he had little more to add to what
he had already stated on the subject. He was as anxious
as the right hon. gentleman for the reduction of the
duty on salt, but he was not prepared to direct any re-
duction, because that was a matter which must be left
to the discretion of the Government of India, having
reference to the state of the finances of the country.
(Hear, hear.) In consequence of the conclusion
of the hostilities in Burmah, the Governor-Gene-
ral would be enabled to considerably reduce the ex-
penditure of the country, and he hoped he would be
in a position to diminish the duty on salt. (Hear.)
Sir J. PAKINGTON was bound to say that the
answer, so far as it went, was satisfactory, but he gave
notice that if something was not done by the Govern-
ment on the subject, he would revive it again next
session.