The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-05 00:00:00

4,t.6
4.nrb

SUN OFFICE, Seven, o'Vlock.

CHELTENHAM RACES.

(THIS DAY.)

(BY ELECTRIC 7 ELEGRAND
ANNUAL STEEPLECHASE.

Trout

1

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(THIS DAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.
NEW MEMBER.
Lord ADOLPHUS VANE took the oaths and his seat for
North Dut ham, in the room of his brother, LordSealiam,
called to the Upper House.
MIDDLESEX INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL DILL.
On the order of the day fur the second reading of this
hill,
Lord R. GROSVENOWinoved the second reading of
the bill, and stated that it had received the cordial sup-
port of the noble lord at the head of the Home Depart-
ineht.
Lord D. STUART opposed the bill on the ground that
ratepayers of Middlesex could have no control over the
school. The real object of the bill was to increase the
Power of the Middlesex magistrates and the Bishop of
London, and since the ratepayers had no voice whatever
in the election of these functionaries, it was unfair to
call upon them to contribute the funds required fer the
bill. The subject of Reformatory Schools was a most
important one, not only to Middlesex, but to the whole
country, and it ought to be dealt with in a general and
not'a local bill. He therefore moved that the bill be
read a second time this day six months.
Mr. LUCAS seconded the amendment, on the special
ground that the bill made no suffieient provision for the
religious instruction of Roman Catholic children. The
42d clailse was framed as if all the children who were
to enter this school would belong to the Protestant re
ligion ; hut he contended. and he believed, the noble
lord at the head of the Home-office agreed with him,
that prisoner's of all descriptions should be called
upon to declare his religion on entering the prison ;
and, as a matter of right, he should be entitled to the
instruction of a chaplain of his own faith. Now, the
same rule should apply to these reformatory schools.
Which were intended for the reformation of juvenile
criminals. -
Mr. BUTT thought the remarks of the hon. gentle-
man the member for Meath applied rather to the details
than the principle of the bill. Now, the principle
of the bill was sound and good, and he hoped the house
would sanction the second reading, and send the details
. to be arranged by a select committee.
; Mr. DIGBY SEYMOUR concurred in the view taken
of this bill by the noble lord the member for Marylebone,
and poilited out that, by the 44th clause, the expense
of each child entering this school should be borne by
the parish which was the child's last known settlement.
Now there was a measure before the house for abolish-
' itnligatthe law
of settlement altoeether,
and, therefore, if
bill passed, the entire expense Of the school would
fall upon the ratepayers of Middlesex.
Mr. ADDERLEY4ohjected to entering upon petty
details when a great principle was at stake, which
was the case of this bill. It simply enunciated
the principle that it was wrong to deal with ju-
'/erlile offenders in the same manner as adult crimi-
-14; and no honourable member could object to that
Who had the interest of the country at heart. A simi-
lar measure had been passed for Edinburgh, and it was
too late now to complain that the principle ought to be
dealt
11 with in a general and not a merely local measure.
e sympathised with the principle of local self-govern-
. anent, but he contended that this bill in no way
• infringed upon that principle, though it certainly did
interfere with the principle of representation. It was to
be regretted that a general ineasurd. as the subject of
reformatory schools had not been brought in by the
Government as they promised to do ; but the mere fact
•:' of the absence of such a general measure was no suffi-
cient reason for rejecting this bill.
Mr. HUIME was decidedly favourable to the principle
of reformatory schools ; but he objected to its being
dealt with in a private bill like this, which was being
discussed in absence of all the Ministers. The principle
Should be disposed of in a general measure applicable to
the whole country, and after the demonstrations and
promises which had been made on this subject, it was
the bounden duty of the Government to apply a geeeral
remedy to the universal evil of juvenile criminality. He
had no objection to the second reading of this bill as
affirming the principle it contained, but he was most
certainly opposed to its machinery and details.
Mr. J. O'CONNELL suggested that the standing
orders committee should in future have power to rep.)rt
to the house that measures involving a great and gene-
ral principle like this should be treated as a public bill,
and placed amongst the orders of the day. He also
took the seine objection to the 42d clause as the hon.
member for Meath.
Mr. MIALL announced his intention to support the
amendment, and on his ground. This bill would affect,
at least, a third of the whole juvenile criminals of the
country, and he insisted that, on this account, it in-
volved a principle of too much importance to be die-
Posed of in a private bill after an hour's discussion. He
did not oppose the princii•le involved in the establish-
ment of reformatory schools, but lie required some addl•
timial information before it was adopted. It was pro-
posed to found reformatory schools for the education of
Young criminals, and it might prove a source of tempta-
tion fur poor men to send their children on the streets
Mr. ROEBUCK was at a loss to understand what
the objection was to this bill. It was said that
the principle involved in the bill could not be
Vfficiently discussednow. Why, according to
s experience, many private bills gave rise to more
discussion than public measures ; but an objection had
been raised to the 42(1 clause, and this recalled to his
mind the fact that the subject of education was never
brought before the house without its involving some
question of religion. Why, if the Roman Catholics
were entitled to a separate chaplain for their own
use, should not the Mornionites claim the same con-
ee"o i° The fact was, whenever a good bill of this
nature Was brought forward there invariably arose a
struggle for power amongst the Frotestants, the Roman
Catholics, and the Dissenters, but such cavilling should
not deter the house from passing this bill. The principle
and object were good, and since both well deserved the
benediction of society, there was no necessity to wait
for the attendance of a minister before the second reading
Was adopted.
Mr. HENLEY had. also heard no sound objection to
the Pas'ing of the bill. Its principle was just, and it
could not be too speedily adopted. Instead of its af-
fecting a third of the whole juvenile crime of the coon-
try, it would not deal with more than a tenth, and
Surely that was not too much to be disposed of in a
private bill. With reference to the general question, no
uoubt it was desit able to have a measure applying to the
e,a
entire country but there were difficulties in the way of
t' ming such a general measure which did not apply
here, and he called upon the house to reject the amend-
ment.
Sir G. GREY said the only objection which had
ben urged against this bill that had any force with
eitll was, that it was a private and not a public bill,
ant that was not a suffi dent reason to induce him to
°l3Pose the second reading. There were provisions
_ the bill. hich were far too important to be
disposed of by an ordinary select committee, and
he would sugge4 that a select committee should be
constituted, especially for the purpose of arranging its
er ;hat it• be recommtte I in a committee of
the w hide house after it had passed through the ordinary
Select cemmii tee upstairs.
Mr. LIDDELL argued that as there was no prospect
of a general public measure being ietroduced on the
s
übjtct ef Reformatory Schools, the house ought to
lave no difficulty in passing this bill for the county
of Middlesex.
After a few more words from Sir W. CLAY, who also
supported the bill, the amendment was withdrawn and
the bill was read a second time.

PETITIONS.
A. large number of petitions were presented against
the opening of public-houses on Sundays.
Mr. O'BRIEN presented a petition from Cashel'
against the app..intment of the Convents Committee.
Mr. TBORNLEY presented a petition from the
Dissenters of Wolverhampton in favour of the opening
of the Universities to persons of all denominations.
Sir J. WALMSLEY presented a similar petition
from Boston.'
Mr. HUME presented a similar petition from
Deptford.
Colonel BLAIR presented a petition against the
Education (Scotland) Bill, from a place in Scotland.
Lord DUDLEY STUART presented a petition from
the Marylebone Vestry in favour of a general measure
for the establishment of reformatory schools.
. Mr. EWART presented petitions from Birmingham,
Manchester, and other places, in favour of the Public
Libraries and Museums Bill.
Mr. HORSFALL presented a similar petition from
Liverpool.
PULLIC LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS BILL.
On the order of the day for the second reading of
this bill,
EWART reviewed the exertions which had been,,
made in France and the United States for the estaebi h
d d ithe
merit of free libraries and musemlis, and
house that, acting upon this experience,
ablish-
aroemaiont
of
Par.
. liament bad been passed for facilitating the es!,
less
merit of similar institutions in this country. -N.°
..ie
than 3,000 towns, including all the large towns in it
country, had availed themselves of the provisions ofthe
act to establish free libraries, and he was happy to say
their effects upon the people had been most gratifying
They had served to improve their taste for reading, and
.the question had naturally arisen as to whether it would
not be advisable to extend the provisions of the act. At
present the act only applied to towns municipally
governed while it neither extended to Scotland nor
Ireland. Now the object of this bill was to extend the
act to towns and places governed under the Improve-
ments Bill, or by select vestries, as well as to Ireland and
Scotland, with the additional provision that
the authorities acting under the act should have
.Power to increase the late to a penny in the pound, and
to purchase books and works of art. Such were the
main provisions of the bill, and he hoped, as they were
approved of generally, there would be no objection to
adopting them.
0311 tr. HENLEY objected to the rating clause, and
rerlight •IN was a question which well deserve'd the
uus attention of the Government.
BUMF reminded the right Lim gentlemarithst