The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-22 00:00:00

CANTERBURY ELECTION.

Mr. KER SEYMER appeared at the bar of the ho use,
and announced that the committee appointed to consider
this petition reported that R. Plumptre Gibbs, Esq.,
and the Hon. Butler Johnstone were not duly elected
at the last election ; that the last election was a void
election ; and also that the committee had come to a
resolution that R. Plumptre Gibbs and the Hon. Butler
Johnstone were, by their agents, guilty of bribery ;
that several of the electors were proved to have been
bribed, and influenced by the distribution of coloured
tickets. That it was not proved that these acts were
committed with the knowledge and consent of the sit-
ting members, and also that bribery and corruption, by
means of coloured tickets, had prevailed at former elec
tions at, Canterbury generally.
The report was ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. KER SEYMER then moved that the evidence
of the committee be printed, and laid on the table of the
house ; and also gave notice that on an early day he
should move that an address be presented to her Ma-
jesty praying that a commission be issued pursuant to
the act of the last session, to inquire into the state of
the borough of Canterbury. (Hear, hear.).
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE thought, pending the printing
of the evidence, no new writ ought to be moved for.
Mr. W. PATTEN gave notice that to-morrow he
should move that the new writ for the borough of Can-
terbury be suspended.
Mr. GOOLD presented a petition from Limerick
against the enforcement of consolidated annuities.
Mr. SPOONER presented several petitions from dif-
ferent parts of the country, praying for the repeal of the
grant to Maynooth, and against the admission of Jews
into Parliament, •

Mr. C. BERKELEY presented a petition from the
tidewaiters of Liverpool, praying the house to interfere
for the purpose of restoring them the salaries which they
received in 1848, and which had since been reduced.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE and many.other members pre-
sented petitions from letter-carriers, praying for an in-
crease of salaries.

Mr. BLAIR presented several petitions from places
in Scotland, praying for the repeal of the vent to
Maynooth.

PUBLIC HOUSES IN SCOTLAND.

Mr. MACKENZIE gave notice that to-morrow he
should move for leave to bring in a bill to regulate the
public houses in Scotland.
LIMITED LIABILITY.

Mr. W. PATTEN wished to know if it was the in-
tention of the Government to introduce any measure
this session with regard to gil,:ng public companies
powers with limited liabilities.
Mr. CARDWELL said the Government intended to
recommend her Majesty to issue a commission to in-
' quire into the whole subject.
Mr. W. PATTEN wished to know what course Go-
vernment intended to pursue in the meantime with re-
gard to the bills now before Parliament.
Mr. CARDWELL said it was a rule not to grant
charters of limited liability where the object of the com-
pany could be obtained by pi;vate enterprise ; but with
regard to the other bills he could only give an opinion
from time to time in his capacity of a member of the
house as these matters came before them.
MAYNOOTH.

In reply to a question,
Lord PALMERSTON =id the report of the May-
nooth Commission had already been printed.

ACCIDENTS IN MIRES.

In reply to Mr. HUME

Lord 13ALMERSTO'N said the subject of the
cause of accidents in mines was one of great im-
portance. It was one which already engaged the
attention of the Government, and he hoped, in the
course of the present session, to introduce a measure to
render the inspection of mines more efficient, and in
some degree to provide mewls for the prevention of ac-
cidents.

NEWSPAV.ER STAMP.
Mr. SCHOLEFIELD wished to ask the Attorney-
General what course he intended to pursue with refer-
ence to a bill relating to the stamp duties upon news-
papers, ordered to be brou.ght in on the 6th day of De-
cember last 7

The ATTORNEY-GENTERA.L said the question ap-
peared to be one for the Government generally to
answer, and not the law oaicers of the Crown ; but he
could state that the subject had been laid before him to
advise upon.

Mr. BRIGHT hoped not proceedings would be taken
against Mr. Dickens and other parties who might pub-
lish unstamped papers, in pursuance of the judgment of
the Court of Exchequer, •while the question was thus
allowed to remain in abey a,nce.
The CHANCELLOR of: the EXCHEQUER said the
whole question was new to him, but so far as he was
concerned any memorial f nom the parties themselves, or
on behalf of the parties, t►at might be laid before him,
should have his immediaix; attention. Of course, this
answer applies to the question so far as it relates to the
revenue.

THE LOSS OF THE VICTORIA.
Mr. NV. GOOLD Nv:sh 5d to ask the President of the
Board of Trade, whether, iln connection with the recent
loss of the Queen Victori:i steamer, his att sntion had
been called to the, want of a fog-bell at the Bailey light-
house ; and whetherlthe ,G-overnment was prepared to

compel the Ballast Board ( xi Dublin to supply a; suitable
bell to that lighthouse.
Mr. CARDWELL said, directly ho heard of this de-
plorable occurrence,- he directed an inquiry to be made
under the act of Parliament into all the circumstances
connected with ;the loss o f the Vessel, but the officer
whom he had appointed to make the inquiry had
not yet concluded his investigation, and until he re-
ceived his report he should not be in a position to give
any opinion on the facts (ti the case, or the measure
which ought to be taken in future.—(Hear, hear.)

HEALTH OF TOWNS IN IRELAND.
In reply to an HON. ME3 (BEE,

Sir J. YOUNG said it wts.s intended to intoduce bills
to extend the Health of To\ 14 as Act to Limerick and the
other large towns of IrelantL

MR. EDWARD MURRAY

In reply to Lord D. STILLIIT,

Lord.f. RUSSELL said the British Minister at Flo-
rence was still engaged ' ihn trying to persuade the
Papal Government to mltigl kte the sentence of perpetual
imprisonment which had been passed upon Edward
Murray.
Mr. DRUMMOND asked if measures had been tkken
to ascertain if Mr. Murray was a British subject.
Lord J. RUSSELL said'. Mr. Murray was born of
British parents, and further than that he could not say.