The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-09 00:00:00

(LEFT SPEAKING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(THIS EVENING.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Lords Amendments to the Clyde Navigation Bill
were considered and agreed to.
The following bills were read a third time and passed :
—Caledonian Railway (Lesmahagow Branches, &c.) ; Glas-
gow Suspension Bridge ; and Great Western Railway
(ilerks and Rants, &c.)
Mr. J. FORSTER. moved that the order for the third
reading of the South-Eastern Railway (Lewisham to
Bromley, etc.) Bill be discharged, and that the bill be
withdrawn.
Mr. GEACH complained of this motion as a breach of
faith towards the inhabitants of Mid Kent.
Mr. JAMES MACGREGOR protested against the mo-
tion, as being adverse to the interests of the South Eastern
Company. It should have been left for the shareholders
to reject the bill, or otherwise, at the ordinary Wharn•
cliff() meeting.
After some further discussion, the motion was agreed to.
PETITIONS.
Petitions were presented by Mr. WILLIAMS from Lam-
beth against the opening of public houses on Sundays ex-
cept from one to two, and from eight to nine, and praying
for the abolition of church rates; Mr. HEYWOOD, from
Lancashire, against university tests ; Mr. BRIGHT, from
working men of the city of Glasgow, praying for
the abolition of the arrestment for wages ; Sir J.
TROLLOPE, from the Lancashire Drainage Commis-
sion, against the Drainage of Lands Bill ; Mr. PIGOT,
from Reading, against the Maynooth Grant ; Mr. HENRY
BAILLIE, from the electors of Ipswich, in favour of the
ballot ; Mr. DISRAELI, from Manchester, against the
Friendly Societies Bill.
NEW WRIT FOR LONDON.
On the motion of Mr. HAYTER, a new writ was ordered
for the City of London, in the room of Lord John Russell,
who, since his election, has accepted the office of Lord
President of her Majesty's most hon. Privy Council.
FRACAS AT THE FALKLAND ISLANDS.
Mr. G. DUNDAS asked the Under Secretary for the
Colonies if any official information had been received re-
garding a fracas said to have occurred at the Falkland
Islands, in which the American whaler Hudson was seized
by her Majesty's ship Express ; and to ask, if there be no
objection that any correspondence connected with the cir-
cumstance be laid before this house ?
Mr. F. PEEL said such a report had been received, and
it was now under consideration at the Colonial-office.
NEWSPAPER STAMP.
Mr. M. GIBSON wished to ask the Chancellor of the
Exchequer what; course the Government meant to adopt in
regard to the resolution agreed to by the house on the 16th
of May, stating " that in the opinion of the house the laws
in reference to the periodical press and newspaper stamp
are ill defined and unequally enforced, and that the subject
demands the early consideration of Parliament."
Tho CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in answer
to the question, said the state of the law had since the re-
solution been taken into especial consideration, and was
still under the consideration of his hon. and learned friend
the Attorney-General.
Mr. M. GIBSON asked how long the consideration
would last, as there had already been many considerations
of the question. (Hear, hear.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER must leave
that question to be answered by the Attorney-General.
Mr. LUCAS asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
whether it was the intention of the Government to reim-
burse Mr. Shaw, the proprietor of the Commercial Journal,
any portion of the costs of the recent prosecution in the
Court of Exchequeriu Ireland, for publishing an unstamped
periodical ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said a case
arising out of this action had been submitted to the law
officers of the Crown in England.
Mr. BRIGHT asked the right hon. gentleman whether
he could hold out any expectation that at an early period
some determination could be come to en the subject of the
newspaper stamp.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER could add
nothing to what he had already stated, except that he
thought it highly desirable that a speedy determination
should be come to on the subject.
SEAMEN'S WAGES.
Mr. LUCAS asked the First Lord of the Admiralty
whether his attention had been drawn to abuses in the
operation of the rule of the Admiralty which requires the
certificate of the minister and churchwardens, or elders of
the parish, to prove the fitness of the person appointed by
a seaman in her Majesty's service trustee to receive at
home an allotment of his wages ; and whether there will
be any objection to alter the rule in order to prevent
abuses in future ?
Sir J. GRAHAM said the regulation was framed, not
by the Admiralty, but under an Act of Parliament, and
he was not aware of any abuse of regulation having taken
place.