The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-13 00:00:00

VANCOUVER'S ISLAND.

Earl FITZWILLIAIII presented a petition from the
inhabitants of Vancouver's Island, complaining that the
Hudson's &y Company, in whom the Government of
the island at present vests, have neglected their duty in
not taking proper steps to colonise the island, and pray-
ing for a legislative council, and that a governor may be
appointed by the crown. This, he said, was a very
remote: dependency of the British Crown, but it was one
which would probably hereafter ho of great importance,
for not only was there a large supply of coal in that
island, but he had every reason to believe that it was
the only coal to be found on the north-west coast of
America. It was because he was desirous of seeing this
island colonised that he had undertaken to present this
petition, and he trusted that the serious attention of her
Majesty's Government would be called to the subject.
He did not know whether he was right in calling the
attention of the noble duke (the Duke of Newcastle) to
the subject, as the noble duke was no longer Secretary of
the Colonies.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE said he was quite aware
of the importance which his noble friend rightly attached
to Vancouver's Island. It was now of small compara-
tive importance only because of the few inhabitants at
present located .on it. The question affecting Van-
couveris.lsland were by no means new to him, for he
had entered fully into the consideration of them before
he ever anticipated that he should fill the office of Secre-
tary for the. Colonies. The colonisation of that island
had not advanced as much as he should wish. At the
same time it must be borne in mind, when they looked
on the proceedings of the Hudson's Bay Company, that
they had laboured under great disadvantages in conse-
quence of the discovery of gold in California. Any one
roust see the difficulty of colonising under such circum-
stances in a cold climate like that of Vancouver's Island.
He believed there were mineral advantages in Van-
couver's Island, and that immense importance attached
to it in consequence of the great amount of coal of the
most valuable description contained in it. He trusted
that before the expiration of the company's charter they
would make,due exertion, so that Government would be
disposed to deal with them more favourably than at the
present moment they might feel disposed to do.
THE NEW SECRETARY AT WAR.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said, as allusion
had been made to his noble friend being now Secretary
at War, and no longer Secretary for the Colonies, he
would put a question to the noble earl at the head of
the Goverment respecting that office. His noble
friend was aware that at present, under the act of
Queen Anne, two secretaries of state only could sit
in the House of Commons, and that it was absolutely
necessary that one should sit in the House of Lords.
Now, undoubtedly, at the present moment they had two
secretaries of state in that house, and no practical incon-
venience arose from the statute, but a great inconveni-
ence might arise if they were constituting a new Go-
vernment. If it were possible by law to place three
secretaries of state in the House of Commons, that
might facilitate the formation of a new Government.
Ile must say a bill ought to be introduced for the pur-
pose of enabling a third secretary of state to sit in the
House of Commons, and he asked the noble earl if it was
intended to bring in such a bill.
The Earl of ABERDEEN said there was no intention
at present to bring forward such a bill. The matter was
fully considered, and there appeared to be some doubt.
They took the proper opinions, and consulted the best
authorities, and it appeared there was no reason to pro-
ceed by bill to effect that which had taken place, inas-
much as two secretaries of state remained in the House
of Commons, and the Queen, by her prerogative, if she
thought proper, could place a fourth secretary of state
in this house. Therefore he admitted with his noble
friend- that he could conceive a case in which inconveni-
ence might arise from the absence of power to have a
third secretary of state to sit in the House of Commons,
but he could only say that at present there was no in-
convenience, and there was no intention at present to
remedy the inconvenience that might arise. At the same
time, he fully admitted with his noble friend that a case
might arise in which inconvenience might be felt. It
was a subject worthy of consideration.
VACCINATION ACT AMENDMENT BILL.
This bill was read a second time.
PIPE SEWERS.

On the motion of the Earl of HA.TtROWBY returns
were ordered of copies of any communication from the
General Board of Health, or of any reports from super-
intending inspectors of that board, made to the Secretary
of State for the Home Department, in relation to any
representations from the chairman or officers of the Me-
tropolitan Commissioners of Sewers in respect to the
operation of pipe sewers.
RAILWAY AND CANAL TRAFFIC REGULA-
TION BILL.

On the order of the day for the third reading of this
bill,

Lord LYNDHURST said he thought it only fair to
insert a clause to limit the liability of railway companies,
and be would propose it, if he thought he should have
the slightest chance of carrying it. He wished to in-
troduce a clause rendering it competent for the Board of
Trade, when they thought proper, to allow any railway
company to introduce such conditions in their carrying
of goods as they considered reasonable and just. The
noble lord who had charge of the bill did not entirely
approve of that clause, but he had thrown upon the
companies, in the first instance, the declaration of con-
ditions, and the Court of Common Pleas was to have
jurisdiction to declare whether the conditions were rea-
sonable, but the consequence of that was that there
would he litigation in the first place.
The Earl of DERBY asked what was the intention of
the clause.
Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY said the clause
enabled the railway companies to make conditions as to
what they should carry, and the terms.
.Lord eAMPBELL suggested that the rules should be
settled by the courts before rather than after litigation.
After some further conversation,
Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY said that the
clause
was not his, and he should prefer the bill as it
nally. As there seemed to be a wish to give
some further consideration to the clauses, he had no ob-
jection to-postpone the passing of the bill until to-mor-
row, and to allow the clauses to be printed before taking
the next stage.
Some suggestions with regard to the details were
made :by the Earl of Derby and Lord Redesdale, and
the bill was read a third time, on the understanding that
if..any further discussion took place, it should be on the
question that the bill do pass.
NUISANCES REMOVAL AND DISEASES PRE-
VENTION BILL.

.k)n the:report of the amendments of this bill,
:The Earl of CLANCARTY suggested that there were
sun° brni,sion3 in the bill. The power for carrying
to
ocit 63, the local authorities in Ireland was given n
town-councils and boards of guardians. Now there were
soene 'towns, such as Galway and Dundalk, which were
municip:d boroughs, but had no town councils, their
local affairs being managed by commissioners for paving
lighting. He thought some provision should be
ugtdelor:S uch cases..
Rarl of SHAFTESBURY said that the best
adtherities, including the Poor-Ltve Commissioners and
tile:secretary to the Poor-law Beard in Ireland, had been
consulted, and they were of opinion that the duties im-
'meth by the bill would be best discharged by town
ceunoils and boards of guardians. In cases where there
Were to town councils, the duty would devolve on the
b ea...!•11 The report
of guardians.
I:report was then agreed to.
`This bill DUBLIN PORT BILL.
The Inc 0:e 8;
read a third time, and passed.
Acts Amendment Bill, and
2) Bill, the Church Buildings
, and the Industrial and Provi-
dent Societies Bill, severally passed through committee.
Their lordships adjourned at 20 minutes past 7 o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS--(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Ardrossaa and Glasgow and South.weetern Railways,

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