The Sun.
London, England, 1849-07-03 00:00:00

THE CHARTER.

Mr. COBDEN presented a petition from a place in
Yorkshire in favour of the adoption of the People's
Charter.

PROTECTION OF WOMEN.
Mr. SCULLY presented a petition from Tipperary,
in favour of the Bill for giving protection to women.
AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.
Mr. NEWDEGATE presented petitions from North
Warwickshire and other places, complaining of the
operation of free.trade legislation and of agricultural
distress.
GOVERNMENT OF KINGSTON, JAMAICA.
Mr. HENRY BAILLIE presented a petition from
the House of Assembly in Kingston, Jamaica, praying
that the Government of that colony might be assimi-
lated to that of our North American colonies.
SUPERANNUATION TO POOR-LAW
OFFICERS.
Mr. THORNELY wished to put a question to the
President of the Poor-law B )ard in consequence of
the numerous petitions which had been presented
to the House on the subject. The question was
—whether it was the intention of the Government to
bring in any Bill to establish a superannuation fund
for the officers of poor-law unions; e.nd if a Bill were to
be brought in, whether it was proposed that the funds
should be provided by a rate or by a reduction of the
salaries of the officers?

Mr. BAINES said the subject of a superannuation
fund had been for some time under the consideration of the
poor-law board, and he hoped very shortly to be ableto
lay a Bill on the table of the Houie. The details of the
measure were, however, not sufficiently matured to war-
alit the hope that it would be introduced during the
rpresent session. With regard to the ftrad, he begged to
state distinctly that he for one would be no party to in-
any other fund of
troducing any system of compensation w!nich was payable
either out of the poor-rates or out of
the country.—(hear, hear.) The only principle which
he should think advisable was that adopted in the Metro
politan Police Act, eight years ago, and in the Borough
Police Act last year, of providing a fv.nd out of reduc-
tions from officers' salaries.—(Hear, hers r.)
NEW SOUTH WALS-
Mr. SCOTT put the following question to the Go-
vernment :—Her Majesty's
Government having intro-
duced into Parliament the Australian Colonies (No. 2)
Bill, continuing in New South Wales
single Chamber
of Legislature, on the ground, as statf,cl in the papers,
presented to both Houses on the 25th day of May, that
public opinion in the colony is opposed to a doublecham-
ber, and these papers recording the det;it,ion of the present
Governor of New South Wales, and, of the legislative
c mncil, and containing petitions from the most populous
and influential portions of the colony in favour of a
second Chamber, is it the intention of her Majesty's
Government to proceed with the Bill in its present shape;
also, was any communication on the same subject re-
ceived from the late Governor Sir G eorge Gipps, and if
so, is there any objection to its being laid on the table
before proceeding with the Bill?
Mr. HAWES stated that Bill No. 2 was an exact
copy of the first Bill, and that it was the intention of
the Government to proceed with it. The Honourable
Gentleman was also understood to say that no such dis-
patch existed as that referred to by the Hon. Gentleman,
from Sir George Gipps.
AFFAIRS OF CHIKA.
Mr. H. BAILLIE wished to put at question to the
Noble Lord at the head of the Foreign Department with
reference to the affairs of China. By the last accounts
which had arrived from that country it appeared that
the Emperor had caused an additional communication to
be made to her Majesty's Pleniputuntiary, that he
did not intend to observe the first article of the
Treaty, signed by the Imperial Commassioners and Sir
J. Davis, which was to the effect, tl-Itt at a fixed pe-
riod of next year the city of Canton should he opened to
British subjects. By the same ace ounts it appeared
that one of the principal articles in the Nankin Treaty
had been violated. That article provides that British
merchants should not, as they had hitherto
been compelled to sell their commodities through certain
Chinese guilds, but that they should emll them through

whom and to whom they liked. It seemed, however,
that an exception had been taken to this article, and a
r.,spectable man who had been in the habit or dealing
with British merchants, who were considered as
foreigners, had been pat to death for so doing, while
others had been obliged to fly to avoid a similar fate.
The question, therefore, he wished to ask was, whether
it was the intention of Government to compel the per-
formance of those treaties with China, and
whether the Noble Lord had any objection
to lay on the table of the House the communications and
instructions which had passed on the subject.
Lord PALMERSTON said considerable anxiety had
been felt on this subject amongst the commercial
community, but he was glad to say that
such anxiety did not rest upon any solid
foundation. It was true, as stated by the Hon. Gentle-
man, that a communication had passed between the
Government of China and her Majesty's Government,
on the subject of the treaty relating to Canton. It was
also true that the Government of China had demurred to
the engagement conferring privileges on British subjects
in reference to trading in Canton, but it was on the ground
that they were not able to prevent outrages and insults
being offered to British subjects by the natives, which
might tend to disturb the friendly relations which existed
between the two countries. Her Majesty's Government
had not yielded the rights which the treaty con-
ferred upon them ; on the contrary, they
claimed to continue them, but, in preference
to enforcing those rights by force of arms, Govern-
ment might think it necessary to delay taking posses-
sion of Canton till the Chinese authoritiea were in a
position to repress outrage and insult on British sub-
jects.— (Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") With regard
to the second question of the Hon. Gentleman, relating
to the treaty of Nankin, it was true that some
agitation had occurred in China on the subject, and the
act referred to by the Hon. Gentleman; but he was
informed that it was the act of an individual and not of
the Chinese Government. Still, however that might be,
he had no hesitation in stating that it was the intention
of her Majesty's Government to exact from the
Government of China a full and faithful performance
of those treaties which had been made for the interest of
this country.—(Hear, hear.) Representations had been
made on the subject, and from all that he had heard he
was led to believe that these representations would be
attended with success.
UNION OF KILRUSIL

Mr. CRAWFORD then rose, pursuant to notice, to
call the attention of her Majesty's Government to the
statements of continued evictions in the Union of Kil-
rush, contained in Captain Kennedy's last reports, and
to ask, whether it was the intention of the Government
to propose any measure to Parliament for the better
protection of the lives of evicted tenants.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that the Government
bad received reports on the subject to which the Hon.
Member had alluded, but be did not know that the
Government could add anything to the measures they
had already brought forward on the subject. The Go-
vernment had no measures at present in contemplation
to prevent the invasion of the Act. .
NAVIGATION-LAWS.
Lord PALMERSTON, in answer to a question from
Mr. Cornwall Legh, said that it would not be till the
end of the year. Corresponding laws would be made re-
lative to the navigation laws in America.
PUBLIC BUSINESS.
_ _

On the question that the orders of the day should be
now read,
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that he would take
that opportunity of stating the course the Government
intended to pursue with respect to the different mea-
sures
.now before the House. The first notice that
stood on the paper of that evening was the
Poor Relief (Ireland) Bill. That Bill having
gone through Committee, and the greater portion of the
clauses having been gone through, he would propose
that the House should sit at twelve o'ch,ck to-
morrow (Tuesday), and if they got through the
Committee and the report, he would suggest that
the third reading should take place on Monday next, as
it was desirable that the attention of the House of Lords
should be called to the subject as speedily as possible.
On Friday, as he had already stated to the House, the
Government proposed to take the Scotch Marriage and
Registration Bill before any miler business. After the
consideration of these Bills the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer would propose the advance for Irish railways
and distress in that country. Oa Monday, as he had
before said, the Government proposed to go on with the
third reading of the Poor Relief Ireland Bill. On
Thursday and Friday next week the Government pro-
posed to take the Ordnance estimates and the remaining
estimates in Committee of Supply. He had stated on a
former occasion that they might have to postpone the
opening of the Irish Colleges till next year. He (Lord
John Russell) had, however, had a communication from
Ireland, which had induced him to thick that great
disappointment would be felt if such a course was
pursued, and he should propose, therefore, to open
those during the present year, and such being his
intention, it would be necessary to ask for a sum of
money in a Committee of Supply. There was another
Bill with respect to which much inquiry had been
made as to when it would be proceeded with,
he alluded to the Australian Colony Bill; the Govern-
ment proposed to take the second reading of that Bill
on Monday the 16th; and it might be as well that he
should state that it was the intention of the Government
to propose some very important changes in that Bill.
The first alteration was with regard to the tariff. They
proposed to give the General Assembly the power of
making a general tariff for the whole of the colonies.
The next was with regard to the price of land, which
was now fixed by Act of Parliament. Now, the Go-
vernment proposed that the General Assembly
sould have the power of altering the price of land,
when it should think proper and necessary.—(Hear,
hear.) He trusted that the Bill was of such a nature as
to obtain the assent of the House, since it was important
for the future government of Australia, and in accord-
ance with the feeling for some time generaly
expressed in that House. With respect to some
other of the Bills, he did not propose at present to give
anyi of them up, by discharging the orders in re-
spect of them. The most important Bill was one with
regard to the Ecclesiastical Commission. That Bill
was founded upon one which was introduced into
that House three sessions ago. Great objections
were made by the late Archbishop of Canterbury
and the Bishops connected with the Ecclesias-
tical Commission, and upon the representations that
were made he gave up the Bill, preferring to refer it to
Select Committee, which made a report generally
in favour of the Bill that had been originally
proposed, and he had every reason to anticipate the
approval of the House to the Bill; but it had been re-
presented to him from various quarters that, whilst a
Commission was pending with regard to Church leases—
moved for by a Noble Friend—it was thought not de-
sirable to proceed with the Bill during the present session.
On the other hand, they had to anticipate great oppo-
sition from the House of Lords. Seeing the difficulties
in the way, he thought that Bill would stand a better
chance of coming to a consummation by postponing it to
another session. With regard to the Charitable Trusts
Bill, he had consulted the Lord Chancellor upon the sub-
ject, and the result was that he did not intend to proceed
with that 13111 this session. There were, however,
one or two other subjects of very great im
portance, with respect to which it was neces-
sary they should bring measures before the House,
and as to the grounds for which they were
introduced; it was necessary to explain to the House
also the reasons why they should be passed during the
present session. The most important of these related to
the question of lights and pilotage. His Right Hon. Friend
would state to the House his general views on this subject,
without, however, proposing to legislate for the present
purpose with respect to the mercantile marine. He pro-
posed that the House should sit on Tuesday
to proceed with this Bill. Ile proposed on
Monday next that the House should take
into consideration the amendments to the
Encumbered Estates Bill. They had been printed, and
required, especially one of them, the deliberate conside-
ration of the House. He did not think it was necessary
to state anything further. He trusted there would
be no objection to their taking the third read-
ing of Bills to which there was not any opposition;
but he should not proceed with any that would interfere
with the promise he had made to the Hon. Gentleman
opposite, that nothing should interfere with his motion
for to-night. The Noble Lord concluded by moving
that the House should sit to-morrow at twelve.
BANKRUPTCY BILL.

Mr. B, OSBORNE said there was one Bill of can
siderablo importance. namely, the Bankruptcy Bill.
Lord J. RUSSELL replied that the Bill was under the
consideration of a Select Committee, and he believed
there was a general assent in the Committee to the
Bill, and he hoped that nothing would prevent its pro-
ceeding this session, for he held it to be an important
measure.