The Sun.
London, England, 1849-02-20 00:00:00

TURNPIKES.

Mr. HENLEY wished to know whether any returns
would be laid on the table of the House, with reference
to turnpike trusts and highways.
Mr. CORNE\VALL LEWIS said that all the returns
on the subject were laid on the table of the House last
session.

EXEMPTION OF BOROUGHS FROM COUNTY

RATES.
Mr. MUNTZ wished to know whether it was the in-
tentivn of the Government this 80$31011 to bring iu a Dill

to exempt borough corporations which had their own
gaols from the county rates,
Sir GEORGE GREY said the corporation of
Birmingham had applied to be exempted from
the county-rate, but no representation had been re-
ceived from any other borough, although there
were several which were similarly circumstanced.
Ile understood that the question- as to the liability of
corporations had been before the Queen's Bench, and
that the Judges had decided that they were liable. The
matter bad, however, been carried to a higher court--
the Exchequer Chamber—and if that Court con'
firmed the decision of the Queen's Bench, he
thought that some general Act ought to be introduced
in order to alter the law with respect to the liability of
boroughs so situated to the county rate.
EMIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA.
Mr. SCOTT wished to ask the following questions of
the Hon. Gentleman the Under-Secretary of State for
the Home Department How many free passages
to the Australian colonies it is the present intention of
the Colonial-office to give to Dorset and Wilts? 2.
Whether it is intended to do the same in other and
what counties? 3. How much these free passages will
(at the average cost per head of each statute adult) co!t
the colony to which they go? 4. How many more ow'
grants might have gone if the grant had been made to
assisted instead of free passengers? 5. Whether 11
is intended that they should have the preference over
previous applicants for assisted passages, and sail shortly
while these latter are detained? 6. The amount of co-
lonial funds at present available for emigration?
Mr. HAWES, who was very indistinctly heard in the
gallery, was understood to reply that it was not the in-
tention or the Colonial-office to apportion the number of
emigrants to be sent from Wilts and Dorset. The
boon of the Government would extend in common to
all the counties, and not to one or two in particular.
Ships had been recently fitted out for emigrants at ply-
mouth, but it happened that there were very fell
applicants. The cost of the conveyance of each
emigrant was 141. 4s. per head. No preference
would be given by the Colonial-office to any parties. The
funds in hand amounted to 50,0001.
Mr. SCOTT inquired if there would be any objeo'
tion to lay on the table the correspondence that
had taken place with respect to emigration front
Wiltshire and Dorsetshire. It would be well, he
thought, to have it distinctly known whether
or not the pnblic money had been applied to clearing
the estates of particular parties.

Mr. HAWES would make inquiry if there was as/
correspondence. He wished, however, to assure tbt
Hon. Member that no favour had been shown to eel
particular parties.

THE ANNUITY-TAX (SCOTLAND).
Mr. HUME referred to the Commission appointed
last year to inquire into the operation of this taro
and inquired if any report had been presented, and, if sol
whether it would be laid on the table of the House; and
further whether any measure on the subject was intended
to be introduced by the Government during the present
session ?

Lord J. RUSSELL replied that the report was in th•
course of preparation, and that it would be laid on lb.
table.

THE FISHERIES OF SCOTLAND.
Mr. HUME inquired whether the Commissioner ar
pointed last session to inquire into the necessity of COw
tinning the Fisheries Board of Scotland, and genera/
into the fisheries of that country, had concluded his re'
port, and, if so, when it would be presented to the
House?

Mr. LABOUCHERE replied that Mr. John Lefelre
had been appointed to discharge that task, and that be
had prepared a report, which would be laid on the tablet
of the House. The report in effect recommended that
the Board should be continued, and pointed out how It!
expenses might be curtailed. The Governmentintendeo
to carry out his recommendations.
THE NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.
Mr. GREENE corrected an error into which
he had fallen, in reply to the question of 0°
Honourable Member for Middlesex respecting the
new Houses of Parliament. He had statea
that some additional expenses had been incurred at the
instance of the Woods and Forests, and that be bed
-seen a return prepared by Mr. Barry at. the...request (
the Commissioners for Building the New Houses of Par'
liament, in order that they might be inserted in it. Ple
had since been informed by the Noble Earl the Chi!'
Commissioner of Woods and Forests, that no such au:
ditional expense had been contracted or paid by that
department.

E MIGRATION.
Mr. SCOTT moved for the following returns :--11°,
turn of the expenses at each of the depots or othe'
establishments for the reception of emigrants during the
years 1847 and 1848 respectively; distinguishing in o°'
case whether the payments are made from Imperial or o°,
lonialFunds, and defining:-1. The amount paid for reni
of depot and the name of the owner. 2. Cost per heed
each emigrant for depOt expenses, specifying the ohs%
for lodging and rations. 3. Cost of bedding and utesi.,
for each emigrant, by whom supplied, and whether by
public or private contract. 4. Expense of establish'
ments of naval agents at London and Plymout!
respectively, with the number of clerks and the *moon
;
paid to each; also any additional sums paid for ocher
i
and what superintendence at the aforesaid depots.
The amount paid to each selecting agent n Great Bri-
tain and Ireland, and at what per tentage. 6. The
amount per head for the conveyance of emigrants_
to the depots at London or Plymouth ; and a:
commission paid to agents for shipping emigrants "
the outports of Great Britain or Ireland on their way
the said depots. 7. Average amount paid as per co,.°-
tract for the conveyance of emigrants to each of
Australian colonies, per statute adult. 8. Charge, ,1
any, stating the several items and the amount borne of
each of the Australian colonies for the maintenance °f
the Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners De'
partment.
HABEAS CORPUS SUSPENSION (IRELAND)

BILL.
On the order of the day being read for the third read'
ing of this Bill,
Mr. OSBORNE rose to present a petition from WI;
bitants in the parish of St. Pancras, calling on the LP%
not to pass the Bill, and to cease to administer the eft
of Ireland altogether, and to allow the people oft u_."
country to administer the government themselves."
(Hear, and laughter.)
Mr. J. O'CONNELL said, as he did not wish to bec;
a double debate, he should postpone his observatiee,"
until the Noble Lord the Member for atylesburY e
amendment came on.
Mr. FEARGUS O'CONNOR then rose to addrele
the House, but the noise consequent upon a great number
of the Members simultaneously leaving the House WO !e
,
great that for some moments the Hon. Member
wholly inaudible in the gallery. He was understood
the
say that he was very much surprised to find, after t
statement of the Right Hon the Secretary for th
eb
Home Department, that no English Gentleman in the
Home Department, that no English Gentleman in
r 1
House had thought it his duty in the House to do 1130 •
than give a passive acquiescence to this Bill. There was
,e
time when this Bill would not have been allowed to 13,1:4
without some more urgent reasons having been /ogee,
for its necessity than had been assigned by the 110n•Bit_rh.
net the Secretary for the Home Department.
d expressl4°tw
standing that many gentlemen had attempte- to .
their views on this Bill, there was not one
last who had touched it. The Honourable Memberfor_
Bandon assigned as a reason for supporting the
Bill that he was foreman of a grand jury 11.:
Ireland. The Right Hon. Baronet the Member fo'
Tana worth, in accordance with his usual maxim, said be
would return good for evil. The Government had or
from first to
posed the Right Hon. Baronet on the appropriation clans*
trradße u,cicainndghtahmeshii honourable
enoenurtearbeide in
Gel'
e
;
asd he retorted by supporting the present measure'
dissertation The li on. Memberfree fo
e
tleman said he was not only prepared to give
assent to the stopping of agitation for the
peal of the union, but to put down all agitetion;
But now it seemed quite unnecessary to make out
reason for the passing of such a measure as this. SeF,,r
used not to be the case formerly ; and oh, fir
the days of Fox, Pitt, Romilly, and all the'd
noble compeers. But their days were past, e.„,
an epoch seemed to have arrived when private,
terests were in the eyes of Members of Parliateeeee
paramount to the consideration of the most serieos
inroads upon the.constitutioncand when a matter viteej
affecting the interests of Ireland was to be introduer;
to their notice, scarcely a House could be forthe7
yet when a private Bill was to occupy their atteutiel
upwards of 170 Members were ready to tender th.e:,
votes. Such was the feeling, or rather the compare"•
feeling with which great national grievances le 11:3,
land and petty advantages in England were view(
So much for the sympathy of England for Ire
Lord Ulsrendon says that the object of this Bill ishls
put a atop to the agitation which, for thirty years, P..,
distracted Ireland. The Right Hon. Baronet the Seci-to
Lary of Ire/and says that this Bill is simply the
rectal capital to the country. The Noble Lord
head of the Government says that it has "-e,
thing whatever to do with the agitation for rrj,
peal. but simply to enforce the views of the to
Lieutenant. To which of those authorities was beta
refer? In none could he place any reliance,
when Lord Stanley, was a Member of that House, be bhi
expressed his opinion that a very sufficient reason otigio
to be assigned before any suspension of
aLr,)
liberties of the country took place.—(Hear,
The Whigs had ever made Ireland their battle-fiie
the late Mr. C. Buller had warned them of the eu°`.
My
tion of this course ; he had said as long es, ,i•
O'Connell lived Ireland would be in an
pient rebellion, but when he was gone it l'i°,lo
become an open oae. If such a measure 5e,„",.0.
had been proposed at the outbreak of the French
volution in February last, it might have been tolertr,
but at the present moment it was uncalled her
It was to the Right Honourable Baronet the Meelthe
for Tamworth that the people of Ireland looked flora
redress of their grievances, and not to the Noble
at the head of the present Government.—(Hear, he
Government could not receive the allegiance of •
people of Ireland until they pursued a more liberal Prioos
ciple towards them. The proceedings of the Govern' led
proved this. They had had five sessions of oYer
terminer in Dublin, and yet there still remained filebresu
soners to be disposed of, so bungling and clumsy bed '
BO
the course of the law officers. But it was said tbillios
was to be followed by remedial measures. ;to
were they? He had a right to an SOW 001)
that question, for this Bill would not put e
•
to the agitation for the repeal of the unto 0
(Hear)—but it would prevent every ree'll„hieg
Ireland, no matter whether he was loyal or not, tewliit e
a single struggle in defence of his rights. Why urged
farce this mode of legislation was. It wore the
that the measure was proposed to secure
;0 jre'
protection of the loyal and well-dispose, 001
land! What nonsense! Instead of its afforolu_,teted,
such protection it would make the loyal discoe'lv 0,00
and unless some measures for removing the 50°T, bet:
of Ireland, and extending the sufferages, valegoto
people, Lwere :away proposedCiceferniseo