The Sun.
London, England, 1849-07-04 00:00:00

nothing impracticable, but that by a clause in the Edin-
bureh Police Act, passed last year, all bakers were re-
quired to stamp, in large and distinct figures, the im-
psrial weight of the loaves, and lading to do so were
liable to a tine of 405.; or, it the loaves were deficient in
weight, to a psnalty of 51. Now, what was good for
Edinburgh was good for London, for Essex, or even for
Brighton. But our northern brethren were ever on the
alert, and had incorporated his proposal with their Police
Act. He could, therefore, no longer be told that the
thing was impracticable, and he trustAl we would now
imitate the sagacity of our Scottish brethren. At that
late hour ho would not detain the House further; but
would conclude by moving the House do now resolve
itself into a Committee of the whole House on a question
which he had no personal interest in; but one on which
he felt strongly, as involving an act of justice to the
poor.—(Hear, hear.)
Capt. PECHELL said the Hon. Member had referred
to the Bill which he had introduced. He had done so
in order to abolish the intolerable evil of the assize sys-
tem, which formerly placed the baker at the mercy of
the common informer, and rendered it almost impossible
to carry on the business of a baker. He did not see
how the Hoe. Member could protect the poor any more
than they were under the present Act, and he had never
seen any petition against it, or heard of any complaints
as to its working. He did not know what the Govern-
ment intended to do in the matter; but he should cer-
tainly advise the Hon. Member, at that late period of the
session, not to press his motion. For his own part he
would certainly defend his own Act.
Mr. LABOUCHERE said, as the Hon. Member had
been precluded last year from bringing in his Bill by an
informality, he was not prepared to oppose his motion._
(Hear.) At the same time he wished to add that he
believed the present system worked well both for the
baker and the public, and he believed that the principle
proposed to be introduced by the Hon. Member would
lead to great confusion and to great opposition
from the master bakers, because it would
expose them to the mercy of common informers,
while in the metropolis, at least, it would not pro-
tect the poor.—(Hear, hear.) He was informed that
the poor did not, in numerous instances, buy whole
loaves but parts of loaves, end of course it would be im-
possible to stamp the weight upon such portions of
loaves.—(Hear.) Ho doubted whether, the measure of
the Hon. Member would remove the poor from any sub-
serviency to the dealers in provisions to whom they
were indebted, while the respectable masters would fled
themselves hampered by it. As to the clause in the
Edinburgh Police Act, it had been introduced without
the attention of the House being called to it.—(Hear.)
He certainly was not aware of its existence until the
Hon. Member drew his attentioh to it. He should agree
to the motion, reserving to himself the power of pur.
suing the course he might think best.
Mr. PACKE supported the motion, on the ground
that bread was much dearer in the towns than it
ought to be, when the price of wheat was taken into
consideration.
Mr. FOLEY wished to take advantage of the dis-
cussion to call the attention of the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman at the head of the Board of Trade to the fact
that a great number of persons had been poisoned,
and others made seriously ill, by a miller mixing up
deleterious materials with his flour. He thought such
cases proved the necessity for the interference of the
Legislature.

Mr. fIEATIICOTE hoped the House would agree to
the Bill, and especially considering ihe extreme dispro-
portion of prices in various localities. The press used
formerly to keep a careful watch over this matter, by
showing the difference in various localities, and it it did
so again he tho fight it would confer a great public
ben, fit. While they had been cutting down the price
and profits of corn, they had not toucle‘-d the profits of
the baker. He hoped that, although late in the session,
the Bill would be allowed to be brought in, and receive
the sanction of the House —(bear, near.)
Sir DE LACY EVANS objected to the measure, for
which he thought nu sufficient grounds had been offered
by the Honourable Member. The insinustion against
the honesty of the bakers was certainly not sufficient
to his mind, and though this was the Hon. Member's
hobby at present, he had certainly chosen a very
unpropitious time for bringing it forward. He brought
this Bill in too late in the session. The Honourable
Gentleman who had just addressed the House had
expressed his surprise at the difference of price
in the metropolis ; but was he not aware that
other articles as well as bread varied in price? The
baker would tell him that bread changed its weight
from being exposed to the air, and other causes, and
unless he took care that it was heavier in weight when
he put it into the oven than it ought to be, he could not
be certain that it was of the proper weight. The bakers
were desirous that inquiry should be instituted, and
such an inquiry as would satisfy the public. They felt
that there was no necessity for such an enactment.
Mr. MANGLES said that a greater case of retrogres-
sion than this Bill would be he never heard of. As re-
spects the principle of the Bill, it was just as applicable
to the butcher who sold a bit of meat, or any other
tradesman, as to the baker. He was quite sure his
Right Hon. Friend would not sanction this Bill, as it
whould let loose a host of informers, and therefore he
should oppose the Bill.—(Divide.)
The House then divided, when there appeared—
For the motion
Against it ... ... 37
Majority —54
The House then went into Committee, and a resolution
was agreed to upon which to found a Bill.
Leave was then given to bring in the Bill.
POST-OFFICE COMMUNICATIONS WITH
IRELAND.
Mr. KER moved for a Select Committee to inquire
into the expediency of the proposed alterations as re-
gards the transmission of the mails between the south-
west of Scotland and the north of Iceland. He thought
that economy, and the convenience of the public, should
be the guide of the Government in making this proposed
alteration. He thought that great injury would result
from adopting a contrary course.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
really did not know anything which the Committee
could inquire into which had not already been the sub-
ject of inquiry.
Auer some conversation,
Lard CASTLEREAGH trusted the Hon. Member
would press his motion to a division. After so much
money had been spent on the harbours in question, he
did not think they ought to be left utterly useless, or to
fall into decay, without good reason being assigned.
Mr. KER said he did not wish to put the House to
unnecessary trouble, but as his motion had been stir
ported by his Noble Friend, he should divide.
The House then divided, when there appeared—
For the motion
Against it
44
Majority against the motion ... —7
MINES AND COLLIERIES,

Mr. W YLI) obtained leave to bring in aJl3ill to enable
her Majesty's Secretary of State to appoint inspectors of
mines and collieries; and for providing the means of pay'
meat for such inspection, which the Hon. Member after'
wards brought in.
LYME REGIS ELECTION.
Mr. BUTLER call. d trio attention of the House to the
special report and recnnamendation of the Lyme Regis
Commit et) of last session, charging John Attwood.
Esq., with bribery (then a Member of the House, and
subsequently unseated for bribery in his election for
Harwich), and moved that the Atturney•General be di'
rected to prosecute Mr. Attwood and his agents for the
alleged cases of bribery and corruption at Lyme Regis
and Harwich. air. Attwood's conduct, he believed, was
calculated to destroy the freedom of election, and, there'
fore, h© brought forward the present proposition. Mr'
Attwood, like Mr. Smith O'Brien, had fallen under the
displeasure of the House, and therefore he had become
public property. His " demoralising generosity" at the
last Athlone election had been attested in a letter writ'
ten to him (Mr. Biller) by the Catholic Bishop of El'
phin. Unless a check were put on the system adopted
by Mr. Attwood, they would find English eapitalista
contesting Irish elections, and Irish boroughs represented
by London millionnaires.—(Laughter.)
Mr. SOMERS seconded the motion.
Major BERESFORD said that he came to the House
under the impression that he should have to defend I'll
present constituents and his late colleague, but be found
that the only matters to be defended were imaginary
charges against an English capitalist, for inveigling some
Milesians from their strongholds—charges founded ort
the private letters of private individuals. Under all
the circumstances of the case, he thought the House,
would be going out of its way to punish an individual
case, and that the Attorney-General would be wrong ill
beginning a prosecution which could only end in failure.
He should meet the motion with a direct negative.
Sir G. GREY said that the Committee had not re'
commended the prosecution of Mr. Attwood, and even if
they had, he thought that the time which had elapsed
since their report would effectually act as a bar against
the success of that prosecution.
The House then divided, when there appeared—
' For the motion
„. 3
Against „,
46
Majority —43
••• •.•
The other orders were then disposed of, and the Rouge
adjourned at Halt-past One o'clock.

Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial'
offico from the Governors of the West India Colonies.
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council sat
yesterday. The appeal " Montague v. the Governor
and Council of Van Diemen's Land" was concluded•
An appeal was heard—" Raja Oodit Punkash Sing I)*
Martindell and Stacey."

81 RTIIS
On the 30th ult., at Totternhoe, Bedforshire, the wife of
the Rev. T. H. Roper, of a son.
On the :'oth ult., at Park-crescent, the wife of C. F. Bur'
nett, E q , of a son.
On the 30th ult., at Oxford -terrace, Hyde-park, the Wife
of F. Milne, Esq., of a daughter.
On the 30th ult., at the Vicarage, Pembury, Kent, the wife
of the Rev. G. S. Woodgate, of a son.
•
On the Ist in t., at College-house, Islington, the wife of
the Rev. J. G. Hetcech, of a daughter.

MARRIED.
On the 28th ult., at St. Marylebone, Patrick Strachallf
Esq., New York, to Helen, second daughter of J. Andersolif
EN., Peterhead, Aberdeenshire.
On the 31)th ult., at St. James's Church, Mr. W. J. Back:
of Regent-street, to Louisa, second daughter of Edward, 110`
niece of Joseph Trimmell. b.sq., of tie Old Kent-road.

DIED
On the 29th ult., John Phillpotts, Esq., of Portbgwiddes
Cornwall, for mriny years M.P. for the city of Glocester.
On the 30. h ult.. at Tsvistock•terrace, Upper 11,11000
Mr. T. Palin, late of Christ's Hospital, aged 23.
On the 30th ult., at Mill-hill, Woolwich, Lieut,natit'
Colonel Frederick English. Commanding Royal Engineer.
At Port!awl•terrace, St. John's-wood, Mr. Richard Croft.

. • gcd
.IL 0 and Pahlisl,c,? tr, ;,:Rl4
..!va tral.li, fruiter, at The Sun Office, No. 1'
Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in tio emu*"
Middleass, Wedueiclay, July 41 1549.