The Sun.
London, England, 1838-08-16 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

The SPEAKER took the Chair at twenty minutes after Or.e
o'Clock.
Mr. HA WE S presented a petition from an individual
against any alteration in the Beer Act.
Mr. 0. CAVE presented a petition from Kilven and
another place in Tipperary, saying that peace would never
reign in Ireland so long as the Tithe system existed, and
praying it they might be abolished.
Sir R. INGLIS presented a petition from a place in the
county of Derby against the encouragement given to idolatry
in the East Indies. Also one from the clergy of the Arch-
deaconry of Colchester against the Parochial Assessment
Bill, which had been withdrawn, he hoped never to be renewed.
He begged to congratulate the Speaker and the House upon
the termination of a Session unexampled in many respects.
They had now sat 178 days ; and in no former Session
of Parliament had that House ever sat for ten con-
secutive months. The House had in the present
Session sat for ten consecutive months, and 1,134
hours. It was true that in one former year that number of
hours was exceeded, but that was owing to there having
been morning sittings. If they compared the Sessions of
George IV. and William IV. the contrast would appear
very striking. In the Ist Session of George IV. the House
of Commons assembled on the 23d of January, and sat till
the 11th of July, 111 days. In the first year of the reign of
William IV., the House sat 84 days.
A Message from the Lords brought the Consolidated Fund
Bill, to which their Lordships had agreed. -
Sir R. INGLIS went on to state that the first Session of
the present century the. House sat 132 days. The first of
Geo. IV., 111 days ; the first of William I V., 84 days ; the
present Session, as he had before stated, 178 days. He wished to
notice the extraordinary number of Bills (84) which had been
introduced since July 1 ; that number being greater thanAr
the first three months of the Session.

Mr. LE ADERvpresented petitions praying that the twenty-
three individuals who had been included in Earl Durham's
Bermuda Ordinance might receive a full and frec pardon.
HYDROPHOBIA.

Sir F. BURDETT noticed the great prevalence of hydro-
phobia in the metropolis, and expressed a hope that
proper directions would be given to the Metropolitan Police
on the subject.

Sir C.'DOUGLAS wished to make a few remarks on the
motion of which he had given notice some time ago. He
regretted that no amendment had been made in the Poor-law
Amendment Act. To the motion of the Honourable Member
for Oldham, he refused to accede, thereby showing himself
favourable to the- general principle of the Act. lie was
sorry, however, that the labours of the Committee had been so
protracted, for he was anxious to have brought this matter
under discussion, but be did not feel justified in bringing it
forward now; as the Report had only just been circulated.
He thought the recess might be well employed by Hon. Mem-
bers, if they looked through the evidence during that period.
He begged to disclaim all party feeling cn the subject, but he
hoped Ministers, at the commencement of the next session,
would be prepared to make the Poor-law Amendment Act
more consonant to the feelings of the people.
Mr. FRESHFIELD thought,•if any persons had a right
to complain it was the Committee that bad been sitting.
Whatever might be the anxiety of Hon. Members to show
feelings of humanity, he could assure the House that no
stronger feelings existed any where than in the Committee.
The SPEAKER said, the Hon. Baronet bad not concluded
with any motion.
Sir CHARLES DOUGLAS then moved that each As-
sistant Poor-law Commissioner do forthwith prepare a Report
to the Board at Somerset House, as to how far he may be of
opinion that the regulations now in force for refusing out.
door relief in money to the able-bcdied, and for the
separation of man and wife in the workhouses
after sixty years of age (each), should or should not
be modified. stating' the reason?, for whichever view he may take.
Mr. BRISCOE had a great objection to the moto :of the,
lion. Baronet, and he had prepared an arnewlinent to the
effect that there should be laid before the `louse a return of
the married couples in each workhouse, their state of health,
and how long they had been in the House. Ile thout that
such a return would be very beneficial, and lie could see
no objection to it.
After a few observations from the SO LICITO R- GENE-
R A L,
Mr. BRISCOE said he would withdraw his amendment.

Mr. C. LUSHINI;TON remarked that the subject of
hydrophobia had attracted the attention of the M,tropolitan
Police Committee, as might be seen from their Report.
Mr. EA ST HOPE deprecated these vague discussions on
subjects of so much importance at this late period of the
Session, when it was impossible any good could be effected
by it.
At twenty minutes past two o'clock the Usher of the Black
Rod appeared at the Table, and summoned the House to the
House of Peers, to hear her Majesty's gracious Speech.
On their return the Speaker read her Majesty's Speech and
,
the House then separated.