The Sun.
London, England, 1836-06-07 00:00:00

CIIURCH RATES.

Mr. DIVETT presented a petition from the parish of St.
Mary, in Devonshire, praying for the abolition of Church
rates.

Mr. H. FLEETWOOD presented a similar petition from
Preston.

Mr. HUTT presented a similar petition from Hull.
SEE OF DURHAM.

Mr. C. RIPON presented a petition from Gateshead, pray-
ing that the surplus revenues of the See of Durham might be
applied to filo purposes of general education. The Hon.
Member also presented a petition from Sunderland, praying
for the total repeal of the Stamp Duties upon Newspapers.
SPIRIT LICENSES.

Mr. GILLON presented a petition from Glasgow, praying
for the repeal of the Malt Duties Act ; and for an alteration
of the Spirit Licenses Act.
• PUNISHMENT OF DEATH.

Mr. HUTT presented a petition from Hull, praying that in
the revision of the Criminal Laws the punishment of death,
except in cases of murder, might be abolished.
IRISH CORPORATION 1311,11.

Mr. E. RUTHVEN presented a petition from Kildare,
praying the House not to agree to the Lords' amendmegts
of the Irish Municipal Corporations Bill.
IRISH TITHES. _ .

Mr. H. GRATTAN presented petitions from different
places in the counties of Kildare and Meath, praying for the
abolition of Tithes, and that the House would not pass any
Bill which did not countenance the principle that Ireland
was to be governed by the same laws as England.
DUTY ON ATTORNIES' CERTIFICATES.

Mr. C. FERGUSON presented a petition from the At-
tornics and Solicitors of Gloucester, praying for a repeal of
the duty on their certificates.
TURNPIKE TRUSTS CONSOLIDATION BILL.
Mr. WILLIAM DUNCOMBE and Mr. HEATHCOTE
presented petitions against the Turnpike Trusts Consolidation
Bill.
Mr. GUEST presented a petition from Merthyr Tydvil,
'against the Lords' Amendments to the Irish Municipal Bill.
Mr. HALL preiented a petition from Monmouth, against
the Municipal Reform as amended by the House of Lords.
ISLAM) OF MALTA.

Mr. EWA RT presorted a petition from the Island of Malta,
complaining of the want of proper Representatives, and
praying that their representation might be based upon the
principle on which the English representation was founded.
He felt confident that under the present Government no officious
intermeddler would intercept justice to that country. The
second complaint of the petitioners was, that the Government
had restricted the diffusion of education among the inhabita. is
of the island, 1.;3, imposing a tax upon the students of the Uni-
versity. Such was the social and political condition of that
country, but her commerce also had claims upon the attention of
that House. The supply of grain to that country had long
been a source of Government monopoly, and the institution by
which it was directed, was a most uncommercial and unsocial
interference with the wants of the people. He trusted that
that Honse would give the Maltese merchants, the British
merchants, and the people of Malta, the benefit of a free trade.
—( Hear, hear, hear.) The petitioners also complained of
the quarantine laws which pressed very heavily upon the mer-
chants frequenting that port, and differed altogether in
their details from the quarantine regulations of other colonial
ports. He understood from his Hon. Friend below
him ( Sir G. Grey), that it was the intention of his Majesty's
Government to send out a Commission to enquire into the
grievances complained of by the inhabitants. He could only con-
sent to the issuing of the Commission upon the principle of entire
publicity being given to its proceedings, upon the old English
principle. Ile hoped that nothing would be done with elnsed
doors, otl.erwise no satisfaction would be given to the people
of the island. He hoped the Colonial Government would nut
hi the mean time suspend those urgent Reforms which were
pres.cing—he hoped the Commission would report from
time to a.,d that it would be laid on the table of the
these.
The petition was laid OD the table.
Mr. HOLLAND had a petition to the same effect from the

merchants connected with the trade of Malta—it was hardly
possible to separate the one petition from the other. The
prayer of the petitioners had often - been brought before the
Government. A petition had been presented only a few
Mays ago to the Noble Secretary for the Colonial Govera-
nient, and had been kindly received. Since he had been in the
House, he had been informed that the Government had deter.
mined that they would no longer interfere with the Corn trade.
That, then, only left the Custom Laws and the Quarantine Laws,
which were complained of as great grievances. The Customs gave
9;800/. per annum, leaving a Oct revenue of 7,0411 arising
from the Customs. The quarantine dues, with this sum',
amounted to 11,000/. The Report of the Commissioners ap-
pointed in 1830 recommended a reduction to the amount of
15,000/. in Salaries and so forth. If the present Government
acted upon that suggestion,
This tit
nentireduced the salaries
referred
other expenses to this amount, surely the Customs'
might be dispenlcd wit
only to the English flag. After the manner in which the sub-
ject had been taken up by the Hon. Baronet ( Sir G. Grey), he
would not trouble the House further upon the subject.
Lord SANDON presented a petition on the subject of the
quarantine duties from Liverpool.
Mr. HUME had a similar petition to present, signedbyat
individual of the name. of Charles Lienen, who had been
Several years resident in the island of Malta, complaining that
by some regulation of the island be had been prevented from
opening an English school, and that he had been subjected 'to
imprisonment for opening a school without a license. As
Government were about to enquire, he hoped they would
enquire into this case, and all the other allegations contained
in the petition. He hoped that the time would come when ii,
-.es of Government, both civil and military, 45041
- ' '''P ulace.

.."4 at the Bar
alterations
real-
Pion; Woula ,pnlv, but was interrupted by
S.r GEORGE ORP4-7 tvrie
Sir AUGUSTUS CLIFFORD, Who .
and summoned the Commons to hear the Royal Asseni—aisten
to certain Bills, for which see Lord's report.

The SPEAKER having returned—
Sir GEORGE GRE Y said the Government had promised
to send out a Commission to inquire into the matters,corn-
plained of by the petitioners; and it was their anxious wish
that every matter of complaint should be fairly and properly
investigated, with a view to ascertain what reductions