The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-21 00:00:00

WEDNE-SDAt EVENING, MARCH 21, 1849.

IMPERIAL P iRLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, Mardi, 20.

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat upon the Wool-
sack at Five o'clock.

Lord BROUGHAM presented petitions from several
unions in the north of Ireland against the rate in aid;
also from the Metropolitan Law Society, complaining
that the Bill which he had introduced for consolidating the
law of insolvency was proceeding too rapidly, and praying
that the Committee on the Bill should not be proceeded
with until after the Easter recess. It had not been his
intention to proceed with it until after the Easter recess,
and he had so stated when he introduced the Bill, but he
had been informed that he spoke in so low a tone on
the occasion as to be inaudible in the gallery.
Lord MONTEAGLE presented several petitions from
various unions in Ireland against the rate in aid.
The Earl of ERNE presented several petitions with a
similar prayer.

The hail of HARROWBY presented several peti-
tions against the repeal of the navigation-laws.
WAR IN ITALY.

The Earl of ABERDEEN gave notice that on Thurs•
day he should ask for some information respecting the
renewal of the war in the north of Italy.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.

After a short conversation on the subject of the pro-
gress of the business before the House between Lord
STANLEY and the Marquis Of LANSDOWNE, their Lord-
ships adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, March 20.
The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four
o'clock.

PETITIONS.

Mr. HENRY presented a petition from Bury, in
Lancashire, in favour of international arbitration.

Sir W. VERNER presented apetitinnfrOMPorta-
downe against the rate in aid.

Mr. IitSFEILD presented a petition from Bradford,
in Yorkshire, praying the House to pass a law to prevent
trading in seduction.
An iloN. MEMBER presented a petition from Armagh
against the rate in aid.
Mr. SCHOLEFIELD presented a petition from Bir-
mingham in favour of international arbitration.
Mr. FORBES presented several petitions against the
Scotch Marriage Bill.

Mr. COBDEN presented a petition from the mayor,
aldermen, and burgesses of Sheffield, praying the
House to take steps to reduce the expenditure of the
country.
Sir J. WALMSLEY presented a petition from New-
castle-under-Lyne in favour of international arbitration.
Mr. CORRY presented petitions from various places
in the county of Tyrone against the Rate in Aid Bill.
Captain PECIIELL presented a petition from John
Cree, Esq., a magistrate of the county of Dorset,
complaining of the proceedings of the guardian
of the Weymouth Union, and of the Poor-law Board
in reference to the case of D. Beale, ninety-
one years of age, an inmate of the workhouse.
Beale it would seem was once a respectable tradesman of
Weymouth, and his grandson and other relatives were
still in trade at the same place. The Hon. Gentleman
gave notice that to-morrow he should move that the Pe.
tion be printed with the view of founding a motion
upon it.
Mr. S. CRAW FORD presented a petition from the
county of Westmeath in favour of tenant right.
Several Hon. Members presented petitions from
various places in Ireland against the rate in aid.
THE WAR IN THE PUNJAUB.
_ _

Mr. G.IIIOIIP7SON postponed his motion with re-
spect to the war in the Punjsub until this day fortnight.

EMPLOYMENT OF THE IRISH POOR.

Mr. P. SCROPE gave notice that, on this day fort-
night, he should move for leave to bring in a Bill to
provide for the better employment of the Irish poor.
FISCAL REGULATIONS (IRELAND).
Mr. J. O'CONNELL postponed his motion for a
fortnight.
TRAVELLING ON SUNDAYS.
Mr. LOCKE postponed for a fortnight his motion for
leave to introduce a Bill to secure to the public on Sun-
days a limited and reasonable use of all railways which
convey passengers on the other days of the week.
ADMIXTURE OF CHICORY WITH COFFEE.
Mr. ANSTEY gave notice that on this day fortnight
he would move a resolution to the effect that the House
view with deep concern the adulteration of coffee with
chicory, in consequence of the Government having in-
structed the officers of the Excise not to proceed against
the parties who thus contravened the law.
LECTURES. TO LAW STUDENTS.
Mr. E WART gave notice of his intention to move
on a future day for a return of the number of lectures
delivered in the inns of law.
THE LAND-TAX.
Mr. WODEHOUSE inquired of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer-1. Whether it was the intention of her Ma
jesty's Government to introduce any measure for the
purpose of remedying the present inequality of the land
tax, as adverted to in the report from the Select Com-
mittee of the House of Lords (Session 1846), on the bur-
dens affecting real property, referring to the evidence
given upon this subject by Mr. Wood, the chairman of
the Board of Excise, and also by Mr. Coode, the
assistant-secretary to the Poor-law Board, and ending
by declaring " that it appears that the quotas
in the agricultural districts are higher, in propor-
tion to the value of property, than they are in the
mining and manufacturing districts of the country."
2. Whether her Majesty's Government intends to adopt
the suggestion contained in the report above mentioned,
in which the Committee say, that, " considering the
changes occasioned by the creation of real property, as
well as those taking place in the relative value of the
different descriptions of real property, it is scarcely
necessary for them to point out the advantage as well
as justice of periodical and uniform valuations."

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied
that it was not the intention of the Government to in-
troduce any measure of the kind mentioned by the Hon.
Gentleman. With regard to the second question, he
quite agreed with him that it would be desirable t 9 have
periodical valuations, for the purpose of the more just
apportionment of the tax; but this was just one of those
cases in which the Government ought not to be called
upon to interfere. It was better to leave the matter in
the hands of the counties. In the county with which he
was connected a valuation of the nature stated by the Hon.
Gentleman had been taken twice during the last 14 years.
The Hon. Member's object would be perfectly well at-
tained.by.the exertions of the magistrates in their seve-
ral localities without calling on the central government.
Mr. WODEHOUSE gave notice of his intention to
call the attention of the House again to this subject on
an early day soon after Easter.
POOR-LAW MEDICAL OFFICERS.
Lord ASHLEY presented a petition from the chair-
man and committee of medical officers in the several
unions in Wales, setting forth various grievances at
great length, aud praying the House to take into their
consideration a measure, with a view not only to amend
the system of poor-law medical relief, but also the edu-
cation of the medical profession generally throughout
England and Wales.
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.
Mr. V. smirk" moved for a copy of any report of
the Commissioners of Audit, to the Treasury, upon the
dispatches referred to them by a Treasury minute of
the 2d day of May, 1848, of Sir Henry Pottinger, re-
lating to the great irregularities which, in his Excel-
lency's opinion, existed in the system of paying and
maintaining the native levies at the Cape of Good Hope,
and generally in the public expenditure occasioned by
the Kafir war.
The CHANCELLOR. of the RYCHEQUER said a
had been received which, however, was only a pre-
liminary report ; a further one was to be made, and when
made, he would not have the slightest objection to lay it
on the table of the House.

SUMMARY CONVICTIONS.
Mr. LOCKE moved an address for a return of the num-
ber of persons taken into custody by the police, dis-
charged by the magistrates, summarily convicted, and
committed fur trial in the towns of Glasgow, Dundee,
Edinburgh, and Liverpool, in the years 1846, 1847, and
1848, or any of them, similar in form to the returns fur
the metropolis and Manchester already laid before the
House.
The motion was agreed to.
GOVERNMENT RETURNS.
Mr. MILES complained of the inaccuracy of a Go-
vernment return relating to the importation of cattle,
and asked whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer had
made any inquiry into the subject since he (Mr. Miles)
mentioned it in the House on a former day?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
had made inquiry with regard to the return in ques-
tion, but Mr. Labouchere being out of town when he
(the Chancellor of the Exchequer) called upon him to
get further information on the matter, he was not then
able to give the Hon. Member a definite answer or ex-
planation.
THE STEAM NAVY.
Mr. DUNCAN wished to ask the Right Hon. Gentle-
man whether there had been any report received re-
specting the collisions which bad lately taken place be-
tween some Government steamers, and if there had,
whether ho had any objection to lay the papers upon the
table?
Mr. LABOUCHERE said that a very valuable report
had been received from Captain Denman, and all the
details respecting the collisions were in the hands of the
Government. Certainly be had not the slightest objec-
tion to lay the papers on the table, as soon as they
could be prepared.
DISTRIBU PION OF CHURCH REVENUES.
Mr. HORSMAN presented two petitions, one from
inhabitants of Bishop Wearrnoutb, and the other from
the incumbent of the parish, praying for a distribution
of Church revenues, so as to render them more effi-
ciently useful for the parish.
The petitions having been ordered to lie upon the table,
The HONOURABLE MEMBER proceeded to move,
according to his notice, that an humble ad-
dress be presented to her Majesty, praying that
she will be pleased to issue a commission of inquiry
into the allegations contained in the petitions presented
to this House from the parishioners of Bishop Wear-
mouth and Sunderland; and that the said commis-
sioners be directed to take into consideration the
agreement stated in Parliament (on the authority
of the patron of the living of Bishop Wear-
mouth) to have been entered into between himself
and the present incumbent, whereby the surplus income
of the living, over and above the sum of 2,0001. a year,
reserved as the income of the incumbent, is to be paid
over to trustees; and to report on the beat mode of ap-
propriating that surplus to spiritual purposes connected
with the two parishes, and ot• giving legal effect to such
appropriation. In doing so he said that the two peti-
tions which he had presented would be a sufficient expla-
nation of the object of the motion of which he had given
notice. These petitions represented the feelings of no
less than 50,000 persons. In doing this also he was
happy to say that he was in no way hindered by the
wishes of the incumbent of the parish ; but the re-
Terelid gentlenap, 1191YOYer dennUil la alight be