The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-04 00:00:00

SOUTH DEVON RAILWAY.

Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from Mr.
Charles Saunders, the secretary of the Great Western
Company, compltiining that he had been represented
as secretary to the South Devon Railway Company,
He (Lord Brougham) had never stated that he was
secretary to the South Devon Company. The petition
also stated that the Great Western had no connexion
with the South Devon, except as the holders of a great
number of shares—that of course gave it great influence
over the South Devon. The Great Western paid up
their calls. Mr. Saunders did not pay up his calls.
Ho purchased preference shares when there
was a guarantee of six per cent. for ten years;
They ceased paying the 6 per cent., at the end of the
first year, and that he said he would not pay up his
calls, and then it was suggested to him that the trans-
action was illegal. Such were the statements of the
petition, and he thought it better to detail them to the
House. He had understood from several Noble Lords
that Mr. Saunders was a most respectable person.
Lord LYNDHURST said that Mr. Saunders had
nothing to do with the South Devon Railway, except
as a shareholder, who had paid his calls, bad afterwards
taken preference shares, and had, on being informed that
those preference shares were invalid, refused to pay any
more calls on them, until the point as to their validity
should be settled, and proceedings were now pending to
decide the point.
Lord BROUGIIAM had been requested Ly Mr. Hunt
to say that he was not the solicitor to whom he had al-
luded on the former occasion, and he certainly had not
alluded to Mr. hunt.

After a few words from Lord Campbell, the Duke of
Cleveland, the Duke of Beaufort, and explanations from
Lords Brougham and Lyndhurst,
The Earl of GRANVILLE said that be could cor-
roborate the statement that the first time that it was
suggested to Mr. Saunders that these preference shares
were illegal, was during the course of a conversation
under the gallery of the House of Commons. He bad
seen the gentleman who had first made that suggestion
to the House of Commons.
REPORTING STANDING ORDERS.
Lord BEAUMONT gave notice that on Friday he
should move the consideration of the Standing Order
130. In consequence of the construction of the House,
and of the noise below fthe bar, it was impossible for
the reporters to hear accurately what passed in the
House, and he should, therefore, on Friday more the
consideration of this standing order.
PETITIONS.

Earl GREY presented a petition from the merchants
of the city of Montreal, complaining of the loss of the
advantages they had derived from protection, and praying
for a repeal of the navigation-laws.
The Earl of EGLIN rON presented a petition from
Arbroath, against the repeal of the navigation-laws.
Lord STANLEY presented a petition from certain
operative ailkweavers of London against the repeal of
the navigation-laws.
Lord MON TEAGLE presented several petitions from
certain guardians of the poor in Ireland in favour of
a property tax, rather than a rate in aid.
The Bishop of CASHEL presented several petitions
in favour of a grant for education to the Established
Church in Ireland. He denied that the Established
Church in Ireland was rich. He knew no rich Protest-
ants of the Established Church in Ireland.

~..._...
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE. explained.
CANADA. -

Lord STANLEY had utnhdeersßioilold
forthat
girtanhtaindgbeienn.
splacetated
wtihtaht
re nog a
rodffictioa correspondence had taken
demnity to those who had suffered during the late re-
bellion in Canada, but that private correspondence had
taken place, and taken place privately in order that they
might not be laid before Parliament. If such a system
of private correspondence were suffered to prevail
Ministerial responsibility was at an end, and the suc-
cessor of the Noble Earl would have no records before
him as to the opinions or information received by his pre-
decessors. He hoped to hear that the correspondence
would remain in the office, and might hereafter be pro-
duced. He would ask if any official communication had
taken place on the subject, and whether the responsi-
bility- of assenting or dissenting from the measure was
to be cast upon the Earl of Elgin.
Earl GREY said no official correspondence on the sub-
ject had taken placa, neither had the reports of the
proceedings of the anadian Legislature been trans-
mitted to the Colonial-office. It was not the practice to
transmit them until the close of the session. He had or-
dered all debates to be forwarded up to the latest date;
He had had a correspondence with Lord Elgin, in
which he claimed the right of assenting or dissenting
from the Bill in the first place, and then to be sub-
mitted to the Government. The Governor had
stated that be thought it inexpedient that he should
be called upon to state what course he intended to pur-
sue until he should be called upon to act. That
Bill had not been submitted to the Earl of
Elgin, nor were public Acts ordinarily submitted
to the Governor until the close of the session, and Lord
Elgin had stated that the time had not come for his
decision. Ho (Earl Grey) had advisedly ab-
stained from giving Lord Elgin any advice directly or
indirectly as to how he should act, for he was convinced
that the best way of ruling the colonies was to give
their governors a large discretion and a generous and
trusting support. Should he leave office next week, the
documents left would furnish his successor with
every information they could. He had, as all his
predecessors had done, written private letters to the
governors of colonies, but he should think he
was departing from his duty if the official correspond-
ence did not contain every information that could be
useful or necessary with regard to the Government of
the colonies.
Lord BROUGHAM rose, and was
ELEFT SPEAKING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
CONSIDERATION OF LORDS' AMENDMENTS.
The Lords amendments' to the Epsom Rates and Not.
tingham Gas Bills were considered and agreed to:—
ABDY'S ESTATE BILL.
This Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be
committed.

THIRD READINGS.
The following Bills were read a third time and passed:
Chester wad jlolyhelid AGilway (Increase of 01)461,

with Powers to the London and North-Western Railway
Company to subscribe thereto).
Kirkcaldy Harbour, Docks, Ferry, and Petty Customs.
Sunderland Dock Act and River Wear Commissioners'
Act (Amendment, &c.)
Whittlesey St. Mary and. Whittlesey St. Andrew
Union of Parishes, and for improving the Town o
Whittlesey.