The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-10 00:00:00

BANK RETURNS.

(From the London Gazette of Tuesday.)
h.la Account, pursuant to the Act seventh and eighth
Victor* cap. 32, of the Average Amount of Bank
Notes, o the several Banks of Issue in England and
Wales, in Circulation daring the Week ending Satur-
day, the 29th day of May, 1847: Average
PRIVATE BANKS. Amount.
Abingdon Bank, Abingdon—Knapp and Co 24,620
Andover Bank, Andover—Heath and C 0... 14,503
Ashford Bank, Ashford—Jemmitt and Pomfret 9,943
Aylshans Bank, AyLsham—R. and E. Copeman 5,559
Aylesbury Old Bank, lylesbury—Rickford
and Hunt 38,950
Baldock Bank and Baldock and Biggleswade
Bak, Baldock—Wells, Hogg, and Lindsell... 34,521
Barnstaple Bank, Barnstaple—Drake and Co _ 13,795
Basingstoke and Odiharn Bank, Basingstoke—
Cole, Seymour, and Co.
Bedford Bank, Bedford—T. Barnard
Bedford and Bedfordshire Bank, Bedford—
Tritcp, Halfhead, and Co.
Bewdlley Bank, Bewdley—Nichols, Baker, and
Crane ..., 14,648
Bicester and Oxfordshire Bank and Oxford
Bank, Bicester—Tubb, Wootten, and Co.
Birmingham Bank, Birmingham—Attwoods,
Spooner, and Co 23,782
Birmingham and Warwickshire Bank, Birming-
ham—Lewis, Meilliett, and Co E 17,160
Blandford Bank, Blandfold—Bastard and Oak 8,684
Boston Bank, Boston—Garfit and Co 76,239
Boston Bank, Boston—Gee and Co 14,065
Bridgwater Bank, Bridgwater—E. &J. Sealey 9,201
Bristol Bank, Bristol--Miles, Harford, and Co. 35,344
Broseley and Bridgnorth, and Bridgnorth and
Broseley Bank, Broseley—Messrs. Pritchard 23,021
Buckingham Bank, Buckingham—Bartlett,
Parrott, and Co. -
Bury and Suffolk Bank, Sudbury Bank, Market
Bank, Bury—Oakes, Bevan, and Co 75,200
Banbury Bank, Banbury—Gillett and Tawney 40,466
Banbury Old Bank, Banbury—Messrs. Cobb 55,289
Bath City Bank, Bath—Moger and Son
Bedfordshire Leighton Buzzard Bank, Leighton
Buzzard—Bassett .and Grant 36,523
Birmingham Bank, Birmingham—Taylor and
Lloyds
Bradford Ohl Bank, Bradford, Yorkshire—H
and A. Harris
Brecon Old Bank, Brecon—Wilkins and Co —
Bridport Bank, Bridport—S. and W. E. Gundry 22,852
Brighton Union Bank, Brighton—Hall, West,

8,260

_ . .
and Borrer V27,555
Burlington and Driffield Bank, Burlington—
Harding Smith, and Co
Bury St. Edmunds Bank, Bury St. Edmunds—
J. Worlledge and Co.
Bromsgrove Bank and Stourbridge and Broms-
grove Bank, Bromsgrove--Rufford, Biggs,
and Co. 15,759
Cambridge Bank, Cambridge—Mortlock and
Sons a 20,388
Cambridge and Cambridgeshire Bank, Cam-
bridge—Messrs. Forsters
Canterbury Bank, Canterbury—Hammond and
__ ___

Co. • 28,923
Carmarthen Bank, Carmarthen—Morris and

Sons
Chertsey Bank, Chertsey-Messrs. La Coste
Colchester Bank, Colchester-Round, Green,
and Co.
20,227
Colchester and Essex Bank, Witham and Essex
Bank, and Hadleigh Bank, Suffolk, Colchester
-Mills, Bawtree, and Co 39,621
Cornish Bank, Truro-Tweedy and Co.
Coventry Bank, Coventry-Little and Wood-
cock
9,890
City Bank, Exeter-Milford and Co 20,875
Craven Bank, Settle-Birkbecks and Co.
Christchurch Bank, Christchurch--Tice, Welsh,
and Co 2,243
Cardiff Bank, Card:ff-Towgood and Co 6,847
Chepstow Old Bank, Chepstow Bank, Mon-
mouth Old Bank, Monmcuth Bank, Brecon
Bank, and Ross and Herefordshire Bank,
Chepstow-Bromage, Snead, and Co.
Derby Bank, Derby-Messrs. Evans • . 12,394
Derby Bank, Derby-Smith and Co.
Derby Old Bank and Scarsdale and High Peak
Bank, Derby-Crompton, Newton, and Co.- 25,964
Devizes and Wiltshire Bank, Devizes-Hughes,
Locke, and Co 17,791
Digs Bank, Diss-Oakes, Fincham, and Co 10,153
Doncaster Bank, Doncaster-Leatham, Tew,
and Co.
Doncaster Bank and Retford Bank, Doncaster-
12,551
Cook and Co.
58,460
Dover Union Bank, Dover-Latham, and Co
Darlington Bank, Durham Bank, and Stockton-
on-Tees Bank, Darlington-Backheuse, and
Co
Devonport Bank, Devonport-Hodge and Nor-
man
10,111
Dorcheeter Old Bank and Dorsetshire Bank,
Dorchester-Williams and Co.
East Cornwall Bank, Liskeard-Robins, Foster,
and Co.
04,445
East Riding Bank, Beverley-Bower, Hutton,
and Co.
• 50,456
Essex Bank and Bishops Stortford Bank,
Chelmsford-Walford, and Co. 51,512
Exeter Bank, Exeter-Sanders and Co 30,965
Fakenham Bank, Fakenham-Gurneys, Birk-
beck, and Co.
Farringdon Bank and Bank of Wantage, Far-
ringdon-Barnes and Medley 8,478
Farnham Bank, Farnham-Messrs. Knight 13,740
Faversham Bank, Faversham-Hilton and Co 5,560
Godalming Bank, Godalming-Mellersh and
Keen
5,598
Grantham Bank, Grantham_Kewney and King 18,569
Guildford Bank, Guildford-Messrs. Ilaydon... 13,372
Grantham Bank, Grantham-Hardy and C 0.... 28,246
Hastings Old Bank, Hastings-Smith, Hilder,
and Co.
30,065
Hereford City and County Bank, Hereford-
Matthews and Co.
Hertfordshire Bank and Ware Bank, Ware-
s. Adams and Co.
Hull Bank and Kingston-upon-Hull Bank, Hull
-Smith, Brothers, and Co.
Huntingdon TOM and County Bank, Hunting-
don-Rust and Veasey
Harwich Bank, Harwich-Cox, Cobbold, and Co 5,741
Hemel Hempstead Bank, Hemel Hempstead-
Smith, and Whittingstall
Honiton Bank, Honiton-Flood and Co.
Hertfordshire, Hitchen Bank, Hitchen-Sharples
and Co.
35,721
Hereford, Ross, and Archenfield Bank, and Ross
and Archenfield Bank, Hereford-Morgan,
Hoskins, and Co
23,104
Ipswich Bank, Ipswich-Bacon and Co.
Ipswich and Needham Market Bank, Suffolk,
Hadleigh Bank, Manningtree and Mistley
Bank, and Woodbridge Bank, Ipswich-
Alexanders and Co.
75,034
Kentish Bank, Maidstone-Mercer, Randall,
and Mercer
13,918
Kington and Radnorshire Bank, Kington-J.
Davies and Co
Knighton Bank Knighton-J. Davies and Co 7,605
Knaresborough Old Bank and Ripon Old Bank,
Knaresborough-Terry and Co
Kendal Bank, Kendal-Wakefield, Crewdson,
and Co. 45,245
Kettering Bank, Kettering-Gotch and Sons 9,387
Lane End Staffordshire Bank, Lane End-C
Harvey and Son
Leeds Bank. Leeds-Beckett and Co 49,664
Leeds Union Bank, Leeds-W.Williams, Brown,
and Ca.
Leek and Staffordshire Bank, and Leek and
Congleton Bank,Leek-Fowler,Gaunt, and Co. 434
Leicester Bank, Leicester-Pagets and Kirby... 27,676
Lewes Old Bank, Lewes-Molineux and C 0.... 37,296
Lichfield Bank, Lichfield-Palmer and Green... 17,274
Lincoln Bank, Lincoln-Smith land Co 91,948
Llandovery Bank and Llandilo Bank, Llando-
very-David Jones and Co.
Loughborough Bank, Loughborough-Middle-
tons and Cradock
Lymington Bank, Lymington-C. and S. St
Barbe
3,924
Lynn Regis and Lincolnshire Bank, Lynaßegia
-Gurneys and Co. 41,026
Lynn Regis and Norfolk Bank, Lynn Regis-
Massey and Co.
Macclesfield Bank, Macclesfield-Brooklehurst

7,106

13,729

and Co
Manningtree Bank,Manningtrec—Nunn and Co 6,207
Marlborough Bank, Marlborough and Wilts
Old Bank, Marlborough Old Bank, Marl- •
borough Old Bank and Hungerford Bank,
and Hungerford Bank, Marlborough—Tanner
and Pinckney 13,701
Marlborough and North Wiltshire New Bank,
_ eMarlborough—Ward, Merriman, and Hillier 11,033
M rionethshire Bank, Dolgelly—Jones and
Willianas .. 9,500
Miners' Dank: '''''' —Willyams and Co 17,056 1
Monmouthshire Agricultural and Commercial
Bank, Aber avennY
—Bcu ,s and Co
Monmouth 011 Bank, Monmouthle3
Bank, Brecon 25,585
Bank, Chepstow Bank, nk Chepstow Old Bank,
and Ross and Fierefodshro Bank, Monmouth
—Bromage and Snead.
Monmouthshire Newport 'oi ...................... . 16,262
—W. Williams and Sons ... a Bank, Newport
Newark Bank,lNewark—GoCifani; .......... 11 •......... •
277;28356
Newark and Sleaford Bank
Newark Bank, Newark—.g
and
eY, Peacock
and Co ........................................
Newbury Bank, Newbury—Bunny and sloe' -0-e•c. ~30,562
Newmarket Bapk, Newmarket—Eaton, Rani_ 5'629
mond, and Son 1•-• ry-- ................. .1 ....
Norfolk and Suffolk Bank, Diss—Taylor and, -0,
111

Dyson • 3,314
Norwich Crown Bank, Norwich—llarveys and
Hudson 43,842
Norwich and Norfolk Bank, Norwich—Gur-
neys and Co 71,650
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Bank, Not-
tingham—Hart, Fellows, and Co .. 11,201
Nuneateia Bank, Nuneaton—Cruldcock and
C 0...................................................... 5,037
Naval Bank, Plymouth—liarris, Mudge, and
C 0...
New Sarum Bank, Sarum—Hetley, Everett, and
Co •
Nottingham Bank, Nottingham—Smith and Co 2f,616
Osweatry Bank and Oswestry Old Bank, Os-
westry—Crompn and CO 15,545
Mxford Bank, Oxford—J. and IR. Morrell 12,946
Oxford Old Bank, Oxford—Mbinson, Parsons,
and Thompson 33,137
Old Bank Tonbridge, Tonbridge and Tonbridge
Wells Old Bank, Tonbridge and Tonbridge
Walls and Sevenoaks Bank, Tonbridge—
Beet:king and .................. 7;939

Average Amount.
.__

Oxfordshire Witney Bank Witney—Williams,
Clinch, and C 0.,, .....

Pease's Old Bank, Hull, the Hull Old Bank and
Beverley Bank, Hull—Pease and Co
Penzance Bank, Penzance—Batten and Co
Peterborough Bank and Oundle Bank, Peter-
borough—A.lo?..,rs. Yorke
Peterborough Bank, Peterborough—Simpson,
White, and Simpson
Pembrokeshire Bank, Haverfordwest—J. and
W. Walters
Penzance LTnion Bank, Falmouth Bank, and
Truro Bauk, Penzance—Rickets, Enthoven.

and Co
Reading Bank, Reading—slmonas and Co
Reading Bank, Reading—Stephens,Blandy, and

Co

Richmond Beuak,Richmond—Stapleton and C 0...
Ringwood and Poole Bank, and Town and
County of Poole Bank, Ringwood—Ledgard

_
and Sons

Rochdale Bank, Rochdale—Clement, Royds,
and Co
Rochester, Chatham, and Strood Bank, Roches-
ter—Day and Nicholson
Romsey and Hampshire Bank, Romsey—Foot-
ner and Son
•••
Royston Bank, Royston—Fordham and Sons
Rugby Bank, Rugby—Butlin and Son
Rye Bank, Rye—Curteis, Pomfret, and Co
Reigate and Darking Bank, and Reigate, Croy-
don, and Darking Bank, Reigate—Nash and
Co.
Ross 6ld Bank, Herefordshire, Ross--Pritchard
and Allaway
Saffron Walden and North Essex Bank, Saffron
_ Walden—Messrs. Gibson

10,488

46,544
10,915

10,140

10,872

Salop Bank, Shrewsbury—Burton, Lloyd, and
Co

Scarborough Old Bank, Scarborough—Woodall
and Co

Shrewsbury and Market Drayton Bank, Shrews-
bury—Adams, Adams, aad Co
Shrewsbury Old Bank, and Shrewsbury and
Ludlow Bank, Shrewsbury—Rocke, Eytons,
and Co
Sittingbourne and Milton Bank, Sittingbourne
—Valiance and Son

10,03'

1,245
37,290

3,832$
6,469

19,2i7

5,128

9,184

14,924
14,208
18,713

13,410

4,12

38,042

18,725

23,230

8,77

36,277

3,006

1,6165
14,173
2,152
21,332

Southampton Town and County Bank, South-
ampton—Maddison and Son
Southwell Bank, Southwell—Wylde and Co
St. Alban's Bank, St. Alban's—J. S. Story
Salisbury Bank, Salisbury—Messrs. Brodie
Shaftesbury Bank, Shaftesbury—Brodie and
King 10,873
Southampton and Hampshire Bank, Southamp-
ton—Atherly and Fall
Stone Bank, Stone—W. Moore 7,450
Stourbridge Bank, Stourbridge —Rufford,
Wragg, and Co 1,7321
Stafford Old Bank, Stafford—Stevenson and Co 11,995
Stamford and Rutland Bank, Stamford—Eaton,
Cayley, and Co. .„ 31,108
Stourbridge Old Bank, Stourbridge—Bate and
Robins
1,7698
Shrewsbury and Welshpool Bank, Shrewsbury
—Beck, Downward, and Co. 24,065
St. Alban's and Herts Bank, St. Alban's—Gib-
son and Stuart 2,349
Taunton Bank, Taunton—Messrs. Badcock 25,333
Tavistock Bank, Tavistock—Gill, Rundle, and
Co 10,990
Thornbury Bank, Thornbury—Rolph, Yates, and
Parslow
Tiverton and Devonshire Bank, Tiverton—Duns-
ford and Barne
Thrapston and Kettering Bank, Northampton-
shire, Thrapston—Yorke and Eland 10,588
Tring Bank and Chesham Bank, Tring—But-
cher and Son
Towcester Old Bank, Towcester—J. and S
Percival

9,099

9,460

Union Bank, Cornwall, Helston—Vivian and
Co. 13,607
Uxbridge Old Bank, Uxbridge—Hull, Smith,
and Co.
Wallingford Bank, Wallingford—Wells and Co 10,619
Warwick and Warwickshire Bank, Warwick—
Kelynge, Greenway, aad Co.
Wellington Somerset Bank, Wellington—Fox,
Brothers
West Riding Bank, Wakefield, and Pontefract
Bank, Wakefield—Leatham, Tew, and C 0.... 43,216
Whitby Old Bank, Whitby—Simpson, Chap-
man, and Co 13,607
Winchester, Alresford, and Alton Bank, Win-
chester—Bulpett and Co.
Winchester and Hampshire Baak, Winchester
—Wickham and Co 4,606
Weymouth Old Bank and Dorchester Bank,
Weymouth—Elliott and Pears°
Wirkesworth and Ashbourne Derbyshire Bank,
Wirkesworth—Arkwright and Co. . 38,202
Wisbech and Lincolnshire Bank, Wisbech—
Gurney and Co.
Wiveliscombe Bank, Wiveliscombe—P. and W
Hancock . .
Wolverhampton Bank, Wolverhampton—Good-
ricke and Holyoake..
Worcester Bank, Worcester—Farley, Lavender,
and Co. 11,600
Worcester Old Bank and Tewkesbury Old Bank,
Worcester—Berwick, Lechmere, and Co 75,951
Worcestershire Bank, Kidderminster—Farley
and Turner
Whitby Bank, Whitby—Frankland and Wil.
kinson

9820

Walsall Old Bank, Walsall—Charles Foster and
Sons

Warminster and Wiltshire Bank, Warminster—
Everett and Co.
Wrexham Bank, Wrexham—J. and S. Kenrick 1,767
Wolverhampton Bank, Wolverhampton—
Messrs. Fryer
Yarmouth and Suffolk Bank, and Halesworth
and Suffolk Bank, Yarmouth—Gurney,
Birkbeck, and Co.
Yarmouth, Norfolk, and Suffolk Bank, Great
Yarmouth—Sir E. K. Lacon, Bart., and Co 10,540
Yeovil Old Bank, Yeovil—E. and J. Batten
York Bank. York—Swann, Clough, and Co 44,692
JOINT-STOCK BANKS.

Bank of Westmoreland, Kendal
Barnsley Banking Company, Barnsley
Bradford Banking Company, Bradford 45,633
Bilston District Banking Company, Wolver-
hampton
Bank of Whitehaven, Whitehaven
Bradford Commercial Banking Company, Brad-
ford
Burton, Uttoxeter, and Staffordshire Union
Banking Company, Burton-upon-Trent
Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Banking
Company, Chesterfield : .. 8,190
Cumberland Union Banking Company, Work-
ington .
Cheltenham and Gloucestershire Banking Com-
pany, Cheltenham
Coventry and Warwickshire Banking Company,
Coventry
Coventry Union Banking Company, Coventry 14,277
County of Gloucester Banking Company, Chel-
tenham
Carlisle and Cumberland Banking Company,Carlisle
24,537
Carlisle City and District Bank, Carlisle 21,569
Dudley and West Bromwich Banking Company,
Dudley
Derby and Derbyshire Banking Company, Derby 19,584
Darlington District Joint-Stock Banking Com-
pany, Darlington . 24,977
East of England Bank, Norwich
Gloucestershire Banking Company, Gloucester 150,085
Halifax Joint-Stock Bank, Halifax 16,342
Huddersfield Banking Company, Huddersfield 32,290
Hull Banking Company, Hull
Halifax Commercial Banking Company, Halifax 12,423
Halifax and Huddersfield Union Banking Com-
pany, Halifax
Helston Banking Company, Helston 1,134
Herefordshire Banking Company, Hereford 21,662
Knaresborough and Claro Banking Company,
Knaresborough 2,7426
Kingsbridge Joint-Stock Bank, Kingsbridge 4,036
Lancaster Banking Company, Lancaster 4, -
Leeds Banking Company, Leeds
Leicestershire Banking Company, Leicester
Lincoln and Lindsey Banking Company, Lincoln 49,674
Leamington Priors and Warwickshire Banking
Company, Leamington Priors
Leeds and West Riding Banking Company,
Leeds
-
Leeds Commercial Banking Company, Leeds 285
Ludlow and Tenbury Bank, Ludlow 9,250
Moore and Robinson's Nottinghamshire Bank-
ing Company, Nottingham 27,945
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Banking
Company, Nottingham
Newcastle, Shields, and Sunderland Union Joint-

_
Stock Banking Company, Newcastle 74,903
National Provincial Bank of England, Birming-
ham, Head-office, 112, Bishopsgate-street,
London
North Wilts Banking Company, Melksham 56,266
Northamptonshire Union Bank, Northampton 79,090
Northamptonshire Banking Company, North-

ampton
North and South Wales Bank, Liverpool 55,408
Pares's Leioestershire Banking Company, Lei-

tester . 53,511
Saddleworth Banking Company, Saddleworth 3,142
Sheffield Banking Company, Sheffield 34,563
Stamford, Spalding, and Boston Banking Com-
pany, Stamford. 53,339
Stuckey's Banking Company, Bristol Somerset-
shire Bank, and Somerseishire Bank, Lang-
port
Stourbridge and Kidderminster Banking Cora 312,246
shPeamneyfaSatondultraidu
Schoemffivealdn y , .sh e
nig:, 4,6357
shire Banking Company, 56,177
ara Joint-Stock Banking 2,5061
Sheffield and Roil; h
sS
two
cRa
ilkee
thdcmanl
oeannadnd
.d.D. W.ti
re: n
a. ilmi. e. ly.. d. 6. aloi. el : ..I*.: Barking ... . - 17*.1. :: Company,7:l: : -
. unty Banking COD; 5521:2171:
pany, Stockton
...........
Storey and Thomas's Banking ...... ...........
Shaftesbury ..................... - °lnPallY,
Sheffield and Retferd Bank, Shei;;;l4 ... ....
....... 9,310
Suffolk Banking Company, Ipswich ..... : ......... 8 76
Wolverhampton audStaffordshire Banking com,:
pany, Wolverhampton 34,476
Wakefield and Barusley Union Bank, Wakefield 12,705
Whitehaven Joint-Stock Banking Company,
Whitehaven , 31,767
Warwick and Le4ll.liLgtOrl Banking Company,
Leamington
West of England aii-d South Walisa District
Jhult78400 l ,

Average Arounf,
Wilts and Dorset Banking Company, Salisbury 66,542
West Riding Union Banking Company, Mid..
dersfield
Whitchurch and Ellesmere Banking Company,
Whitchurch
Worcester City and County Banking Company,
Worcester
York Union Banking Company, York 67,035
York City and County Banking Company, York 88,033
Yorkshire Banking Company, Leeds
P. DEANS, Registrar of Bank Returns.
Stamps and Taxes, June 5, 1847.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT
HOUSE OF COMMONS, June 9.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
HOSIERY MANUFACTURE BILL.
The adjourned debate on the second reading of this
Bill was resumed.
Mr. M. GIBSON said that he felt it to be his duty
to oppose the second reading of this Bill, for by refer-
ring the matter to a Select Committee, which they
would have to do, they would be pledging themselves
that the Legislature bad a right to interfere with and
regulate labour. He thought the measure which had
received the sanction of Parliament last year
could not be brought forward as an argument in
favour of the present Bill. • If they interfered
and increased the cost of the production of hosiery,
how could they show that it would not have a most
injurious effect upon the werking man? How could it
be supposed that that House could know the manu-
facture of the article as well as those engaged
in the trade? But let that be as it might, how could
they show that any saving that might be effected
would go into the pocket of the labouring man?
Were they not, on the contrary, justified, if they
adopted the statements that had been made as
to the conduct of employers, of arriving at
the very opposite conclusion? It was shown from the
testimony of those who had investigated the subject that
the distress that existed among those employed in the
hosiery trade arose from the increase in their number; and
that could not be well prevented from the very nature of
the employment itself, in which competing was easily ob-
tained, and to which that vast number continually
employed in this country would naturally turn
themselves. The Committee asked for by the Ho-
nourable Baronet was not one that was to
consider the merits of the measure, but merely to go
through the details of a Bill the principle of which had
already been sanctioned. He objected to the provi-
sion which did not allow any person who was
not a hosier manufacturer to employ any person
in the hosiery trade ; in fact, a middleman could not
employ his own child, He believed that it was
necessary that some person should intervene between
the employer and the workman. He would, therefore,
give his opposition to the proposition of the Honourable
Baronet ; it would be open to evasion, aid he consi-
dered it was most objectionable to pass measures
which it was possible to evade. It was against
all principle to interfere and by legislative
enactment to prevent hiring out of machines. He
could not conceive a more legitimate investment for pro-
perty than in machinery. If they adopted this principle,
it might be extended to all classes of property. He
hoped that the House would never give its consent to a
measure fraught with so many evils, and which he felt
convinced would bring great ruin upon the hosiery
manufacture.
Mr. PACKE said that the present Bill was founded on
the facts and evidence taken before Mr. Muggridge, who
was sent down as a Commissioner to inquire into the
state of the hosiery manufacture. In fact, the
speech of the Right Honourable Gentleman who
spoke last would have led the House to suppose the
Bill was a crude and visionary scheme, which had
only found its advocate in the Hon. Baronet who intro-
duced the Bill. These machines only cost about 51. a
piece, and the owners used to let them out at the rate of
a shilling a week, which was more than fifty per cent.
Now this was a tyranny which was most unbearable,
and as long as he had a seat in that House he would
raise his voice against such cruelty, in favour of his poor
neighbours,—(flear, hear)—and he would therefore give
his decided support to the second reading of the Bill.
He was sorry to be any party to divide the House upon
such an absurdity, but he felt it to he his duty to oppose
the Bill.
Sir J. EASTIIOPE said that he did not conceive that
by supporting the Bill he was becoming a party to any
such an absurdity as that which had just been represented.
Unquestionably, if this Bill were to be carried out strictly
in accordance with its present provisions, he would aban-
don its support and repudiate its principles. What was he
asked to do? Why, not to go up stairs into a vain in-
quiry, which would protract the provisions of this Bill,
but to ascertain its merits and obviate its defects. He
had no reason to doubt that this Bill might be so mo-
dified as to become greatly altered, and unquestionably
useful, after it came out of Committee, and seeing that
it proposed to affect the interests of from 50,000 to
60,000 individuals, he was certainly inclined to give
every facility to the working of its principle. There
was no greater evil than that of middlemen, and no-
where was that evil more severely felt than in the case
of those who were now suffering so severely from frame
rents. And further, he was the more induced to desire
the success of the Bill, because he was aware that the
men who were suffering from the evils complained of had
acted in the most admirable manner. They had not lent
themselves to chartism; they had in no way evinced un-
easiness or impatience; but had waited with remarkable
forbearance till they obtained relief through the aid of
Parliament. He repeated that the Bill in its present
shape was a crude, imperfect piece of legislation, with
which he would have nothing to do; but he be-
lieved it might be very greatly amended in Com-
mittee, and therefore he should vote for the
means by which the advantages of it might
be obtained, and the inconveniences avoided. He re-
collected that the same objection had been made to the
Bill for the abolition of the truck system, and yet he
believed that his Right Hon. Friend the President of
the Board of Control had taken an active part in carry-
ing out that Bill ; and he trusted, therefore, that no
serious opposition would be offered to the Committee,
whose labours would enable the House to test the state-
ments in the report which, with all its bulkiness, had
been placed in the hands of the Members of the House,
and he should, therefore, vote for the Committee.
Colonel ROLLESTON said, that having lived for a
number of years in the locality, he had had every means
of knowing the condition of the workmen, and to ascer-
tain the extent of the evils of which they complained,
and he could say with truth that the representations bad
in no way been exaggerated. A more orderly set of
men never existed ; they had been parties to no dis-
turbance, but had patiently made their appeal to the
regularly constituted authorities, and only com-
plained of a hardship which no power but that of Parlia-
ment could mitigate. He knew, from the most authentic
sources that many of the most excellent workmen were
at the present moment subsisting on the wages of ss. a
week.
Sir J. HOBHOLTSE said that really the only argu-
ment that had been advanced in favour of this Bill was
that it was a very bad Bill, and ought to be amended ;
and he must acknowledge that he never heard a more
curious reason than this fur proceeding with what
his Honourable Friend behind him justly characterised
as a crude, imperfect piece of legislation. From his own
knowledge of the locality he could say that the masters
of the hosiery district were as anxious as any men to
alleviate the distresses of their workmen, and both they
and he were quite ready to allow the distresses to which
those men had been subjected. He, indeed, himself
would be deaf to the complaints of the people if he
were not sensible of the evils which those men endured.
But let the House look to the consequences which this
Bill would produce. It would at once set aside all the frame
rents, and would thereby destroy the value of upwards
of 1,700 frames in Sutton and in Ashfield alone, whose
proprietors mainly depended on these rents for
their support. Did the Honourable Member know
that out of the forty thousand frames upwards
of ten thousand belonged to independent proprietors ?
It was because he conscientiously believed that this Bill
would not benefit the parties who were distressed, and
because he also believed that it would inflict injury on
others, that he would give it his decided opposition.
Mr. DUNCOMBE said that the object of the present
Bill was to protect the honest earnings of the poor ma-
nufacturer, and was not by any means an attempt to
raise or regulate the rate of wages. It had been consi-
dered by the Right Hon. Baronet as inconsistent in him
to support it, seeeing that he had expressed his
opinion that there were several objectionable details
in it. True that was his opinion, but the only way
to remedy those objectionable details was by
sending the Bill to a Committee—(Hear, hear)—
and that was the reason he supported the second read-
ing, for he believed the principle of it was good. The
owner of these frames, who was a middleman, let the
frame to the workman, and in doing so he required
him to deal with a certain butcher or baker;
the effect of which system he would illustrate by the
following fact :—A man, who had a wife and five children,
rented out a frame; his wages for twelve weeks averaged
at 71. ; he was obliged to deal with a baker;
and when he came to be paid for his labour,
he found that 41. 12s. was stepped for the single article
of bread. An enormous charge was made for the rent
of the frame, but the result was, that only thirty-seven
shillings was left to the poor man and his family, to
feed and clothe, pay rent and taxes, for the space
of twelve weeks. They might say that they should not
interfere with the rights of property. They had al-
ready done so in the Ten Hours' Bill, and it was
nonsense to say that a number of independent
frames would be rendered valueless; there was not one of
these frames which had not been paid for five times over.
He did not propose that they should say that
these middlemen should not hire out their frames,, but
that such hiring out should be declared " truck. He
hoped that the House would not deal so contemptuously
with the distresses of these poor people as to throw
out the Bill without a second reading.
Mr. ROEBUCK was an opponent of the present Bill,
as it was a direct interference with capital in the country,
and because it would reduce the already wretched con-
dition of the labourer into greater wretchedness.
What was the case which was charged as a robbery!
Why one man brings his labour and another brings his
seemedmone to
money.
Well, where
there
was
anwas
egthaeahrle obbeia
for as
might cite the example which he had previously
of the farmer who brought his skill and his money also
exchange, "H ie
adduced
into the market, and if the landlord exacted a more
than sufficient!rent the time would come when the cause
of loss to the farmer would be discovered, and the land-
lord would have to come down with his rent. This
Bill, therefore, he repeated, if carried would only be
successful in working a great loss. They could no more
regulate wages by Act of Parliament than they could
regulate the price of bread, or the profits of the mer-
chants of London, by Act of Parliament. It should be
recollected that machinery was now in existence, and
WAS OTerY dAY imPrcftd, pod it Iva!' Analy established