The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-04 00:00:00

Lord MORPETH said the question was a very com-
plicated question of property, and, in the absence of a
document necessary for the substantiation of the Poor
Knights' case, the Government could come to no decision.
On the vote of 50,000/. for enlarging and improving
Buckingham Palace,
Mr. HUME said he objected, because if the building
was not a healthy one the money would he thrown
away. The only excuse for confining the Palace into a
narrow square, which it would be as far as he could see
by the plans, would be, that the Royal Family had a de-
sire for room, which they were no doubt much in want
of, but he thought her Msjesty, with a capital residence
at Windsor and other places, might have put, up with a
little inconvenience as other people were obliged to do.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said there were two courses
left open for the Government, either to build a new
palace, or to improve the old one. As the more eeono •
mical course, they had determined upon the extension of
Buckingham Palace, and he trusted that it would not
prove so unhealthy as was anticipated by the Hon.

Member.
Mr. WILLIAMS wished to ask whether or no an es-
timate had not been taken of the alterations to be made
in Buckingham Palace, and whether it had not been set
as down 150,000/. ?
Lord MORPETH said that the whole expense would
not be more than 150,0001. is the whole.
The vote was agreed to.
The next vote proposed was 5,500/., for the construc-
tion of a palm-house in the Botanic Gardens at Kew.
Dr. BOWRING bore testimony to the excellent cha-
racter of Kew Gardens, a►..l the great attention paid to
the cultivation of rare and valuable plants. He was also
glad that such facilities had been given to the public to
visit them.
Lord MORPETII was glad that the Hon. Member
had bore testimony to the excellence of the garden,
which at the present time contained the rarest specimens
of the plants of the various countries of the world.
Mr. HUME gave evidence to the same effect, and
hoped that steps would be taken to get the King of
Hanover to give up his garden which stood in the midst
of it. It was not desirable that a kitchen-garden should
be so closely connected with the Botanic-garden.
After a few words from Mr. BROTHCRTON and Mr.
Hula', the vote was agreed to.
On the next vote, that 17,709/. be agreed to for the
expense of temporary accommodation for the House of
Commons.
Mr. HUME wished to know from the Noble Lord at
the head of the Woods and Forests when the accounts
of the whole expense of the House would be produced ;
also, when they should have the New House ready.
Was no satisfactory information given, he would feel
it his duty to call the attention of the House specially
to it.
Lord MORPETH said the accounts were very volumi-
nous, and it would be some time before they were ready.
Sir R. 11.. INGLIS complained of the time taken to
complete the new House of Commons, and considered
that if they did not interfere, it would be a long time ere
it was ready for their reception. Already for the tem-
porary accommodation of the House and its officers,
there had been expended 200,0002
Dr. BO WRING wished to know by what mysterious
influence the other House had obtained their accommo-
dation, while the House of Commons was in its present
position? This ought to be explained.
Mr. GOULBURN said there was obvious reasons
why the other House of Parliament should be first ready.
When the last House of Commons was burned down, the
Lords gave up their House for the accommodation of
the Commons, and submitted to inferior arrangements.
He could not agree to any step that would unduly urge
the works, but allow time that the works might be pro-
perly completed.
Sir DE LACY EVANS could not agree with the last
Right Hon. Gentleman. If they were so comfortable
now. why seek to have a new House at all ?
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said it was not true that Mr.
Barry had any other engagements that would interfere
with the progress of the works. He had no doubt, how-
ever, that if the House was prepared to vote the neces-
sary money, that gentleman would be prepared to go
on with the works as quick as they could desire it.
With regard to the present House, he did not see any
any reason to complain of the accommodation afforded,
and time should be given to allow them to have the
works efficiently constructed.
Mr. FINCH hoped that in the new House of Com-
mons steps would be taken to secure the sound of the
House, so that they might hear their own sweet voices
when they might happen to speak.
After a few words from Mr. P. BORTHWICK and
Sir R. H. INGLIS,

The vote was agreed to.
On the question being put that the sum of 150,0001.
be paid to her Majesty for defraying the expenses of the
works of the new Houses of Parliament,
Mr. WILLIAMS complained that the public was
being put to unnecessary expence in reference to these
works. The only outlay, which had already been in-
creased, considerably exceeded the original estimate,
and he thought some limit ought to be put to this waste-
ful expenditure of public money. No less a sum than
40,0001. had been spent in decorating the new Houses of
Lords, and yet the public were not permitted to see th..
House without paying money for it.
After a few words from Lord MORPETH,
Mr. PROTHEROE did not think the expenditure
had been unnecessarily great, but Mr. Barry had cer-
tainly produced a building most unfit for the purposes
to which it was to be applied, and highly deficient in its
architecture.
Mr. HUME said the original estimate ought not to
have been exceeded, because Mr. Barry pledged himself
to build the new House of Lords within the estimate lie
had made. He must, therefore, blame the Woods
and Forests, for having allowed an excess in expendi-
ture. But he did not so much regret the magnitude of
the expenditure, as the failure of the object they origi-
nally had in view, namely, to produce a handsome and
convenient building. Before they proceeded further,
they ought to know something about the plan and the
party who was to have the charge of warming and
ventilating the New Houses.
Lord MORPETH said Dr. Reid had prepared plans
for warming and ventilating tke New Houses, which he
had just received. He had submittal those plans to the
architect, and he had no doubt that gentleman would
find some means of carrying them out without iriter-
fering with his arrangements.
Mr. B. ESCOTT said he agreed with those who dis-
approved of the style of architecture that had been ap-
plied to the building.
After a few words from Lord Morpeth, the vote was
agreed to.
A vote of 11,4351. was agreed to for defraying the ex-
pense of taking down and rebuilding the Home-office.
A vote of 4,4291. was agreed to for the service of the
Holyhead harbour.
On the question being put that the sum of 140,0001, be
voted to her Majesty to defray the expenses of con-
structing harbours of refuge,
Captain FITZROY urged upon the Government the
necessity of making Newhaven a harbour of refuge.
The Hon. and Gallant Member proceeded to read ex-
tracts from a number of reports made by commissioners
at various times with respect to the favourable position
of Newhaven as a harbour of refuge ; the whole of
which went to show that that port possessed considerable
natural facilities for a harbour.
Mr. CURTEIS thought that he should not be pro-
tecting the interests of his clients if he did not say that
the port of Rye, which he had the honour to represent,
had been entirely overlooked by the Hon. and Gallant
Member.—(Laughter.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that Dover was the first port which had been recom-
mended by the commissioners to fortify and prepare as
a harbour of refuge. Seaford and Newhaven would no
doubt be afterwards embraced in the general system, but
he thought it better to act on the recommendation of the
report of the commissioners with regard to their order
of proceeding.
Dr. BO WRING hoped that the port of Douglas, in
the Isle of Mau, would not be forgotten by the Go-
vernment.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said,
that it was purposed to confine the attention, in the
first instance, to the ports bordering on France, but
afterwards the claims of other ports along the coast
would be taken into consideration.
The vote was then agreed to.
The House resumed ; the Chairman reported progress,
and obtained leave to sit again on Friday.
RAILWAY PIERS AND HARBOURS' (IRE-

LAND) BILL.
On the order of the day for receiving the report on
this Bill,
Mr. HUNIE said that after the decided opinion which
had been expressed by the House on this Bill, it was
not his intention to proceed with the amendment of
which he bad given notice, further than to enter his
protest against the Government expending money
in this way when they themselves were in
difficulties—with five or six millions of Exchequer
bills to meet, and good paper from five to
ten per cent discount in the market. He would merely
express a hope that they would not involve themselves
further till monetary affairs were in a more prosperous
condition.
Mr. S. CRAWFORD said that he had given notice of
a motion on the bringing up the report on this Bill
but as the House was anxious to proceed to after
business, it was not his intention to proceed with it that
evening, but he would take an early opportunity of pro-
posing a national rate in aid of the public works for
Irelan.
Mr. HUDSON said that ho gave his vote with plea-
sure for this grant, and he hoped the Government would
assist them with loans to carry out their undertaking.
Mr. 'WILLIAMS was entirely opposed to such a Bill
as this, as he considered that it would inflict great in-
jury upon the mercantile country. He hoped the Go-
vernment would not act upon the advice of the Hon.
Gentleman opposite (Mr. Hudson).
The report was then received.
AMENDMENT OF THE POOR-LAW.

Sir G. GREY then rose to move for leave to intro-
duce a Bill for the better administration of the laws for
the relief of the poor in England, He said it was not
proposed by the Bill, which he now sought leave
to introduce to effect any alteration in the
general provisions of the law relating to the
relief of the poor, as its object would be simply con-
fin, d to the administration of the laws already existing,
and to the constitution of a body to whom the general
administration of those laws was to be intrusted. In
1842, the Poor-law Commission, which was originally
temporary in its duration, and which had been renewed
from time to time, was in that year continued by Act of
Parliament for a further period of five years, which
would expire in the course of the present summer, and
the Poor-law Commission would cease to exist
by the end of the session of 1848. But at the com-
mencement of the present session, his Noble
Friend, the First Lord of the Treasury in-
formed the House that the subject of carrying
out the poor-law had occupied tha careful and ee-