The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-03 00:00:00

Hon. Members and the public with respect to the state-
ment which had appeared in the newspapers respecting
this matter. The House was, no doubt, aware, that
Nhen a person was convicted of a criminal offence,
us property was forfeited to the Crown ; but
he practice had uniformly been to grant the property
to the relations who might petition the Crown for it. In
,his case Mrs. Tawell presented a memorial to the Trea
.ury, praying inquiry, and to have the property vested
:n the Crown for her use; and an inquiry had been made,
And it would be disposed of for her use.—(H-ar, hear.)
lie was rather surprised that a statement should have
.one forth in the newspapers imputing the grossest in-
humanity to the Crown, especially whe❑ it was borne in
,nind that the inquiry was made at her own request.
MALTA.

Dr. BOWRING wished to ask the Under Secretary
of the Colonies whether the memorials and petitions
from Malta on the subject of the grievances of that
island have received the attention of the Government,
Ind whether any measures are in progress for their
redress ?

Mr. HAWES said the memorials had been received,
and were now under the attention of the Noble Lord at
the head of the Colo&.al Department, and until he came
to a decision, he thought it would be imprudent to say
anything more on the subject.

Act should only be extended to such towns as really re•
quired it, whether under the management of a corpora-
tion or not. He should propose that only in cases where
three fourths of the rate-payers of any town petitioned
that they should be included in the operation or the Bill,
the measure should extend to them.
Lord MORPETH said that this subject had been
very gravely considered by the Government, and they,
taking into consideration the many interests at work in
towns, determined that this Bill should extend to all.
Ile could not, therefore, think of altering the clause to
meet the wishes of the Hon. Member for Birmingham.
Mr. HENLEY said that the Noble Lord was running
counter to the opinions he had always promulgated, that
the subjects of this country should have the right of
choosing their own representatives. Now he said that
these towns were not fitted to choose their rulers for
themselves.
Mr. AGLIONBY said that while he fully agreed in
what had been said by the Hon. Member for Oxford-
shire, he, at the same time, did not agree with him—
(Laughter)—because he believed that in every town
there were parties at the head of those towns who weiq
not prepared to take such care of the health and come
forts of the inhabitants as the Government would.
After a few words from Mr. NE WDEGATE,
Mr. J. COLLETT wished to know if this Bill was
intended to extend to Wales, because he saw by the title
that it was designed for England.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL said that all legal
documents which stated in the title that they were for
England were understood to include Wales also ; and,
therefore, the Hon. Member would not again, when
scanning an Act of Parliament, require to be informed
upon this point.—(Laughter.) While he was upon his legs
he might say that this amendment of the Hon. Member
for Birmingham was altogether without precedent.
Great privileges had been conferred upon towns on the
simple petition of the inhabitants, but the idea of rates
pavers was altogether a novel OD%
Mr. SPOONER suggested that the amendment could
be very easily altered to the inhabitant householders,
and that perhaps would obviate the legal serpples of the
Learned Attorney-General.
Mr. WAKLEY said this Bill was intended partiatis
larly for the poor, but if the householders were only to
be taken into consideration, the Bill would not reach the
classes under them at all.
Colonel SIBTIIORP said that he opposed the Bill.
He had no doubt there were many filthy places in Fins-
bury—(Laughter)—and the Hon. Member was,
_per-
haps, right in advocating it ; but they required nothing
of the kind in Lincoln.—(Loud laughter.) The Hon.
Member for Finsbury laughed ; if the people of Line
coin were mustered and compared with the people of
Finsbury—(Roars of laughter)— not only would they be
found cleaner than them—(Laughter)—but Ile cleaner
people would be found to exist.—(Laughter.)
The House then divided, when there appeared—.
For the amendment
For the original clause ...
Majority tor the original clause
The clause was then agreed to.
On clause 13 being proposed, which excluded any
place within ten miles of St. Paul's,
Mr. DUGDALE said that if supported by any Mem-
ber of the House, he should move that this clause be
expunged.
Mr. REDHEAD YORKE supported the last speaker,.
Mr. KEMBLE said that if it were moved that this
clause be expunged, the Bill would never pass
(Laughter)—he meant not pass this session—(Con-
tinned laughter)—and therefore he should support the
retention of this clause.
Mr. HUDSON could not understand why one of the
Members, connected in some degree with the metropoli-
tan district, should vote for this clause. He thought it
came with a very bad grace from him.—(Hear, hear,
and laughter.) Fever abounded in London, and yet
London was to be excluded from the operation of this
Bill. Fever did not abound in York, and York was to
be included. The Bill would be unjust to one portion.
of the kingdom and partial to another, and its ultimate
effect would be to stultify itself.
After a few words from Alderman HIIMPHERY, And
in answer to two questions from Mr. SPOONER,
Lord MORPETH said that he had extended the cir-
cuit around the metropolis from four to ten miles, in
order that the waters which had their springs generally
speaking, at nine and ten miles off, might be included ;
and the answer to the second question was, that he
could not include London, because he had been informed
from every quarter that, if he wished to do anything
at all, he must exclude the city of London. The very
association which had taken the greatest interest in all
matters contemplated by this Bill, had waited upon him
when he had framed his Bill, to include the city of Lon-
don, and had said that in trying to get all he would lose
all. For these reasons he was induced to exclude the
city of London from the operation of the Bill.
Mr. ROEBUCK said his Hon. Friend made him (Al-
derman Humphery) represent one great corporation—
(Laughter)—and the Right Hon. Secretary opposite (Mr.
Hudson) represented another large association
Laughter)—but the Right Hon. Gentleman's corporation
was rather smaller than the corporation of the Hon
Member beside him.—(Roars of laughter, induced by
the rather pointed allusion to the corpulency of both
the Hon. Members.) He trusted, however, that the
Noble Lord would pa; attention to neither, but trust to
his own good sense, and taking what he could get now,
would, at the first opportunity, introduce a special Act
for London, which would have the effect of
improving
its sanatory condition.
After some observations from Mr. NEWDEGATE and
Mr. Wseetaars,
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that Hon. Members
argued as if it were proposed to exclude London from
all sanatory measures. Their object was to give a mea-
sure to the rest of the country, and to bring in a Bill
for the City of London in the next session of Parlia-
ment. They had not included London, because the
insertion of clauses affecting the metropolis would
only lead to further discussion, which would defeat this
Bill altogether, and he was sure that the Hon. Gentle-
men opposite, if their zeal for sanatory improvements
was any criterion, would be extremely sorry if this were
the result.
Mr. WAKLEY said that he intended to vote for the
expulsion of this clause, and he believed that all his
constituents were agreed with him. The opposition did
not arise from the metropolis, but from the city of
London alone.—(" Hear, hear," from Mr. Hudson.)
He might be allowed professionally to observe to the
Hon. Member for Sunderland that his excitement would
do him no good.—(Laughter.) It was advice without
a fee—(Continued laughter)—and he would add to it
by informing his Right Hon. Friend that if he did not
take care, he (Mr. Wakley) as coroner, and the Righ
Hon. Gentleman, might be yet better acquainted.
Some further discussion took place, in which Mr.
HENLEY and Viscount NEWPORT took part.
The gallery was cleared, and the House divided, when
there appeared—
For the amendment
..... 7
For the original clause ..................... 112
Majority for the clause ............... —42
The clause was then agreed to.
On clause 14 being proposed,
Mr. P. BORTH WICK objected that the clause, taken
in connexion with the preceding one, was not easily
understood. It was, in fact, capable of two meanings,
and would, if not amended, give full employment to legal
gentlemen in another place.
Lord MORPETH said that he should consult with his
Hon. and Learned Friend the Attorney-General, and if
the clause should bear such construction, as the Hon.
Member for Evesham seemed to ascribe to it, he would
amend it.
Mr. P. BORTHWICK—I have not another word
to say.
The clause was then agreed to.
On clause 15 being proposed, which provides, that
any corporate town, not within 10 miles of the metropo-
lis, might obtain the intervention of the Bill if the re-
quest was supported by the signature of 300 inhabitants,
some discussion ensued.
Mr. DUNCOMBE contended that populous districts,
like Islington and Kensington, which had no public
lamps, would be altogether exempt from the Bill if the
clause stood in its present form.
Mr. NEWDEGATE then moved as an amendment—
That a majority of the inhabitants should be required,
instead of 300.
The galleries were cleared for a division, but none
took place, the amendment having been withdrawn.
The clause was then agreed to.
Clause 16 was also agreed to.
On clause 17, which relates to the payment of the
travelling expenses of the commissioners,
Colonel SIBTHORP said that they had sat nearly
since twelve o'clock. It was now midnight ; and as he
intended to move the omission of the clause, and as no
doubt considerable discussion would arise upon it, he
should move that the chairman report progress, and ob-
tain leave to sit again.
Lord MORPETH said he did not intend to proceed
with any clauses beyond the one before the House that
night; he trusted the House would allow the clause to
be disposed of before the chairman was desired to report
progress.

- Mr. HENLEY and Colonel SIBTHORP declared that
the discussion of the clause would occupy more than an
hour, and urged the Noble Lord to suspend any further
proceedings to-night.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL had no objection to accede
to the suggestion of the lion. and Gallant Member,
provided the House met at twelve o'clock on Monday,
for the purpose of proceeding with the Bill.
The motion was then withdrawn.
The House resumed.
The CHAIRMAN reported progress, and obtained leave
to sit again at twelve o'clock on Monday, which was
agreed to.

TURNPIKE ROADS (SOUTH WALES) BILL.
This Bill was read a third time.
RAILWAYS (IRELAND) BILL.
Report brought up.
COMPENSATION FOR DAMAGES (IRELAND)
BILL.
The Compensation for Damages (Ireland) Bill was
reLd a second time.

POST OFFICE BILL.
Report brought up.
DRAINAGE OF LANDS (IRELAND) BILL.
This Bill went through Committee, and was ordered
Es, be reported on Monday.
NEW ZEALAND COMPANY'S BILL.
This Bill also went through Committee, and was
ordered to be reported on Monday.
HOLYHEAD HARBOUR BILL.
This Bill was read a third time and passed.
SHANNON NAVIGATION BILL.
This Bill went through Committee, and was ordered
to be reported on Monday.
JOINT STOCK COMPANIES BILL.
The third reading of this Bill was postponed, after a
short discussion.

INSOLVENT DE3TORS BILL
Tids Bill pas4bd through Committee.—Report on
Monday.