The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-23 00:00:00

had to make until the Bill which the Right Ilan. the lierias
Secretary had promised them should be brought into the
House.
Mr. BROTHERTON said, that in the course of a late
session he had supported the Ministry in their Poor•
law Amendment Act, but he considered that the
conduct out of doors had greatly aggravatedEhat
he might term the defective working 01 the l'
tern. He was glad to find that the Noble Lord had taken
the sutjeet of the law of settlement into his consideration.
In the town-hip in which he resided there were very few poor,
and consequently very small poor-rates. On the contrary, in
the neighbouring township of Salford there was a g
r
number of poor, and where, of course, the rates were very
heavy. Yet, near the township where he resided, a manufac-
tory was about being erected, which would in all probability
be assessed at the least at a 1,0001. a year. It was on the
borders of the Salford township, and yet the whole of the
eat
benefit would be given not to the township, where the PI
were most numerous, but to that where the poor-rates would,
in all probability, not be sixpence in the pound. He thought
it would be very unfair that the rates should be levied in one
township, and yet the whole benefit should be given to ano-
ther, and he trusted that the Committee would come to a re-
solution to remedy that defect.
Captain HARRIS had heard the statement of the Noble
' Lord, he could not say with unmitigated satisfaction, for he
I believed that the evil of altering the law was as great or
greater than the evils which prevailed under the present poor-
i law. These difficulties were now understood, but in the union
where he resided they had put their shoulders to the wheel,
and fully succeeded in obviating them.
Mr. B. ESCOTT thought that this resolution proposed_
for the Committee would prove very unsatisfactory to thic
country, and if the Noble Lord's statement were to be taken
as a fulfilment of the promise held out last session, of a ret
sion of the whole of the poor-law, it would be but verJ
inefficiently performed. The fact was, that the power cow_
mitted to the Poor-law Commissioner was beyond the right of
the House of Commons, or of the House of Lords, or of the
Queen to confer. If they granted such powers, they must e
pect to see it abused. They put it into the hands of men wh°
were respon.ihle for the exercise of it to no one.
Mr. VILLIERS wished the House to abandon the commas*,
sioners and return to the real question before them, the law
settlement. There was no abuse or evil connected with the
poor law system which did not spring out of the law of settle-
ment. He would not go further into the matter, es-
he
t
cept to express a hope that in nominating
Committee, the Right Honourable Baronet would not it urco
that the opinion expressed by the Hon. Member for satfordli
and reiterated by the Hon. Member for Finsbury, was at
a
general. Still there was a strong feeling abroad that the
abolition of the law of settlement was requisite, and that an
the oppression and abuses arise from the system of bandlitt
the poor about from one place to another ; and he trusted tPw
Right Hon. Baronet would take care that one or two
were placed upon the Committee, who would represent tea
opinion.
After a few words from r. P. BOKTIIWICK and Or'
M
CHRISTIE, gentlein°

The motion was agreed to. •
of.battl:
Sir C. N APIER moved for a " return of the line-
ships and frigates cut down for steam block .ships, and a 61
of the contract of those cut down in merchants' yard.' 0,
P'
"-
Agreed to.
The House then adjourned, at Half-past Twelve o'clock'
till Monday.