The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-03 00:00:00

POOR-LAW UNIONS.

Mr. SCROPE gave notice of his intention to
bring forward a measure for the purpose of affording
facilities for the unions of England and Ireland to
give et3aployment to the able-bodied poor, as prescribed
by the yoor-law.
SOLICITORS' FEES IN POLICE-COURTS.

Mr. CHARLES PEARSON gave notice of his
intention to move for leave to bring in a Bill
to regulate the fees of solicitors practising at
the metropolitm police-courts, and to provide
a cheap and efficient mode of taxing the same;
also a Bill for regulating the acquittal of prisoners

upun the ground of insanity, and making provision

for their subsequent treatment ; also a Bill to provide
the means of profitable employment for prisoners, and
to enable the judges to pass sentences of task labour
upon the prisoners ; also a Bill to explain the
unaltered common law of England, which pro-
nounces as a rule that children under age are in-
eapacis doli ; also to make provision for such children,
in conformity with the comnion law.
REVENUE RETURNS.

Dr. BOWRING moved for a return of all amounts
not paid into the Exchequer, but deducted for costs of
collection or any other purpose, from the gross receipts
of the various revenue departments; and of all
amounts received by departments of expenditure from
any other source than Parliamentary grants or issues
from the Exchequer (in continuation of the return of
session 1846, No. 654.)—Agreed to.
NAVIGATION- L A WS.

Mr. RICARDO wished to know from her Ma-
leety's Government whether it was their intention to

bring in any measure upon the subject of the navi-
gation-laws, as alluded to in her Majesty's Speech ?
Lord J. RUSSELL stated, in reply to the Hon.
Member, that it was not the intention of Government
to introduce any measure on the subject until after
the Christmas recess.
DISSOLUTION OF JOINT-STOCK
COMPANIES.

Mr. CARD WELL wished to know whether it was
the intention of the Government to proceed with any
Bill relating to the winding up of joint-stock com-
panies.

Mr. L ABOUCIIERE stated that a Bill for that
purpose was introduced in the last session, but,
in consequence of the lateness of the period,
and the opposition it then met with, it was
withdrawn; the subject had been since carefully con-
sidered, and he entertained a hope that a measure
would be matured which should accomplish the ob-
ject in view, without any of the objections urged
against the last measure.
CONVICT PRISONERS.
Sir J. PAKLNGTON wished to know from the
Right Hon. Secretary for the Home Department in
what manner the prisoners sentenced to transporta-
tion had been disposed of, and what course was in-
tended to be adopted with regard to them in future ;
and also whether any steps had been taken with a
view to the formation of a convict establishment at
Portland.

Sir G. GREY said that a considerable increase had
taken place in the number of prisoners employed un-
der the control of the Admiralty, and in connexion
with the various dockyards and arsenals of the
country. An increase in the number had also taken
place at Bermuda. Inquiries had been instituted at
Gibraltar, with a view of ascertaining whether any
increase might be made in future in the number of
convicts which might be employed there. He would
also state that 400 prisoners under sentence of trans-
portation had been sent to Bedford Gaol under
strict regulations. A large number had, as usual,
been sent to Pentonville ; and the Government were
taking active measures in granting tickets of leave to
those prisoners whose sentences were nearly expired,
to enable them to leave this country for Van Dieinan's
Land, under the provisions of the Act passed last year.
With respect to Portland, the Government had not
been able to obtain possession of the land to erect the
necessary buildings for the establishment, in conse-
quence of a dispused claim which had been set up as
against the Crown by some persons who had a lease-
hold interest in the property.
Lord MAHON- wished to know what had been the
increase in the number of convicts confined in the
hulks, as well as those employed in the dockyards
and arsenals.

Sir G. GREY explained, that when he stated that
a large increase had been made in the number of those
employed in the dockyards and arsenals, he wished
to be understood to refer to prisoners confined in the
hulks. He could not state exactly the increase which
had taken place in the the numbers of such prisoners.
AGRICULTURAL STATIS TI )5.

In answer to a question from Air. lIINDLEY,
Mr. LABOUCHERE stated that it was the inten-

tion of the Government to introduce a Bill for faci-
litating the collection of agricultural statistics. It
was important to know what amount of provisions
there were in the country, and particularly in Ire-
land, and this Bill would afford the Lord-Lieutenant
the means of collecting a large mass of information
on the subject at a small expense to the public.
Mr. S. O'BRIEN wished to know if the Right
Hon. Gentleman would have any objection to the ap-
pointment of a Select Committee to consider this
question previous to the introduction of the Bill.
Mr. LABOUCHERE thought the appointment of
a Committee would be highly inconvenient.