The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-23 00:00:00

MARCH .2:3, 1842.

Crj

SECOND READINGS.

The following Bills were severally read a second time
Crawland and Cowbit WashQs, Scc., Drainage._

Glasgow, KilmarnOck, an.l Ardrossan— Railway
(Amendment, Deviations, and Branches).
Lancashire, Cheshire, and North Wales Drainage and
Inclosnre Company's Incorporation.
Leicester Waterworks.
Lytham Imp:orPment.
Scottish Equitable Life Assurance Society.
ShipoverEtrs' Towing Comp,,ny.
Thorne and Crowle Moors Drainage and Improvement.
Waketi, td Gas.
RATING OF SMALL TENEMENTS BILL.

Mr. WADDINGTON presented a petition from the
County of Wilts, in favour of the rating of small
teLements.

MARRIAGES AND REGISTRATION.-
SCOTLAND.'

Mr. SCOTT presented a pAition from the Presbytery
of Selkirk against the proposed marriage Bill for Scot-
land ; also petitions from the Nehoolmasters of the
Presbyteries of Selkirk, Dunse, Lauder, Melrose and
Dinghylm, against the proposed mt,asure for the regis-
tration of births, marriages and deaths.
BEERSELLERS IN BOLTON.

Dr. BOWRING presented a petition from the beer-
sellers of Bolton, pr.-tying to be allowed the same privi-
lege keeping ;heir houses open as was allowed to the
London beersellers.
EDUCATION.

Mr. BRIGHT prpsented petitions from Leeds and
Charley against the Guvercmen 6, educational measure.

UNIFORM RATING.

Mr. WYSE presented a petition from Waterford in
favour of a unitorm system of rating.
IRISH POOR-LAW.

Sir WILLIAM CLAY presented a petition from
certain inhabitants residing in the Minories in favour of
extending the principle of the English pour-law to Ire-
land; also, a petition from the 'rower Hamlets against
the proposed educational grant.

IMPORTATION OF CORN FROM RUSSIA.
Lord JOHN RUSSUL wished to state, with re-
ference to a report that was abroad, to the effect that
no corn was allowed to be exported from Russia, that he
had received a letter from Lord from St.
Petersburgh, in which he stated that there was not
the slightest foundation for such a rumour, and that
there w as no restriction whatever.
POST-OFFICE DIRECTORY.
Mr.. MOFFATT wished to ask the Chancellor of the
Exchequer what steps had been taken to prevent pub-
lic servants employed in the Post-office being also em-
ployed in a private speculation, called the " Post-office
London Directory?"
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, who
sl'oke very inaudibly, was understood to say that no
sereants in the Post-office should be employed in that
uneler takingin future under pain of dismissal, and that the
compiler of that undertaking was prohibited from being
occupied on it during Post-office hours.
711 r. T. DUNCOMBE was glad to hear that Mr.
Kelly was to have no compensation. If anything was
to be done it ought to be restitution on the cart of Mr.
Kelly, who, instead of receiving 1,2001. from the
" Dir ectory," had been reaping 12,0001. a year from it.
Now Mr. Rowland Hill had got an appointment in the
Post- office, and he lived some where in a room in the
Post-office, surrounded by two or three clerks. He
wanted to know what Mr. Rowland Hill's duties
were., and what his salary was, because he was
told :Mr. Rowland Hill was perfectly powerless. A
notice had recently been put up in the Post-office,
staling that if, any of the letter-carr:ers had
any- so estions to make to Mr. Rowland Hill upon the
subjea,; of improving the Post-office system, they were
to ecnivey them through the heads of their department.
Now, the heads of the department were Mr. Kelly
and . others, and as the chief complaint related
to tl:e " Directory," it was not likely that the
careitirs would send any suggestion through Mr. Kelly
uptin that subject. Mr. Rowland Hill had nothing to
expec t from Mr. Kelly or Colenel Maberly, for in 1842,
whem Mr. R. Hill left the Post-office, a notice was
stuck up announcing that if any officer communicated
dii ect!y or indirectly with Mr. R. Hill he would be dis-
missed the service. Now, it was important to know
what -were the salary and:duties of Mr. Rowland Hill.
That CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said,
that 'at present Mr. Kelly was permitted to carry on the
Dir xdory himself, he being, at the same time, de-
barivd from the services of any person in the Post-office.
By so doing the ultimate claims to a compensation
of that gentleman would not be at all affected. It,
would have been much more convenient if the lion.Meni-
ber had given notice of his intention to ask the questions
as he Thad gone into a number of statements of things
which had taken place a number of years since, which
at than moment he was not, of course, able to express
any opinion upon. The business of the Yost-
office had of late years most enormously in-
creased. From a return made to that House
of the number of letters which passed through the Pn.it-
office in the first week of February. it appeared that the
nuint)er lied more than doubled during the lest five
years. The Government had, therefore, thought
advioable to giee s one additional assistance. Her Ma-
jesey's Gweenrecni, tetng :ikHZ Mr. Roeieerl
Hilt was the most qualified persoe in. the country-
.or that duty, had aecerdiegly appoint h rn Scere.
tary to the Po.,imaster- General, not to the, Pest office, at
a salary of 1,2001. per annum.
Mr. DUNCOMBE—What was the saho-y of the
clerks?

The CUAN;IELLOYt of the EXCMEQUEII
that the !lon. Member woula excuse him if he ,tat:. 4
it, wes not in his is,,wer to give him the inf4mation he re-
quired.. Ir he had moved fi,r a return upon the aubjeet, he
"should have it, all the; lid...mllion that he could give
hire was that the s,sl4.ry of 1,2001. per year was given to
Mr. lli.pw-hind Hill, lie believed that, there were three
or tour desks employed, but he knew nothing whatever
of'tb-air

;USTODY OF OFFENDERS' AND PRISONS'

:t3ILL—EAI-ILY SIT FING OF THE HOUSE.
Lord MAHON wisht--cl to know when it was the in-
tention of 11,:r GoserninNft to on with the
Prisons' 1311 and Ill.! Custody a OfFenders' Bill.
Sir GEORGE GREY said that it was the inkntion
of the Govertunerl to take the further consideration of
the report upon Thursday next, at the early sittings of
the llotve, at 12 o'ckek.
PUNISHMENT OF DEATH.

Mr. BRIGHT wished to ask a question of his Right
Hon. Friend the Secretary for the Home Department. A
statement had appeared in the papers respccting the
execution of two men at Morpeth on Wednesday
last, and it was stated, that by the excessive bungling
of the executioner, the punishment was rendered more
barbarous than it ought to have been. Now he dent ed
to know whether that account had been brought
under his attention. This question he could answer,
although he had not given a previous notice of it
Theme was another question which he wished to ask,
and which he did not expect the Right Hon. Gentleman
to answ, r then. He wished to know whether he had
received any intimation from the judges that there he.tt
been of late an increasing disposition on the part of
juries to return verdicts of not guilty in cases where
capital punishments were likely to be inflicted ? lie also
wished to know if any circumstance had come to his
knowledge with reference to the late trial of three men
for a murder and robbery at BarnardiCastiv?
Sir G. GREY said that he had received no informa
tion as to the first circumstance alluded to by the Hon.
Member. Neither had he received any intimation as to
any ',indisposition en the part of juries to convict in
capital cases.