The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-02 00:00:00

CUSTOMS bUTIES BILL:

In answer to a question from Lord G. BENTINCK,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
anticipated he should be able to bring on the Customs'
Duties Bill on Friday.
GRANT FOR EDUCATION.

Mr. lIINDLEY asked the Noble Lord at the heal of
the Government if he was prepared to state the amount
he intended to propose for the educational grant in the
miscellaneous estimates, and whether he,intended to bring
specially before the notice of the House the Minutes of
the Council of Education, laid on the table the sth day of
February, or leave them to be incidentally discussed on
the vote for education being proposed in the Committee
of Supply.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL replied that the vote would
be the same as that taken last year, but with re4ard to
the application of the sum he could only say that they
did not intend to propose any new resolution upon the
subject.
Mr. EWART inquired what the sum was to be?
Lord J.RUSSELL replied 100,0001. for Great Britain.
In reply to a question from Mr. SHAIV,
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he intended to appoint
the Committee of the Poor Relief (Ireland) Bill imme-
diately after the Committee of Ways and Means.
THE DISTRESS IN THE WEST OF SCOTLAND.

Mr. BAILEY hoped he would have the indulgence of
the House fora few moments to sonic statements which
had been made in that House in consequence of a question
put by the Honourable Member for Fife, relating to the
distress on the west coast of Scotland. On
that occasion reference had been made to a
report by the Sheriff-Substitute of Fort Wiliam,
into which certain charges had been introduced against
proprietors in that district, that they had been neglect-
ing their tenants. Among the others was one against
Mr. M'Donald, of Glengarrie, where it was stated that
that proprietor had 15') bolls of meal for the relief' of the
poor, but the store-house had been locked up since
Christmas, and not a pound could begot out for loveAl:po or
money. lie had received a letter lately
from.
M'Do-
nald, in which he stated, in November i hmr e had sent
from his private resources 201. in lnothict;ys'idleOsOrie and
bolls of
meal, and 100 bolls of Indian corn,
biscuits. That was sent for the purpose of being dis-
pensed; his factor had instructions to that effect, and a
letter from that factor last week stated that he had
complieti, and he was desired to continue to do so.
Mr. M‘Donald:was a man of the highest honour, and he
(Mr. Bailey) stated this upon his credit.- He regretted
to state that the Blue Book which had been published
contained charges, and had been published previous to
time being given for answers from the proprietors. It
had been reported concerning Mrs. Stewart Bllieezie
by Sir E. Coffin, not only that she had neglected her
tenants generally, but that twu persons had died of
starvation on her estates. Now, she had made inquiry,
arid the result was, that two persons bail died of natural
causes, the one being an old woman between eighty and
ninety years of age, and her daughter, who died of con-
sumption, being, while they lived, within two or three
miles of a meal store, opened by Mr,. M'Kenzie, and out
of which she had ordered that relief should be given to
the destitute. He had taken the opportunity of doing
what he believed to be but justice to these proprietors.
Mr. E. ELLICE gave the fullest credit to the Go-
vernment for the course they had adopted, and he
should not be doing justice to the Government if he
did not take the curtest opportunity of saying that the
Government had done all that was in the power of any
Government to do to ward off the effects of
this terrible calamity.—(Hear, hear). He thought
that, however laudable the intentions of the
Government were, the merit of rendering these intentions
perfectly effective was mainly due to those gallant
officers who had the charge of carrying out the measures
of the Government.
Sir GEORGE GREY did not think that the charge
made by the Hon. Member was quite borne out by the
facts as stated in the blue books.
Mr. COLLETT was unwilling to take up the time
of the House, but he thought it his duty to mention cer-
tain facts which bad come to his own knowledge respect-