The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-12 00:00:00

THE POTATO DISEASE.

The Duke of BUC U
CL
tato disease
ECH hid on the table a.re
turn with respect to the po, which was or..
dared to be printed.
CRIMINAL LAW.

'The NOBLE DITKIE presented a report from the Com-
missioners of Ciimmal Law, which %vas also ordered to
be printed.
Earl GREY presented two petitions, one from a town
-in Scotland, and tie other from Stockport, to the same
acct.

REPORT ON RAILWAYS.
Earl DALIIOUSIE brought up the report of the
Committee on Railways. The Noble Lord road the re-
solutions at length. Their Lordships would recollect
that, by an arrangement previously maee, Irish
Railway Bills were to be originated in that
k louse. But as this course would, in consequence
Of certain resolutions of the House, place those Bills
under considerable disadvantages, the order now
submitted, had for its object the cerrection of that evil
by assimilating the practice of that House to that of the
House of Commons. By adopting this order their
Lordships would not in any way delay the progress of
these Irish Bills. He (Earl Dalhousie) was further
authorised to state that, although no report could
be formally made On the subject, the Corn
mittee had taken into consideration the expe-
diency of making some such arrangement with
respect to these Bdls in this session as had been adopted
in the last session of Parliament, namely, the placing in
one group the lines which were intended to accom-
modate certain districts of the country ; com-
peting lines ; and in fact all lines which were
in some way connected with each other.
This arrangement could not, however, be carried into
t ff, ct until the Bills should have come before that House.
He repeated that this proceeding would not in any degree
dela:, the progess of these Bills. He should to-morrow
move the adoption of these resolutions.
BROAD AND NARROW GAUGE.
Lord KINNAIRD said, as it was important to those
who were making lines and laying down rails that the
question of gauge should be settled, and as he believed
uniformity of gauge was perfectly practicable, he hoped
the report of the Commission appointed to inquire into
the subject would soon be produced. He hoped the
Noble Lord would be able to say when the report would
be laid on the table.
The Earl of DALHOUSIE said the Government had
done everything to forward the objects of the commis-
sion. Considerable delay, however, took place at the
close of last session from one of the gentlemen who was
entrusted with an important branch of the inquiry, hav-
ing been called away to the continent, so that the
business could not be gone into as soon as it was
expected. Though the Commission, therefore,
had not been able to produce their report sooner,
he was happy to inform the Noble Lard that
the result of the inquiry had been placed in his (Earl
Dalhousie's) hands that afternoon, and as soon as it was
put in proper form it would be laid before their Lord-
ships.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY called the atten-
tion of the Noble Earl.; (Dalhousie) to the fact of a
measure being about to be submitted to their Lordship;
which would have the effect of creating a large monopoly
in the counties of Durham and Northumberland. He hoped
the Government, which professed to be a free trade Go-
vernment would not approve or sanction such a measure
bynot yet before the
House. the Noble Marquis
was
as this, placing the whole of the North of England under
the management of one board.
The Earl of DALHOUSIE said he could not give an
would
poitiniido n
have
Thenv thepointso themeasure,
objected
submitted' l
lic
tlioto the Standing Orders
Cornmittee, and could not be brought before Parliament
when they would lm open to
till embodied in the Bill,
disztrision.

BURDENS ON LAND.
Lord MONTEAGLE gave notice Oat when the
Noble Lord (Lord Beaumont) brought forward his
motion for the returns of the public burdens affecting
land and real property, be would move an addition,
that the inquiry be also extended to the exemptions of
land and real property from such burdens, so that both
.sides of the questions might be s.;en.
PROTECTION.
• Lord BEAUMONT presented a petition from Holder-
nese in favour of agricultural f rotcction.
A NOBLE Lotto presented four petitions, complaining
that the standing order of the Midland Great Western
Railway (Ireland) Bill had not been complied with.
STATE OF IRELAND.
The Marquis of CLA.NP,ICARDE said he rose, in
pursuance of a notice given by a Noble Friend of his
relative to the state of Ireland. Ile (the Noble Lord)
conceived that much injury would result to that country
by interfering' in that Ifouse, while other measures were
being considered. It was for the EXecutive
Government to administer the law of the land.
He. thought that Government was much to blame
for their neglect of duty in that respect,
He
would simply call the attention of their Lordships to
the notorious fact of the increase of crime in Ireland.
The infection had extended to a degree, he was going to
say quite, but he b3lieved almost unprecedented. The
return given would not show any great number of
crimes with reference to former years, but they would
show that a system of combined outrage existed
to as great an extent in very place of note