The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-10 00:00:00

AND STAFFORD) BILL

This Bill was read a third time and passed.
The House at Half-past Three adjourned to a Quvrter
past Five o'clock.

The House resumed at a Quarter past Five o'clock.
Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL presented a petition from
the ratepayers of a place in the county of Clare, cora..
plaining of the operation of the Irish poor-law.
Lord ROBERT GROSVENOR presented a petition
from the Metropolitan Sewage Manure Company, com•
plaining of the proceedings of the .Metropolitan Sewer-
age Commission.

Lord G. I3ENTINCK moved that the petition of the
shipowners, manufacturers, merchants, traders, and othei
inhabitants of the port of Shields, presented yesterday,
and complaining of the Customs regulations of that
port, be printed with the votes. The petitioners, he
said, alleged that the ports of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
and Gateshead were placed on a more favourable footing
by their Customs regulations than Shields, because these
two ports were represented by Whig Members and were
governed by Whig corporations.
Mr. THORNELY said he felt it to be his duty as
Chairman of the Committee on Public Petitions to state
that this petition was before that Committee this morn-
ing, which they had ordered to be printed, and no doubt
it would be in the hands of Honourable Members by
to-morrow evening.
Mr. HUTT denied that any undue partiality had been
shown towards the ports of Newcastle and Gateshead;
but at all events he could assure the House that the
Member for Gateshead ,was in no way concerned
in the Customs regulations of that port.
Mr. LABOUCHERE could assure the Noble Lord,
that the regulations in force at Newcastle and Gates-
head were ordered by him from a sense of public duty,
and in opposition to the expressed wishes of the Mem-
bers for these places.--(Hear, hear.)
Mr. THORNELY said the petition had been placed
in the hands of the printer by the Committee on Peti-
tions, and would be in the possession of the House in a
few days. Under those circumstances he would, there-
fore, oppose the motion of the Noble Lord.
After a short discussion,

The SPEAKER, in answer to Mr. M. Gibson, stated
that the rule of the House was, that no Member could
move that a petition be printed with the ♦otes unless h•
intended to make a substantive motion upon it.
Mr. HUTT inquired of the Speaker, whether a Mem-
ber who moved that a petition be printed was not merely
obliged to confine himself to the facts alleged in th•
petition, but was able to express his opinion upon those
facts?

The SPEAKER replied that it was not regular for a
Member to do more than state the substance of the
petition.
The motion was then withdrawn.
COUNTY COURTS—SALARIES OF JUDGES.
Dr. BOWRING said the Secretary of State for the
Home Department had stated. in reply to a question of
his some time ago, that his attention would be directed
to the salaries of the Judges of County Courts, and also
to the subject of fees levied in those tribunals.
He now begged leave to inquire whether anything had
yet been done with reference to those two subjects; and
also whether the Right Hon. Baronet was aware of the
cause of the delay which had occurred in laying the
returns which had been ordered in the month of March
last before the House?
Sir G. GREY said he was not aware that those re.
turns had not been laid before the House, but he would
make inquiries respecting them. With regard to the re-
muneration of the judges, an order in Council had been
passed to pay them by salaries, and that order
would be published in a short period. As to the
payment of the clerks and other officials, greater diffi-
culty would arise, and as yet no decision had been come
to upon that point.
VOTE BY BALLOT.
Mr. 11. F. BERKELEY said—l beg to give no-
tice that early next session—(Laughter)-1 shall
bring in a Bill—(Cries of •' No, no.")
—then I shall ask
leave to bring in a Bill, that the votes of electors for
Members of Parliament may be taken by way of
ballot.—(llear, hear, and cheers.)