The Sun.
London, England, 1848-05-12 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

The Bishop of WINCHESTER presented several
petitions in favour of sanitary reform ; also several peti-
tions from places in Hampshire in favour of the Jewish
Disabilities Removal Bill.
ECCLESIASTICAL DISTRICTS BILL.
The RICUIT REV. PRELATE then gave notice that he
intended on Monday next to move the second reading
of the Ecclesiastical Districts Bill.
ODD FELLOWS' SOCIETY.
Lord BEAUMONT moved the appointment of the
Select Committee on the Provident Associations Fraud
Prevention Bill.—Agreed to.
CROWN LIVINGS.

The Bishop of LLANDAFF postponed to Friday
week his motion on the subject of presentations to
Crown livings, which stood for Tuesday.
MAIL CONTRACTS.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGII complained that
only one month's notice had been given by the Govern-
ment of the renewal of the contract for the conveyance of
the mails to Alexandria.
The Marquis •of CLANRICARDE explained that
although only one month's notice of the renewal of the
contract had been given, yet the Government had the
power of rejecting all the tenders that might be made,
if it should be of opinion that none of them were ad-
vantageous to the public service.
BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY.
Lord REDESDALE reminded their Lordships that
last session a Commission had been appointed to report
on the best means of providing for increased railway
accommodation between Birmingham and London. That
Commission had not yet reported. He wished to know
when it was probable the report would be laid upon the
table?
The answer of Earl GRANVILLE was inaudible in

the gallery.
NAVIGATION-LAWS IN INDIA.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH moved for certain
returns relating to the operation of the Navigation-laws
in India.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE did not object to
the furnishing the returns, and the motion was agreed to.
DEFALCATIONS IN INDIA.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH then said, he wished
to call attention to the fact, that it had been discovered
that more than one or two of the officers connected with
the Supreme Court of Justice in India had been found
defaulters in their accounts. He hoped some measure
would be introduced to guard the public against the re-
petition of such disgraceful c,,nduct.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE agreed with the
Noble Earl, that the transaction alluded to by him was
(if the most disgraceful nature. Immediately on its be-
coming known to the Government in India, steps had
been taken for the removal of one of the highest officers
of that Court. An investigation had been going on,
and a case had been submitted to the law officers of the
Crown, with a view to ascertain how the matter stood
in a legal point of view, and as soon as they had given
their opinion, a Bill would be introduced, if necessary,
to correct the evil.
Lord CAMPBELL presented petitions from various
Odd Fellows' lodges praying to be put on the same foot-
ing as other friendly societies.
The House then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, May 11.
The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four
o'clock.

PRIVATE BILLS.
On the motion of Sir. WM. HEATHCOTE it was
ordered that every memorial complaining of non-com-
pliance with the Standing Orders in reference to petitions
for additional provision in Private Bills, and to Estate
Bills brought from the House of Lords and referred to
the Examiner, be deposited in the Private Bill-office,
together with two copies thereof, before twelve o'clock
on the day preceding that appointed by the Examiner
Cor the examination of any such Petition or Bill, and
that the Examiner be at liberty to entertain such memo-
rial, although the party (if any) who may be specially
affected by the non-compliance with the Standing Orders
shall not have signed the same.
NATIONAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND).

The National Monuments of Scotland Amendment
Bill was read a third time and passed.
GALVANIZED IRON COMPANY.
The report on the Patent Galvanized Iron Company
Bill was further considered, and agreed to.
Lord R. GROSVENOR presented a petition from
Brantford in favour of the Health of Towns Bill.
Colonel MURE presented a petition from Paisley
against the Poor-rate Assessment Bill.
Sir T. BIRCH presented a petition from Liverpool
against the Health of Towns Bill.
Lord HOTHAM presented petitions from Yorkshire
against the sale of spiritous liquors on Sunday.
Sir D. DU:sIDAS presented several petitions from
Sutherlandshire, praying for sites for the Free Church of
Scotland.
Mr. HAMILTON presented a petition from 600
solicitors in Ireland, praying for the appointment of
more Taxing-offices in Ireland, in order to render the
Taxing office more efficient.
Sir 'P. D. ACKLAND presented a petition from the
clergy of Devonshire, complaining of the mode in which
they were assessed to the property •tax.
Mr. DIVETT presented a petition from a place in
Sussex against the Health of Towns Bill.
On the motion of STAFFORD, leave of absence was
grantedt to Lord Henry Lennox, for ten days, on ur-
gent private business.
On the motion of Mr. SPOONER leave of absence
was granted to Mr. Rufford, for a fortnight, on account
of a domestic affliction.
Mr. BRIGHT presented a petition from a place in
Lincolnshire in favour of household suffrage, and pray-
ing for other reforms in the Legislature of the country ;
also a petition from Wisbeach against the sale of
spirituous liquors on Sunday,
Mr. EWA RT presented a petition from the in
habitants of the boroUgh of Lochmaben, praying for a
municipal reform of those boroughs in Scotland which
were excluded from the Municipal Reform Act, and in
which the principle of self-election still prevails.
Mr. EGERTON presented petitions from places in
Cheshire against the sale of spirituous liquors on the
Sabbath; also petitions against the Diplomatic Relations
with Rome Bill.
EXCISE LAWS (SCOTLAND).
Mr. DUNCAN wished to know whether the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer had taken into his consideration
the working of the present excise-laws in Scotland, and
whether it was his intention to bring in some measure built
upon a better and juster system than was. the case with
those laws ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
was quite aware of the importance of the subject, and
early in the session he had hoped to bring in a Bill to
remove some of the objections which were entertained
to the present laws. Two Bills bad been drawn up on
the subject, and the only reason he had not brought
them forward was that in the present state of the busi-
ness of the House there was uo immediate chance of
going on with them.
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