The Sun.
London, England, 1848-07-22 00:00:00

RAILWAY COMPANIES AND THE RAILWAY

COMMISSIONERS.
In reply to an HON. ME3IIIER,
Mr. LABOUCHERE stated that the Commissioners
of Railways, under Mr. Gladstone's Act, were autho-
rised to inquire into the infringement of any acting rail-
way companies. The principle on which they acted was,
on receiving a complaint, to send an inspector down to
investigate it; and in the event of any valid grounds
existing for doing so, to proceed in the, ordinary course
of law against the co-npariy.

VAN DIEMEN'S LAND.
Mr. HUME asked, pursuant to notice, whether the
colonists at the Cape and Van Dieznen's Land, and in
other colonies, were to have a Representative Assembly
granted to them, upon the subject of which they had
frequently petitioned?
Mr. HAWES said that a Bill was in preparation upon
the subject; but no opportunity had as yet been afforded
to introduce it to the notice of the House.
THE BISHOP OF GLOUCESTER.
Mr. HORSMAN wished to ask the Noble Lord
(John Russell) whether it was true that an Order
in Council bad been issued, enabling the Bishop of
Gloucester to sell to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners
a certain estate ; and if it was, he was desirous
of knowing whether the Noble Lord would have
any objections to postpone the issuing of that Order in
Council until the evidence, now being given before the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners on the subject, was before
the House.
Lord J. RUSSELL would make inquiries on the
subject.

HIGHWAY BILL.
In answer to a question from Sir. J. DUCKWORTIL
Sir G. GREY said he was afraid he should not be
able to get through with the Highways Bill this session.
CORRUPT PRACTICES AT ELECTIONS BILL.
Mr. C. ANSTEY gave notice that in Committee on the
Corrupt Practices at Elections Bill he should move that
the city of London be inserted in the schedule.
UNITED STATES POST.
Mr. HUME said some time ago he asked a question
respecting a correspondence between the United States
Minister in England and the Post-office authorities, re-
lative to the postal rates between England and America.
It appeared by the papers received by the recent packet
that the United States had since adupted a retaliatory
rate which was likely to be highly injurious to the com-
mercial interests of this country, and he wished to know
whether there was any objection to lay the correspon-
dence on the table?
Lord PALMERSTON said he would anwser the
question on Monday.
NEW SOUTH WALES.
Mr. HAWES, in answer to a question from an lion.
Gentleman, stated that he was not prepared to say when
the dispatch of the Governor of New South Wales, re-
lative
to conferring a new constitution on that colony,
would be laid before the House.

ODE POLI-R .
In reply to question from Sir DE LACEY EVANS,
Sir G. GREY said there was no vote in the estimates
connected with the police-rate, because the police-rate
was charged on the Consolidated Fund. The Hon. Ba-
ronet was in error in supposing that the rate was to be
increased. It was not an augmentation that was corn
plained of, but that there was no diminution in the rate.
CORN-LAWS.
Mr. STUART wished to ask the Right Hon. the
Chancellor of the Exchequer whether in point of
fact the opinion of the law-officers of the Crown
had been taken upon the question of the remission of
duty on corn imported before the let of March, and
since appropriated for home consumption.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said his opinion had
poLinyt.
not been taken upon the
ITALY.

In answer to a question of Mr. ANSTEy, as to
whether the Government had any objection to lay the
Italian correspondence before the House,
Lord PALMERSTON said, having looked over the
correspondence, be found so much of it of a confidential
nature as to the nature of the transactions in that quar-
ter of the world, and considering that it was not un-
likely that her Majesty's Government might be in-
vited to interfere as mediators, ho did not think that the
production of the correspondence would either benefit
her Majesty's service, or tend to advance the interests of
the country.

AMERICAN MAIL PACKETS.
Mr. M. GIBSON said, he hoped the Government