The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-12 00:00:00

SUPPLY.

The House then resolved itself into a Committee of Supply,
when, on the motion of
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, 800,0001.
was voted to the use of her Majesty.
TIIE METROPOLITAN BUILDINGS BILL.

This Bill was read a third time and passed. .
The report on the South Sea Company's Bill was then
brought up, and agreed to,
LACE FACTORIES BILL.
Mr. THOMAS S. DUNCOMBE presented a petition
From 3,426 individuals'engaged in lace factories, praying the
House to pass a Bill for the limitation of the hours of night
labour in all factories where bobbins and net and warp lace
Machinery was in use. They stated that the present
hours of labour were so long that their health
and morale were destroyed, and they prayed that
the House might pass a Bill to shorten their hours of labour
per day, commencing at six o'clock in the morning and
closing at not later than ten at night.
' Ordered to lie on the table.
The Host. MumnEn then introduced a Bill grounded on
the above petition, and as that petition had been received by
the House he hoped that no opposition would be offered to
the Bill.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM had always had an objection to
interfering with the hours of labour. The Hon. Gentleman
had stated very fairly that he had not refuied his assent to
such a Bill as this being brought in. He did this because
until he had enjoyed an opportunity of considering
its provisions, he had always understood that the
'lace trade was different from those in which machinery
wars-tbes-obief-4n-earis of - production ; and that, therefore,
,there was not the same objection to long hours in this
business; but when the Bill was brought in he would be
able to state more explicitly his opinion respecting it.
Mr. FOSTER said that the Bill thus announced was
in direct opposition to the rules which had always
;been laid down of not interfering between the adult labourer
and his employer. It was going in the teeth of all they had
been doing during the last twelve years. He had another ob-
jection to this Bill, for it appeared that it would allow children
'of tender age to be engaged during the excessive hours of from
six in the evening till ten at night ; and he thought, there-
fore, that it would be but wise, in the Hon. Gentlemen who
were about to bring in this Bill, to attend to this particular
point.
Colonel ROLLESTON had observed with pleasure that
:the Hon Gentleman opposite had presented a petition from
the men of similar spirit to that which he had presented from
!the masters, and he should be happy to give his feeble aid in
the promotion of any measure which was likely -to abateso
great an evil as that of which the petitioners, both masters
and j_kei D.,_complai ned.
Mr. HEATIICOTE stated, that he had found it beneficial
to his own interests to reduce the number of hours in
which the persons were employed in his manufactory; he
would support the introduction of the,Bill.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said that the proposal of his Bill was
;not to compel the persons employed in the lace and
;bobbin-net trade manufacture to work for sixteen
hours a day, but to prevent them working at all
:hours of the night. He thought it would be better, in conse-
quence of the peculiar nature of the present case, that, after
the second reading of the Bill, a Committe should be appointed
ito inquire into the circumstances of the case.
Mr. FEILDEN said it had been proved that in many
cases young children were compelled to work twenty hours
a-say, and that with two sets of hands, who worked ten
',hours each ; he thought that there could be no necessity for
such night work when there was so much machinery.
Sir J. GRAHAM said, perhaps the Hon. Member would
allow some time to elapse before the second reading, in order
that he (Sir J. Graham) might have an opportunity of
r making some inquiry with regard to this very important
subject, as considerable caution was required before any alto-
I:ration could be introduced. _ . _...

Leave was then given to bring in the Bill.
. Mr. BROTIIERTON .moved for a return of the number of
bricks upon which duty has been paid in each year, between
the sth day of January, 1838, and the sth day of
January 1846, in England and Scotland ; distinguish-
ing the number of bricks upon which duty has been paid
in each county, and the amount paid thereon respectively
(-in-continuation--of Parliamentary paper-\o. 217, of-session
1838).—Agreed to,
Captain PECHELL moved for copies of all letters from the
Poor-law Commissioners and the Assistant-Commissioner,
from the 21e1 day of March, 1842, to the 7th day of November,
1845, respecting the erection or alteration of buildings or
places for mills or other machinery for the purpose of
grinding bones and preparing bone dust ; likewise, copies of
all rules, orders, or letters issued to the 'several boards of
guardians respecting the employment of vagrants and pau-
pers in pounding or grinding bones.—Agreed to.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and
the House adjourned at Half-past Five.

RAILWAY COMMITTEES
(YESTERDAY.)

Sub-Committee No. 2.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)

CALEDONIAN (CARLISLE DEVIATION).
The Committee found that the standinz orders had been complied
with.