The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-28 00:00:00

RAILWAY.

The Earl of ROSEBERRY reported from the Committee
on thin Bill that they had passed the preamble.
Lord MELBOURNE presented a petition, signed by the
chairman of the board of the Glastonbury poor-law union, on
behalf of that board, praying that the present system of levying,
poor-rates may be abolished, and a national rate substituted.
The Earl of LIARDWICKE presented a petition from the
county of Cambridge, vdlich was adopted by a meeting held
in the open air against free trade, and praying that all measures
baring a tendency to reduce the protection on British industry
may be rejected.
The Earl of DENBIGH presented a petition from the
Trustees of the Rugby Charity, against the Chatitable Trust

The Marquis of SALISBURY said he had to present a
petition of a similar nature, from the Mercers' Company. He
did not know whether he ought to move that they be heard by
counsel at the bar of the House, or that they be heard in the
Committee.
Lord BROUGHAM said they had the Bill before them last
year, and never was a Bill more fully heard. There were one
or two of the details which he would wish to have amended.
He considered, however, that the petitioners ought to have
presented their petition before, in order to allow them to be
heard against the Bill. He was himself a great friend to the
Bill, and for that reason he thought that a few amendments
introduced into it would save all opposition.
The Earl of ELDON said, that when the petition was pre-
sented to him, he pointed out to his Friend the difficulty under
which they laboured. He hoped the Noble and Learned Lord
would make such alterations in the Bill as would prevent op,
position, either on the second or third reading. Should no
alteration be made in the Bill, hg should certainly oppose it in
all stages.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said the Bill was precisely
similar to the 13i11 of last session. That Bill was sent to a
Select Committee, was supported by the Right Reverend
Bench, was passed without opposition, and was sent down to
the other House, where it was only prevented passing by the
lateness of the session. He had no objection to refer this Bill
again to a Select Committe. There was one clause different
from the last Bill, and that was with respect to the persons from
whom the selection of the tribunal was to be made.
After a few words from Lord ELDON and the LORD CHAN-
CELLOR,
Lord COTTENHAM said, that if the Bill should assume
the same shape as the last one, he should find it to be his duty

to reject it altogether.
Lord CAMPBELL said that as this was a proposal to put of
the Bill till after Easter, to afford more time for its considera •
tion, he could not oppose it. The Noble Lord, however, had
the whole of the long vacation to consider its provisions, since
it was formerly before their Lordships, and he ( Lord Camp-
bell) considered it strange, if, at the suggestion of the Noble
Lord, who sometimes sat there (pointing to Lord Brougham's
seat), hut who was now sitting on the Woolsack—(Great
laughter)—he should now postpone it till after the Easter holi-
days. He would like that the Noble Lord should confine it to
charities of small amount, so as to keep them out of the Court
of Chancery. The expenses there would entirely eat up small
charities. The object should be also to simplify the proceed-
ings as much as possible in that Court. He would most
heartily support the motion, but not with the machinery sought
to be introduced.
Lord BROUGHAM considered that his Noble Friend must
have grievou'ly mistaken his intensions when he stated that
his proceeding was quite irregular. He had merely wished
that the consideration of the 1 ill should be put off for the pur-
pose of making certain changes, which would make the Bill
pass—he would not say unanimously—but certainly with less
opposition in their Lordships' House. He had not had an o„r_
portunity of conferring with his Noble Friend, in consequence
of their many engagements. His Noble Friend would leave
town at the end of the week, and he should not have an oppor-
tunity of conferring with him uoless the Bill was put off for a
few days. The present Bill was confined to small charities—
Lard CAMPBELL—No, no.
Lord BROUGHAM—If his Noble Friend would allow
him—ha had read the Bill. The object in extending the pro-
visions of the Bill to all charities was not to interfere in their
management, or the disposal of their funds, but simply to in-
quire into their accounts. Nobody had objected to his two
Charity Bills. He believed that there were Companies, having
large funds at their disposal, who " dreaded the light," he
would not say " because their deeds were evil ;" he believed
them, on the contrary, to be very goood. They were
in the habit of very hospitably entertaining their
friends. He had himself partaken of their hospitality,
They had great funds at their disposal, and they did not like
to have them inquired into. He knew of one man who had
6001. a year at his disposal, and it surely was not too much to
ask for power to have such interests inquired after. He would
recommend that the further consideration of the matter should
be postponed for a week at the latest.
The LORD CHANCELLOR—The principle of the Bill
was to administer small charities. That was the main part of the
Bill. It was to call for an annual account of their receipts
and expenditure, and it would afford an opportunity. This
would be for the benefit of all. If the trustees of charities
thoupht proper to let out their property, why should they not?
He should be ready to make any personal sacrifice to pass this
measure.
Lord COTTNEHAM would remind his Noble and Learned
Friend, that he, by this Bill,, gave a power to the trustees,

which the Crown and the Court of Chancery did not possess.
It gave the trustees the power of selling the property. This
power the Court of Chancery never had, and never claimed to
have. The jurisdiction was limited in respect to small
charities, but with regard to large municipal charities it
would lead to the swamping of the existing charities. He
hoped that when the time came for the consideration and dis-
cussion of the Bill, these matters would be explained.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said it was necessary some-
thing should be done to meet existing difficulties. He had
often, when applications had been made to him to fill up
vacancies, felt their force, and he never listened to their appli-
cations till such time as the numbers were so reduced as to im-
peratively require the filling up of the vacancies, the costs
were so enormous in:the filling up of these charitable trusts.
He might instance, that the filling of a trust in Hereford cost
700/. ; in Shrewsbury, 400/. ' • and in Exeter, from 6004 to
700/. It was to rectify this flagrant abuse that he wished to
engraft this part of the Bill which he had prepared, on the
other portions of the Bill.
In answer to Lord COTTENHAM,
The LORD CHANCELLOR said, that the filling up of
a trust in the city of Norwich had cost the enormous sum

of 5,000.
The further consideration of the Bill was then adjourned.
Lord ELDON presented a petition from the Merchant
Tailors of the City of London against the Charitable Trust
Bill ; also one to the same effect, from the Incorporated So.
ciety of Coopers, of the same city.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, March 27.
The SPEAKER. took the Ch
Rair at Four o'clock.
SECOND EADINGS.
The following Bills were read a second time and ordered to
be committed, viz. :
Bristol and Birmingham and Midland Railways.
St. Alban's, Luton, and Dunstable Railway.
York Improvement.
Harrogate Waterworks.
Midland, Barnsley, Sheffield, Dewsbury, Leeds, and Bradford

Railway.
North of Norfolk Railway.
East Dereham and Norwich Railway.
Glasgow, Paisley, and Johnstone Canal Sale.
Warrington Warterworks.
Shrevrskury and Herefordshire Railway.
Bristol and Birmingham Railway (Gloucester and Stouehouse
Junction).
Buckinghamshire Railway ( Tring to Banbury).
Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Dudley Railway.
Midland Railway (Erewash Valley Extension).
Midland Railway (Erewash Valley Branches).
Reading, Guildford, and Reigate Railway.
Worcester and Porthdynllaen Railway.
Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway.
West London Railway Improvement and Extensions.
Glasgow Union Arcade.
St. Austell Small Debts.
London and Birmingham Railway (Birmingham Extension.)
Bristol and Gloucester, and Birmingham and Gloucester
Railways.
The following reports were brought up, and ordered to be
laid on the table, viz. :
Sunderland Gas.
Sunderland Waterworks.
Bromsgrove Improvement and Small Tenements.
Burnley Improvement and Waterworks.
Maldon, Witham, and Braintree Railway.
Eastern Union and Hadleigh Junction Railway.
Brighton and Chichester Railway (Bognor and Littlehampton
Branches).
South-Eastern Railway (Godstone Station to East Grinstead).
Mr. LAW moved that the Administration, of Justice Bill
be read a first time. It was ordered to be read a second time
on Wednesday next.
Petitions were presented from the Chamber of Commerce
at Edinburgh, in favour of the Tea-hour Factory Bill, and for
the abolition of the duties on Timber.
INTERMENT IN TOWNS.
Mr. 11PKINNON presented a petition from Wolverhamp-
ton in favour of the Bill for the prevention of interments in
towns.

GOVERNMENT MEASURES.
Sir R. PEEL said be had to present a petition from the
merchants, bankers, and other persons at Bristol, who stated
that the stagnation of trade was great, and that it was to be
remedied by the measures proposed by her Majesty's Minis-
ters, and they therefore prayed the House to pass them into a
law. The petition was signed by over two hundred of the
largest and most respectable houses.
The petition was ordered to lie on the table.
BRISTOL WATER-WORKS.
This Rill was read a first time.
ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.

Mr. CARDWELL moved the adjournment of the House, a
its rising, until Monday Agreed to.
WINDOW DUTIES.

Lord DUNCAN, according to representations which had
been made to him by his constituents, owing to the delays
which had taken place in the discussion of the corn-laws and
the commercial duties introduced by the Government,
deemed it expedient to postpone his motion on the subject of
the window duties until after Easter.
THE GOVERNMENT MEASURES.

Mr. NEWDEG ATE wished to asklher Majesty's Govern-
ment when it was their intention to introduce the Bills for
affording facilities for the draining of estates, for the consolida-
tion of highways, for the payment of schoolmasters in union
workhouses, and the Bill respecting the payment of the Irish
constabulary force, which were referred to in the speech of the
First Lord of the Treasury when announcing the Government
measures ?

Sir R. PEEL said—With respect to the last two questions
—namely, what steps the Government had made for intro
clueing Bills for the payment cf schoolmasters in union work-
houses, and for supporting the constabulary force
in Ireland at the public charge —he begged to
inform the Honourable Member that provision could not
be made for these objects until the next Committee of Supply.
With respect to the Bills for improiing the drainage of estates,
and consolidating the highway rates, the Hon. Gentleman was,
no doubt aware, that since the announcement of these
measures, there had been an extreme pressure on the
time of the Government. Their announcement brought
a great number of suggestions, which required
much time for consideration.—( Hear.) They had, however,
lost no time in doing so, and he hoped on this day week to be
in a condition to lay them on the table of the House.