The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-19 00:00:00

RAILWAY GAUGES.

Lord REDESITALE asked whether it was the inten-
tion of the Railway Commissioners to oppose the intro-
duction into any private Bill of any provisions for alter-
ing the gauge of any railway, authorised to be con-
structed by any Act which had passed prior to the
passing of the Gauge Act in 1846; whether
they propose to bring in a Bill to alter and
amend the Gauge Act ; whether' any report; has been
prepared by them upon the subject ; or whether they
intund to recommend that the consideration of the same
shall be postponed to the next session of Parliament.
The Earl of GRANVILLE, who spoke in such
an indistinct tone that it was all but impossible to
catch the purport of his observations in the gallery,
was understood to say that it was not the intention of
the Railway Commissioners to introduce any measure of
the nature alluded to by the Noble Lord. They were
inclined, however, to favour the extensio❑ of the broad
gauge to Birmingham. [Such, we believe, was the
purport of the observations of the Noble Earl; but the
new House of Peers is so ill adapted for the purposes of
a deliberative assembly, and the Noble Earl spoke so in-
distinctly, that it was impossible to collect accurately
the purport of his speech.]
After a few words from the Earl of WArtwicK and the
Earl of GRANVILLE,
Lord STANLEY rose, and was

(LEFT SPEAKING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four
o'Clock.
Mr. Conamm.. 'LEIGH took the oaths and I►is seat
for North Cheshire, in the room of Mr. E. J. Stanley,
who has been elevated to the Peerage.
LORDS' AMENDMENTS.

The Lords' amendments to the following Bills were
agreed to:—
Battle-bridge and Holloway-road Act Repeal Bill.
Liverpool Gas Light Company and Liverpool New Gas
and Coke Company Amalgamation Bill.
Patent Galvanizd Iron Company Bill.

THIRD REAbINGS.
The following Bills were read a third time:—
Caledonian Railway (Branches connecting the Clydes-
dale Junction and Wish aw and Coltness Railways, &c.)
Dundee and Arbroath Railway (Dundee Junction).
Dundee and Perth Railway (Dundee Junction).
Dundee and Perth Railway (Lease of the Dundee and
Arbroath Railway).
Edinburgh and Ulasgow Railway, and Glasgow, Airdrie,
and Monklands Junction Railway (Amendment of
Acts).
Whitehaven Junction Railway (Extension, Alteration,
and Branches, &c.).
Windsor, Staines, and South-Western Railway Act
(No. 1) 1847 (Slough Extension and Deviations) (No.

2).
Wishaw and Coltness Railway (Deviation Connecting
Branch and Improvement).
York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway (Great North of
England, Clarence and Hartlepool Junction Railway,
and Hartlepool Dock and Railway Leasing).
ABERDEEN RAILWAY (ADDITIONAL CAPI-
TAL) BILL. .
.. _ .

On the motion that this Bill be read a third time,
Mr. HINDLEY opposed the motion on the ground
that although the company had been authorised to raise
an immense sum of money from which the original
shareholders could never expect to derive any adequate
return, they now sought by this Bill to raise an addi-
tional sum Isy the creation of new shares, seeking power
at the same time to guarantee interest at the rate of
ten per cent. to those who should take up
the new shares thus to be created. Why, Manchester,
Liverpool, and Leeds had been drained by railway com-
panies, and it was monstrous for this company to endea-
vour to obtain powers like those they sought, which
would have the effect of draining the resources of the
country, if similar powers were granted to other com-
panies, to an extent which would be most injurious to
its commerce. He wished to know if it was competent
for him to move that the clause in the Bill be altered
from 10 to 6 per cent.
The SPEAKER said it was not competent for the
Hon. Gentleman to do so as he had not given notice of
his intention, in which case his amendment should have
been printed in the votes.
Mr. BERNAL said as the Bill had emanated from
his small tribunal up stairs, it was incumbent upon him
to explain the grounds upon which he had passed it.
The Bon. Gentlman then stated that the Bill was abso-
lutely necessary to enable the company to proceed with
its undertaking, and that if it was not acceded to the
original shareholders, whom the Hon. Gentleman seemed
to commisserate, would be unfairly dealt with.
The Bill was then read a third time and passed.
ESDAILE'S CHARITY ESTATE BILL.
This Bill was read a second time and ordered to be
committed.

The following repoßrtEsPwoeßreTSc.onside
red and agreed
to:—
Burntislaad Harbour Improvement Bill.
Dover Harbour Bill.
PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.
Mr. M'GREGOR presented
a
at a meeting held at Glasgow on petition agreed to
the
stating that the taxation of the country 6th of June,
and praying for an extension of the 2suwfr oppressive,
ballot, electoral districts, and triennial rl)wite,vote by
He also presented a number of similar potitrhaments.
ions from
workmen and others at Glasgow, and from other places
in Scotland.
Mr. G. DUNCAN presented, several petitions
from
places in Scotland to the same effect.
An HoN. MEMBER presented a petition to the same
effect from Oldham.
LUNATICS ASYLUM BILL.
Mr. GEORGE DUNCAN presented a petition from
Scotland against the Lunatics Asylum Bill.
SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS.
The HON. MEMBER also presented a petition against
the system now adopted throughout the country in
granting licenses for the sale of spirituous liquors.
PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.
Mr. C. LUSHINGTON presented petitions from
Westminster in favour of Parliamentary reform.
Petitions to the same effect were presented -by Mr.
Glyn, Mr. G. Thompson (one of which was in favour of
the Charter) ; Dr. Bowing, from Saffron Walden ; Mr.
Mowatt, from a place in Cornwall ; and Col. Thomp-
son, from Manchester and Preston.
THE EXCISE.

Mr. G. THOMPSON presented a petition from St.
Ives in favour of the reduction of the duty upon tea,
coffee, windows, and paper.
STALEYBRIDGE.
Mr. HINDLEY presented a petition from Staley-
bridge, setting forth the value of the property of the
town, and the capital invested in its trade; and praying
that the town might be permitted to return a Member to
represent its interests in Parliament.
MERCHANT SEAMEN'S FUND.

Mr. BAINES presented a petition from Hull against
this Bill, and complained that the central management
was placed in the Trinity House.
PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.
Colonel SALWEY presented petitions from Ludlow
and Shropshire in favour of Parliamentary reform.
Captain BERKELEY presented a petition from the