The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-26 00:00:00

SALE OF WASTE LAND IN AUSTRALIA.

In answer to a NOBLE Loan,
Lord LYTTELTON said that he intended to lay on their
Lordships' table a Bill to regulate the sale of waste land in
Australia. This Bill differed in many respects from the Bill
which was laid on the table at the close of the last session.
The Noble Lord laid the Bill on the table, and moved that it
be read a first time.
PORTBURY PIER AND RAILWAY COMPANY.

Lord REDESDALE presented a petition from an indivi-
dual, to which he wished to call their Lordships' attention.
It complained of a great hareship inflicted upon him by the
proceedings of this Company. It appeared that last year he
consented to forego his opposition to the Bill, in con-
sequence of some arrangements into which they had
entered with him, and on the payment of all costs.
They had, however, refused to complete their promise.
The railway company had broken faith with the petitioner,
and he should therefore move that the Standing Orders' Com.
mittee appointed to meet to-morrow to consider the Bill be
postponed till Tuesday, and if the railway company did not
perform their agreement in the meantime he should move for a
Committee to inquire into the allegations of the petition.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY gave notice that on
Monday next he should move for a Select Committee to inquire
into the allegatious of a petition which he presented a few
nights ago against the Lancashire and North Yorkshire
Railway.
Lord BEAUMONT regretted that the Noble Marquis
should have complained of a want of courtesey by him
(Lord Beaumont) towards the Noble Marquis. This
railway he was connected with, and when the petition
was presented by the Noble Marquis, as the complaint
of a 11Ir. Moss, who alleged that the shares were allotted to
the provisional committee, and he (Mr. Moss) had applied
for shares, and failed to get any—he (Lord Beaumont), when
the petition was presented, said that it was more favourable
than otherwise to the Bill, for it showed that the Committee
were responsible men, and had an interest in the prosperity of
the line. He had no intention whatever of behaving discour-
teously towards the Noble Marquis.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY said he did not know the
Bill was to be read a third time till it was mentioned in their
Lordships' House.

The Marquis of LONDONDERRY and the Marquis of CLAN-
RICARDE offered a few remarks on the same subject.
Lord KINNAIRD presented a petition from certain opera-
tives, praying that their Lordships would provide for improvement
in the dwellings of the working classes, for better drainage and
sewarage, and for the better supply of water to the dwellings of
the poor; and asked the Noble Viscount (Canning) at the
head of the department of Woods and Forests, what measures
had been taken to provide for the objects mentioned iu the
petition?
METROPOLITAN BUILDINGS BILL.

Lord PORTMAN wished to draw the attention of their
Lordships to this Act. It would be in the recollection of their
Lordships, that this Bill was passed in an extraordinary
manner ; that it contained no less than one hun-
dred and thirty clauses; and that it was passed into a
law with the greatest haste. It had become an Act of the
greatest possible annoyance to private individuals who come
within its influence. Its provisions were monstrous,
and large fees were created for the purpose of
carrying on the Act. A large book had been
published by Mr. Laws, so necessary was it to instruct the peo-
ple as to its provisions. This book contained 150 cases which
had been settled by the official referees. If a person went to
the office of the Metropolitan Buildings, and inquired whether
he was right or wrong in his proceedings, he was informed
that he must bring the matter before the official referees by re-
quisition, and that they then would give their' award. He
must obtain a " circuit' paper, for which he had to pay, and
then, when he had got a requisition, they would give their
award. In one case a person received nine notices from
the office, and he was told that he might be informed of the
decision of the referees for 3/. 9s. 11d. ; but he was too poor
to pay for it, so that it was evident the fees which they ex-
acted under the Bill were of a large and arbitrary character.
The Noble Lord then detailed some cases of great hardship
arising out of the present system, but he spoke in so low a tone
as not to be heard in the gallery.
Lord CANNING said the Noble Lord's question, if he un-
derstood it right, was whether Government intended to in.
troduce any measure this session for the better drainage and
supply of water in the metropolitan districts, but the petition
the Noble Lord had presented had reference to water and
improvement Bills which did not apply to the metropolis.
With regard to the Noble Lord's question, he might
state that that Gentleman had no Bill in preparation
for improving the drainage and the supply of water in the me-
tropolis. It was their intention to begin first in the rural, or
rather the manufacturing districts.—(Hear, hear.) And
with that view the Health of Towns' Bill was intro-
duced into Parliament towards the close of last session.
Various suggestions were made with respect to the Bill, and,
when they were consolidated into a Bill, it was sent to the
other House of Parliament. With regard to the manner
in which they were to deal with private water
companies, the Government suggested clauses which
should compel those companies to give a sufficient
supply to all large towns, and also to the poor districts.
These clauses had been all adopted by the private Water Com-
panies' Bills which passed through the Committees this session.
He said the Bill consisted of 120 or 130 clauses, and was
found therefore to be very unmanageable. But it was the
intention of the Government to introduce amendments, so far
as to divide it into certain compartments under particular
headings.
The Earl of CADOGAN said he was one of those who op-
posed this Bill at its introduction, but after what had fallen
from the Noble Viscount, he was perfectly satisfied with the
Bill as it had been now described.

BUCKINGHAM RAILWAY (TRING TO BANBURY.)
Lord STANLEY reported to the House that the Committee
to whom this Bill had been referred were of opinion that it was
not expedient to ➢roceed with it.
PROTECTION TO MAGISTRATES BILL. .

This Bill, on the motion of Lord BROUGHAM, was read
a second time and committed.
ST. ASAPH AND BANGOR.
Lord VIVIAN wished to inquire if the Noble Lord the
Comptroller of the Exchequer (Lord Monteagle) intended to
introduce a Bill for the union of these sees ; and also a Bill for
appropriating their surplus revenues to other purposes
connected with the Church ; and whether, if such was his
intention, he should introduce them at the same time, as
they were of a cognate character?
Lord MONTEAGLE replied that it was his intention to in-
troduce a Bill for the union of those sees to-morrow, similar to
the one introduced by him last year, in accordance with the
first report of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. It was also
his intention to introduce a Bill to appropriate the surplus re-
venues of the sees, if united, to the endowment of small livings.
Earl DALHOUSIE presented several petitions in favour of
the Ministerial measures.
SEES OF ST. ASAPH AND BANGOR.

The Bishop of EXETER presented two petitions against
the union of the sees of St. Asaph and Bangor. The petitioners
prayed not only that a Bill might be brought to prevent the
union of the two sees, but also that a bishop might be immediately
appointed to Manchester,
THE LUNATIC ACT.

The Duke of RICHMOND presented two petitions from
West Cheltington against the present Lunatic Act.
THE CORN-LAWS.

The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition from the
West Surrey Association for protection to agriculture and
British industry. The petitioners stated that they had heard
with great surprise that the tenant-farmers were said to be in
favour, or indifferent to the repeal of the existing corn-law, and
they begged to state to their Lordships that they sincerely be-
lieved such statements to be utterly untrue. They stated that
the proposed measure would have the effect of compelling them
to reduce their labourers' wages. They also stated that they
believed that the hateful and impious cry of famine had been
raised for the purpose of enabling them who raised it to carry
out their schemes of plunder, and violation of the rights of the
agricultural party.—( Hear, hear, and laughter.) The petition
was signed by the Chairman of the Association, and he must
say that he agreed with the prayer of the petition.—(Laughter.)