The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-08 00:00:00

PRIVATE
Mr. HUME called attention to the number of private Bills
before the House, with the view of having model Pill; for the
several classes. As an instance of this ne would adduce the
class of Bills for water-works. of which there were more this
year than ever there were before. With respect to them, be
would require that no Bill for water-works should be brought
before the House till a public inspector had investigated the
case, and reported that it was one of public necessity.
This would be a much preferable mode
.of proceeding
to that usually practised, of examining evidence
by a Committee of that House, which was generally given by
parties interested in the case. The public interests were not
considered at all. This was the case with a great many private
Bills, and the change which he was desirous to effect was one
by which the public interests would be always kept in view.
There was no reason why one Bill should not lie passed, by
which any community could carry out their intentions in these
respects without being obliged to come before Parliament.—
( Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member for Northampton had
brought in a Bill in the year 1833, founded on the same princi-
ples. It was one to enable large communities, who
should agree that their town ought to be lighted,
to do so without coming before Parliament. If such
a measure was brought in, it would be of vast
importance and would do credit to the Gavernment.
Those were the objects he had in view, and he might have en-
larged upon them, had it not been for the length of time al-
ready taken up. He should be glad to hear the opinion of one
of her Majesty's Ministei s, and to know whether they were
prepared to consider the question. He would conclude by
moving that a Select Committee be appointed to consider the
subject.
Sir J. GRAHAM said that he agreed with the Hon. Mem-
ber for Montrose that a great public interest was involved in
this question. Last year the Legislature adopted a principle
with reference to enclosure Bills, which was found to be very
advantageous. It passed a general Bill giving great facilities
to local enclosares, and reserving to the Government the right
of deciding on the more important ones. So far from differing
from the motion which the Hon. Member was disposed to make
after Easter, he entirely concurred in it. The Hon. Member
for Devon had called his attention tcl a measure for promoting
the health of large towns, supplying them with water, and
cleansing their drains. The effect of that measure was to sti-
mulate speculation, and to cause great numbers of Bills to be
brought forward in this session to include numbers of large
springs under a general Act, and it would be necessary to take
steps to these Bills. He was induced, on the part of the Go-
vernment, to propose that the power of companies over such
springs should be contingent on some general measure, for he
certainly thought that the attention of Parliament should be
directed to the subject, and he should, therefore, be happy to
give the Hon. Member his hearty support in the course which
be proposed to take.
Lord EBRINGTON said that he was very much rejoiced
to find that this subject was brought under the notice of Par-
liament, and he did hope that the course taken by Government
would be a decisive one. The Legislature had, all along
laboured under an erroneous principle with respect to the
application of free trade to matters of commerce, and not to
these monopolies. The public, in his opinion, could not be
protected against these monopolies without some stringent re-
gulations were applied to each company, both with regard to the
price and the supply of the gas or water, or whatever it might
be.

Mr. GREENE suggested that the same system that the
House adoped last year in respect to railways should be ap-
plied to all description of police improvement and water-
works Bills. Last year they passed a lands' clauses consolida-
tion and a railway clauses consolidation Bill, and they could
apply similar measures to other descriptions of private Bills.
The motion was then agreed to, but the nomination of the
Committee was deferred till after Easter.
Mr. O'CONNELL gave notice that he would move for
the production of certain correspondence that had passed be-
tween Lord Stanley, when he was Colonial Secretary, and the
Government of New South Wales.

Mir. JOHN O'CONNELL gave notice that he would
move for the production of minutes of proceedings that had
taken place before the poor-law gardians of the Mullingar
Union.

Mr. CHRISTIE gave notice that he would move for cer
tain returns relative to cemeteries.

Dr. BOWRIWG gave notice that he would call the atten-
tion of the House to certain passages in the report made by the
Tidal Harbours' Commission relative to the Isle of Man.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE gave notice that he would call the
attention of the House on that day fortnight to the administra-
tion of affairs at the Post-office.

Mr. M. MILNES moved for a copy of the abstracts of the
diocesan returns made to her Majesty in Council, for the year
1644, by the Archbishops and Bishnps of England and Wales;
showing the number of resident and non-resident incumbents ;
the net value of the benefices on which the incumbents are non-
resident; the number and stipend of curates to non-resident in-
cumbents ; the number and stipend of curates assisting resident
incumbents.—Agreed to.

Sir DE LACY EVANS moved for a return of the number
of persons in the united parishes of St. John and St. Margaret,
in the city of Westminster, who have claimed to be rated to the
relief of the poor, and whose claims have not been complied
with ; such return to include the last three years separately,
and to show whether the omission of any such claimants was
made from the rate for the time being, or the it equent rate
or rates; and also to show the number of sue • aimants who
have been excluded from the lists of voters for Members of Par-
liament since such claims were made.—Agreed to.

Mr. EVELYN DENISON wished to—ask the Secretary of
State for the Home Department, whether it was the intention of
the Governmeht to take any steps, in order to restrain the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners for Ireland from expending the
capital sums, derived from the sale of church lands, in defray-
ing the annual current charges of the Commission. It might
be in the recollection of many gentlemen, that he had brought
this question under the notice of the House last session. Lands
had been sold by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to the value
of 452,0001.; these, therefore, had been lost to the church,
and lost to the state, the guardians, and trustees of that fund.
—(Hear, hear.)
Sir J. GRAHAM said he would refer to the correspondence
which he had the honour of laying on the table of the House
last session, and from it would appear what the opinions of the
Government were or, the subject.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM, in reply to the Hon. Gentleman,
said that in the course of the present year the expenses had
been strictly confined to the interest of the revenue, and not
a portion of the capital would have been expended. The sur-
plus on the present year amounted to 10,000!.
Sir CHARLES NAPIER wished to know whether the list

which was promulgated some time since for the retirement of
300 officers had yet been filled up ?
Mr. CORRY said that the Government had not yet been

able to fill up the list.
Mr. COCHRANE said that the affairs of Greece were in
a state of bankruptcy. This was corroborated by the Minister
of Finance for Greece. He (Mr. Cochrane) wished to know
whether the interest of the loan was likely to be paid, and
when?

Sir ROBERT PEEL said he could not entertain very great
hopes that the interest of the debt that had been incurred by
the Greek Government would yet be paid. He was prepared
to lay before the House the statement with respect to the
financial affairs of the Greek Government. A demand for the

interest of the loan had been made by the Government, which
►ad been refused on the ground of inability to meet the demand.
Lord WO RSLEY wished to a•k the Secretary of State for
the Home Department, when the public general Bill for the
inclosure of 'those waste lands, which the Inclosure Commis-
sioners for England and Wales have certiiled, in their annual

report, to be expedient, but which may nut be further pie-
ceeded with without the authority of Parliament, will be pre-
sented to the House? Whether the said Commissioners will
be instructed to report specially, at a later period of this session,
upon such applications for inelosure as had been received by
them since the date of their annual report ; and if so, whether
a second public general Bill would then be presented to the
House, with a view to avoid delay ? What restrictions, if any,
are contemplated to the introduction of private inclosure Bills,
with a view to an efficient and inexpensive protection of the
interests of those commoners who, by petitions to this House,
allege that there are not any circumstances so special in them-
selves as to render the provisions of the general Inclosure Act
inapplicable in whole or in port to such inclosur es ?
Sir J. GRAHAM said he had intended to
present to the
llouse, if the report fine t Commissioners was inadequate,
ha
mew Bill, which would ude in it a satisfacto.frylisretily to.t e
question of the Noble Lord. Under the Act
neuipooanurteh.etior
the Commission had beend
feeenlatiitled. to make a separate sreespEoorne
pdpulicyatti:nr°fourndi
and if necessaprryehseensthloeualr,
of the application report of the
the Bill, a second
it Bill. question of
With respect to the last
the Noble Lord, certainly was not the intention of the Go_
wernment to give any general control to the patronage of any
Trivate Bill that might be introduced. I%luch facility had
-
been given
time opponents had an opportunity of protecting them-
selves or their privileg:s..The opportunity had been passed
for a startling order regulating the
the Inclosure Bills during the
present session ; he was, decidedly of opinion, during
ho
the next session of Parliament, it would be decidedly desir-
able to introduce a standing order, under the consideration
'of the House, for the regulation of private Bills.
Sir ROBERT PEEL presented
coanser the state of thatpetition from the county
est Clare, praying the House to consider
country, and to devise some mode for the apprehension and
bringing to justice the persons concerned in the late murders in
that county. The petitioners stated that in consequence of
the assassinations that had taken place in that county, and
the neighbouring life
counties, they were of opinion that it would
be very desirable that the Bill for the protection of
should be allowed to pass into a law.
ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.
Sir ROBERT PEEL said that it would perhaps be for
the convenience of many Hon. Members present, if he were
now to state the course which the Government had propsed to
adopt with respect to the
adjournment. He did not consider
it would be his duty, in the present aspect of public affairs and
the important business which pressed upon the House, to
Tropose any longer adjournment than was absolutely
'necessary. It had been usually the practice on
accasions similar to the present for the House
to adjourn till the Monday week following the
day of adjournment. That was the shortest period which it
was customary for the House to adopt. When, however, he
considered the amount and importance of public business which
remained to be transacted, the loss even of a day was of consi-
derable importance. He should, therefore, consider it his duty
to propose that the House should adjourn from the Thursday
;next ensuing until the next Friday ; and in that case he should
propose that the House should resume the consideration of the
debate on the Irish question. If, however, it should be the
'wish of the House that the adjnurnir ent of the House should
take effect to-morrow instead of Thursday, he should make no
'objection to such proceeding. Several Hon. Members had
'motions on the papers for that day, and if they made no objec-
tion to waive their motions, he should recommend that the
House do adjourn. He should, therefore, propose that the
adjournment should be carried to Friday of the following week,
when the consideration of the Irish question would be re-
sumed. On the following Monday he should be in a position
.to proceed with the Corn Bill, and the regulation of the tariff.
After a few words from Mr. O'Brien, Lord G. Somerville,
and Lord G. Bentincks
Itlr. DUNCONI BE moved that the second reading of the
Lace Factories Bill be postponed from Monday, April 20, to
Wednesday, the 29. d.
LEGAL EDUCATION (IRELAND).
Mr. WYSE, in bringing Inward his motion for the ap-
pointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the present
state of Legal Education in Ireland, and the means for its
lerther improvement and extension, wished to impress
the importance of the subject on the consideration of the House.
In a former Committee, the question as to the importance and
-necessity for a law school was considered and admitted ; and
subsequently, in the year Iti4o, the subject was again mooted,
and a suggestion was made to the effect that a school for legal
education should be established in Ireland. In the session of
1543 he laid a petition upon that table, praying for a charter of
incorporation for this purpose, and at the same time he made a
motion for a Committee to inquire into the state of legal
education in Ireland. Of the importance of this branch of
"salutation he would not speak, for who was there wbo would
:st admit the great influence of the lawyer upon society, not
_.t.tty at present, but the influence which he might be the means
vut pexpetuating to future ages. The testimonyof history
it "if •euuld be brought forward
to illustr4te the great mic-
fo
Irioisae, .of the defective state of the system of legal legislation
ei_ll4, times. It might be true that in England and in
lsit?sis there were men at the bar of the very
ihhest literary attainments ' • but how was it that
was the only learned profession in which it.
was notti „ Nmpulsori to pass through a cerain ordeal to
cut
the the candidate for that professit
on. In calling