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

RAILWAY.

The Earl of ROSEBEHRY reported from the Committee
on this Bill hat they had pa.sed the preamble.
Lnrd 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 prevent system of levying
poor-rates may be abashed, and a national rate substituted.
The Earl of HA It DWICK E presented a petition from the
county of Cambilige, %birth was adopted by a meeting held
in the open air against free trade, arid praying that all meaures
having a tendency to reduce the protection on Britt.ll industry
*say be re;ected.
The Earl of DENBIGH presented a petition from the
Trustees of the Rugby Charity, against the Charitable Trust
Bill.

The Martinis 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
eounsel 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 petitiornirs ought to have
presented their petition before, in order to allow them to he
hoard 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 Batt of ELDON said, that when the petition was pre-
sented to him, he pointed out to his Friend the difficulty under
which Biey laboured. tie hoped the Noble and Learned Lord
wonlit make such alterations in the Bill as would prevent op
position, either nn the second or third reading. Should no
alteration be made in the Bill, he should certainly oppose it in
ail si ages.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said the Bill was precisely
similar to the Bill 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 ELnos and the LORD CHAN-
CRLLOR,

Lord COTTENHAM said, that if the Bill should assume
the same shape as the last one, he should and 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-
bAl) eoriidered it strange, if, at the suggestion of the Noble
Lord, who sometimes sat there (pointing to Lord Brougham's
seat), but who was now _
ing on the ‘Voolsark—( Great
laughter )—he should now P"lione it till after the Eater holi-
days. He would like that the Noble L„nt
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. 44• e ob;ect should be also to simplify the proceed-
ings as m.... 1 as possible in that Court. lie would most
heartily support the motion, but not with the machinery sought
to be it trodoced.
Lortl2,lßOUG'l Nf cost itlered that his Noble Friend must
have grievouslv mi-akett he. in'ensions when he stated that
hit, proeee,ing was quite irregular He had merely wished
that the con-ideratioti tit the hilt siteold be put off for the pur-
pose of maki•tg certain changes, which would make the Bill
pass—he would Lot say unan less
certainly with
opposition in their Lordships' House. He had not had an op-
portunity of conferring with his Noble Friend, in con•equence
of their many engaf..,,ement:. His Noble Friend would leave
town at the end of the week, anti he should not have an app tr-
iunity of conferring with him unless the Ittll was put Off
for a
few days. The present Bill was confined to small cha ities—
Lord CAMPBELL—No. no.

Lord BROUGHAM—If hie Noble Friend would allow
him—he 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 fund!, 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. lie had himself partaken of their hos itality,
They had great funds at their disposal, and they did not like
to have tilers inquired into. He knew of one man who had
600/. 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 admipister small charities. That was the main part of the
11. 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
thotyht proper to let out their property, why should they not?
He sbould be ready to make any personal sacrifice to pass this
measure.

Lord COTTNEHAM wsul.l remind his Noble and Learned
Friend, that he, by this Bill, gave a power to the trustees,

sctlich t 1.3 Crown and th 3 Court of Chancery did not possess.
It gave the trustees the poser 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 charties. 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 6001. 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.
1..,:rd 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 COMMOIVS, March 27.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
SECOND READINGS.
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.
Gla.gow, Paisley, and Johnstore Canal Sale.
Warrington NVarterworks.

Shrewsbury and Herefordshire Railway.
Bristol and Birmingham Railway (Gloucester and Stouehouse
Junction).
Buckinghamihire Railway ( Tring to Banbury).
Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Dudley Railway.
Midland Railway ( Erewash Valley Extension).
Midland Railway ( Erewash Valley Branches).
Reading, Guildford, and Reigate Railway.
Worcewer and Porthdynllaen Railway.
hrewsbury 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 tollovring reports were brought up, and ordered to be
kid on the table, viz.:—
Sunderland Gas.
Sunderland Waterworks.

Bromsgrove Improvement and Small Tenements.
Burnley Improvement and Waterworks.
Mahlon, Witham, and Braintree Railway.
Eastern Union and liadleigh 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 tirst 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 'ft st hour Factory Bill, and for
the aboliti, n of the duties on Timber.