The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-05 00:00:00

RETURNS.

On the motion of Dr. BOWRING the following
returns were agreed to :—A. tabular return, showing
the quantities of sugar of the several sorts imported
into the United Kingdom, and the quantities retained
for home consumption ; together with the rates of
duty charged on the home consumption, and the next
revenue accruing therefrom, in each year from 1793
to 1847 inclusive ; followed by a comparative statement
of the average prices of British plantation and foreign
plantation sugar (ordinary yellow Havana), for the
same series of years (in conformity, so far as prac-
ticable, with the sessional paper No. 290, of 1841).
Also a copy of Dr. King's report on the fever at Boa
Vista.

On the motion of Mr. HUME, the following re-
turns were order€d:—Returns of the numbers of
commissioned and non-commissioned officers and
private men in each description of corps in the army,
on 'the 25th day of January, in the years 1829, 1835,
1840, and 1847 (in continuation of Return, Appendix
41, of Finance Committee 1828) : of the number of
British troops, men and officers, in each colony and
foreign garrison ; troops, officers, and men employed
in the public service, exclusive of India ; number
of men and officers employed in Great Britain ; ditto
in Ireland, on the 25th of January, in the years 1829,
1835, 1840, and 1847 (in continuation of Return,
Appendix 79, of Finance Committee, 1828) : of
the total number of officers and men of the yeo-
manry in Great Britain, on the Ist day of January,
in the years 1829, 1835, 1840, and 1847 (in continu-
ation of Return, Appendix 100, of Finance Com-
mittee, 188) : of the number of officers and men
of the yeomanry and armed constables in Ire-
land, on the Ist day of January, in the years 1829,
1835, 1840, and 1847 (in continuation of Return,
Appendix 158, of Finance Committee, 1828).
ADJOURNMENT OF TIIE HOUSE.
On the motion of Mr. TUF,Ni ELL, it was or-
dered that the House at its rising do adjourn till
Monday.

NEW ZEALAND BILL.
Mr. LABOUCHERE postponed the second read-
ing of the New Zealand Bill till 'Wednesday next, as
he was desirous it should not interfere with the ad-
journed debate on the West India question.
CONTROVERTED ELECTIONS.
On the order of the day for resuming the adjourned
debate being read,
Mr. B. COCHRANE rose, and said be wished to
ask a question of the Secretary of State for the Home
Department on a subject which, he believed, the
House would consider one of the utmost.
im-
portance, as questions of Jutice,
as well as they:haracterse'of many Members of the
Majesty's Government
whetherent it was. the intention of her
)evlernm to bring in any Bill to amend
the law with respect to the way in which inquiries
into election petitioris were at
_present conducted ?
His object in asking this questioni\ie was on account
)
of the hardships to whichmed iers were exposed
against, if the
were
whose returns were
petition
allegations contained therein vi
be well founded. Notwithstandinge sPurcehvead not to
decision
might be come to, the person petitioned a
liable for the expenses to which he mightralstvnebeen
was
put. It was true, the Committee had the power to
decide that the petitions were " frivolous and vexatious,"
when the expenses would fall upon the petitioners,
but they all knew that they never came to such a
decision unless a very vexatious case had been offered.
There was another point which he also considered