The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-25 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

110 USE OF LORDS, March 24.
ROYAL ASSENT.
The royal assent was given to-day by commission to the
Metropolitan Buildings Amendment Bill, and the Fever
(Ireland) Bill.
The Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, the Duke of
Bnccleuch, and the Earl of Haddington.
The House resumed at Five o'clock.
POOR-LAW UNIONS.
The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition from cer-
tain officers of the West Hundred Union in Sussex, praying
that such officers might be allowed pensions upon their be-
coming superannuated. He would net take a long time, be-
cause he was sure that when the Bill came there it would be
regular for him to move such an amendment.
The Duke of BUCCLEUCH moved the third reading of the
Print Works Bill.
The Bill was then read a third time.
ELY AND HUNTINGDON RAILWAY.

Lord DACRE presented a petition from certain parties,
praying their Lordsbips not to proceed further in the prosecu-
tion of the Huntingdon and Ely Rene ay Bill, on account of
non-compliance with the standing orders, and errors in the
datum line.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY said the Bill was allowed to
pass through the Standing Orders' Committee, because there
was no opposition to it.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE considered if they
granted the prayer of the petition that they would treat the
promoters of the line with great hardship, because they ad-
mitted they would have proceeded with, and probably passed
the Bill, if no opposition had been manifested against it, but
now that a petition had been presented against it they were asked
to postpone or not proceed with it at all. He protested against
such a course of proceeding, as it was extremely easy for per-
sons to get up an opposition to a railway Bill.
Lord REDESDALE thought the Noble Marquis did not
properly understand the case, as he said if there had been no
opposition that their Lordships would have given their assent
to the Bill. But he forgot there was an error in the sections of
such a monstrous character as to render it quite impossible
for them to pass the Bill unless no objection had been raised
to it by any person whatever. There was an error of ten
feet in the datum line. No great injury, however, could result
to the promoters of the Bill, as a line with which it was con -
nected, the Huntingdon and Wisbeach, had not passed the
Standing Orders' Committee.
Lord CAMPBELL saw no objection why the Bill should
not be read a third time.
After a few words from the Marquis of SALISBURY,
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY thought the case under
consideration was analogous to that of the Great County Down
Railway, and it should not be treated more favourably than that
line had been.
The Earl of DALHOUSIE said that the two cases were as
different as possible. He never knew any line more trouble-
some than the one alluded to by the Noble Marquis.—( Laugh.)
The Duke of RICHMOND said if it went abroad that one
line was to be preferred before another, as had been
insinuated, it would be very hard to get Noble
Lords to attend a Committee on standing order:.
The Standing Orders' Committee, in consequence of the be-
lief that there was no opposition to the Bill, although the
standing orders had not been complied with, had stated that it
was a case in which they might be dispensed with. It was
now moved that the Bill should be returned to the Standing
Orders' Committee. He was afraid that the Standing Orders'
Committee did not act with sufficient severity. If it was
proved that the standing ordershad not been complied with, the
rejection of the Bill ought to be imperative.
Lord MONTEAG LE said that if they passed over incorrect
plans and sections given by men who called themselves en-
gineers, the consequence should be that the Bill ought not to be
allowed to pass. It would encourage the appointment of in-
competent persons in the formation of these works. That was
a subject of great importance, and would particularly affect the
general interests of the country at large, for in consequence
of the extravagant enterprises and speculations, we should
sooner or later have to contend with the difficulties of un-
finished railways over the length and breadth of the land. And
when their Lordships considered what a positive nuisance to
the landed proprietors it would be if these railways were left
unfinished, they should protest against this, and tell the pro-
moters of Bills that inaccuracies on the part of men
of science, or men calling themselves men of science,
would not meet with any indulgence or favour on the part
of that House, but on the contrary it would be at once punished
by the refusal of the Bill • and when it was said that in the
engineering department there was an error affecting 36 miles out
of 40, he for one should be prepared to vote against the Bill.
On the motion being put it was negatived.
RAIL WAYS.
The Earl of WICKLOW presented a petition from the
grand jury and other influential persons of the county of Sligo,
praying for an alteration in the standing orders respecting
railways. He also presented a petition from the county of
Mayo, numerously signed, in favour of the Great Western Irish
Railway Bill.
MEDICAL REMUNERATION BILL.
The Earl of CLANCARTY presented a petition from a
great number of medical practitioners, which stated that they
bad no remuneration for their attendance on lunatics sent to
lunatic asylums, and praying for an alteration in the law in tha
respect.