The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-04 00:00:00

FREE TRADE.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented a petition from
Lancaster in favour of free trade, signed by upwards of 1,000
persons.

VAN DIEMEN"S LAND.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE again rose and said, that in
pursuance of a notice which he had given, he begged to
call their Lordship's attention to a petition which was of con-
siderable importance, both on account of the quarter in which
it originated, and from the quarter with which the subject was
immediately connected. It was a petition numerously signed
by the inhabitants of a colony, well known by its reputation,
to himself and to their Lordships, and which was as much en-
titled as any one of our colonies to a respectful, a kind,
and patient consideration of their grievances. It was in fact
a petition from the inhabitants of Van Diemen's Land, and he
need not inform their Lordships that that colony in its locality
was one of the most pretty and interesting colonies in her
Majesty's dominions ; in its extent equal to Ireland, and con-
tained a vast mass of population. Instead of reading the pe-
tition, he would prefer stating the substance of it, as it was of
considerable length. The petitioners stated, that having
been at different times induced and encouraged to emigrate
to that country in the hope and expectation that as no greater
number of convicts would be sent to that part of her Ma-
jesty's dominion, the people of that country would peon be-
come a free and a virtuous people. They had latterly, how-
ever found, that there was no hope of their expectations
being realised, and that the immense importation of convicts
had changed the entire face of the country. They stated that
when they emigrated they were required to embark consider-
able capital in the land which they occupied, and that nothing
could be more prosperous than their exertions in the cultiva-
tion of their land. They also stated, that from the year
1834 to the year 1840, the population had in-
creased from 12,700 to upwards of 40,000, and . the
number of acres cultivated from 25,000 to 124,000.
The truth of those statements were quite apparent. In this
small, narrow, and confined society there were no fewer than
16,000 convicts imported within three years, 13.000 males and
6,000 females. The consequence was, that instead of any
classification of divisions being made of these convicts, they
were obliged to be worked in gangs of two and three hundred,
to the great terror of the peaceable inhabitants of the place.
This had also been the means of increasing crime, and ren-
dering a large police foree necessary. He did think
that on these grounds the petition brought forward by
the most respectable persons—the Bishop of the colony
—a large number of the landed proprietors, and six
out of the eight members of the Legislative Council,
making in all 1,300 or 1,400 persons, had some claim on the
attention of her Majesty's Government. He begged to be
understood that in what he had said, with respect to the im-
provement of convict labour, he did not adopt the opinion—
however much he might respect them—of those persons, who
thought that transportation was a punishment unfit for this
country, for he was one of those who, in the past
and present state of the criminal law, and the
present state of crime, thought that transportation was an in-
dispensable punishment. There might be a good principle
adopted by the Government. They should either send out so
many convicts to one island as would make it a place ex-
clusively for the purposes of the punishment, or they should
send out such a limited number as was consistent with the well-
being of the place, and he would permit the convicts to be
received and amalgamated with the virtuous and industrious
portion of the community. Now, having stated this, he was
bound also to admit the difficulties which surrounded the sub-

ject. He knew that the Noble Lord, the late Secretary for
the Colonies, had directed his attention to the evil, with the
view of finding a remedy for it. He (Lord Lansdowne) was
confident that no measure but one would, to a con-

siderable extent, relieve the colony from the amount of crimi-
nality which was yearly poured into it, and be attended with
any measure of success. Under the present system it was
quite impossible for the police to control or the Government to
overawe them, and unless, as he had stated, they were prepared to
retain the colony in the manner he had suggested, they would not
be doing justice to the interests of the colonists. The petition
prayed that n• convicts should be after that period sent to the
colony, but they admitted that others of the inhabitants of Van
Diemen's Land thought that a smaller number than were at
present introduced would do no injury. They all agreed,
however, that the present system, unless discontinued, would
result in the ruin of the colony. He had received a letter
which stated that at the present time there were 2,009 persons
who had tickets of leave, going about seeking employment,
but wore unable to obtain it through the employment of con-
vict laboo.r. The Government were bound to attend to this
state of things, so as to see that those reformed convicts should
not be depriyesi of the means of earning a subsistence.—( Hear,
hear.) Whatever difficulties might surround the question,
they ought to be grappled with, so that a final and satisfactory
settlement of the affairs of the colony might be made.
Lord STANLEY said that as the Noble Lord (the
Earl of Ripon) had but recently undertaken the
duties of the Colonial-office, and as the petition mainly referred
to a period when he (Lord Stanley) had the direc•ion of the
affairs of the colonies, their Lordships would forgive him inter-
fering to give 'an explanation. He would beg leave to say that
the petition involved questions infinitely more important than
the welfare of a single colony, for it involved no other than the
vital question of the whole system of secondary punishments.—
( hear, hear.) Although certain of the allegations of the peti-
tion were exaggerated, he could not deny that for the last four
or five years, much social and pecuniary evil had been inflicted on
Van Diemen's Land, from making it exclusively a convict colony.
There was one point of considerable weight which the peti-
tioners had omitted to state, and that was when land was as-
asigned to a free seetler that free settler was bound to main-

tam a certain number of convicts. The convicts were' tot
sent to the free settler, but the free settlers came to the con-
victs. In point of fact, that which was imposed as obligation
was felt to be a boon, and it was mainly, though not exclu-
sively, to that -system that we owed the rapid advance of the
population of that colony. He was far from denying that the
number of convicts sent to that 'colony should be materially
lessened.—( Hear, hear.) He would beg of their Lordships to
consiaer the condition in which the Government was placed.
He spoke from a document which was published in
1841. He found that in the year 1840, by the system
of transportation, every person who received a convict
into his service was bound to maintain him. The
consequence was 'that the character of the convicts
was much improved. They were admitted into the families
of virtuous people, and they were under a sort of parental
care. He believed that the system of assignment (although
objectionable in some respects) was too hastily abandoned.
There were many cases in which parties who went over to
that colony had parties assigned to them as servants, who
were co:ivies, bat who also actually stood towards them in the
relation of husbands, brothers and sons. All this was put
an end to in 1840, up to which lime convicts were sent to Van
Diemen's Land and New South Wales from this colony. But
in the year 1840 his (Lord Stanley's) successor in office not
only put a stop to the system of assignment, but a strong re-
solution of the House of Commons was passed, to the effect
that no more convicts should be sent to New South. Wales, and
ever since then Van Diemen's Land had been the only plasm
where convicts were sent to, and assignment was put an end
to. Was this all? It was not; for in 1841 the House of
Commons passed another resolution, to the effect that every
facility should be given for the speedy transition of convicts
confined in the hulks under sentence of transportation.
it was riot very easy to establish a system of convict discip-
line between two parties who were at such a distance from each
other that it took twelve months to receive an answer to a
letter. It occurred, however, towards the close of the year
1842, that Mr. Montague, one of the ablest and most efficient
servants that any colony had, was in this country, .and a com-
munication was immediately made to him by her Majesty's Go-
vernment. The result of their labours was the foundation of
a system of convict regulation. It was decided that the con-
victs ehoulsl be put in gene to work in various parts of the
colony, and that after a time they sheuld be promoted accord-
ing to their conduct to various stages leis and less severe, until
they ended in obtaining a " ticket of leave," or a free pardon.
He knew, and it was a fact very discreditable to so great a
country as this, that it was not until the last four or five years
that we had been sending out from 3,000 to 4,000 convicts an-
nually, while no provision was made for their religious improve-
ment. The first step was taken four or five years ago, when
an arrangement was made by which each two gangs, containing
from 250 to 300. a gang, had the services of a chaplain ;. and
in order that no difficulty might arise, the governor was directed
to place the Protestants aid Catholics in different gangs, so
that each might have the benefit of a. chaplain of their own per-
suasion. The Protestant and Roman Catholic Bishops
of the place, both gave their approval. As far as
they could judge by the reports received during the last
four years, the measure now in progress answered admirably.
The one great difficulty they laboured under was that at that
time the number of transports increased considerably While
there was less opportunity of employment for them. He ad-
mitted that many financial burdens were thrown on the colony;
the social burdens were also greatly increased in consequence
of the large introduction of earn—(Cheers)—among the free
population. But her Majesty's Ministers had taken steps for
the purpose of remedying its inconvenience. They had
taken on themselves a larger amount than they had pre-
viously done of the gaols and police superinten-
dence, and they had taken another step the
bearing of which would require some little explanation.
Their Lordships were no doubt aware that under the present
system, in Australia, a minimum price was fixed on land, for
the purpose of preventing the accumulation of land in the
hands of certain capitalists, and for the purpose of increasing
labourers in the colony. That system bad been found appli-
cable to the colony of New South Wales, but when they found
the amount of labour to exceed the demand, they were obliged
to adopt other means, with a view to meet the difficulty. In
the course of the last session, thet efore; they repealed the pro-
visions of the Land Sales' Act as far as regarded Van Diemen's
Land. The Government found subsequently that the sales of
land had, fallen to that degreethbayt
the
eo
country
yufeer wasthe
provided at all, while the police and gaol rates had
greatly increased. When their Lordships recollected that
from 300,0001. to 400,0001. was paid
maintenance of transported convicts, it was not unreasonable
that Government should give directions that those convicts
should be employed in a 'great measure in raising the food
necessary for their own subsistence. They were for the most
part employed in improving the land which had been par-
tially reclaimed in the colony. By the former law the pro-
ceeds of land thus improved, when sold, were absorbed by the
colonial treasury, and the Government at home derived no ad-
vantage, although such improvements had been effected by
their paid convicts. They therefore determined that to con-
mentthieny privateou4ht
to
service,be and
wvihcotssewhcohacroaucltedrsnotwefirned
such
that
en-
couraged, a premium should bo given in the shape
of land, to be cultivated on their own account.
But in reference to the social evils that were complained of,
as affecting such a remote and insignificant colony, he would
beg leave to inform their Lordships that this insignificant
colony was in extent not less than Ireland, yet it was occupied
by only about 40,000 free settlers. So talking of swamping
the colony as large as Ireland, with the introduction of 4,000
convicts every year, providing there was a sufficient superin-
tendence, was out of the question. But if they did not send
their convicts to Van Diemen's. Land, what were they to do
with the sweepings of their gaols, which sent forth on an
avk rage every year from four to five thousand male convicts?
At the present time there were in Van Diemen's Land, and
New South Wales, about 50,000 convicts, of which this coun-
try had been permanently relieved. —( Hear, bear.) And
i put-
ting the question, not in a pecuniary but in a moral lidid
they believe it would be possible, unless there were penal set-
tlements, for felons who had suffered imprisonment or punish-
ment for the violation of the laws, when relieved,
to be ab:e to find employment. In this over-
peopled country it would be impossible for them to
get employment, and the consequence would be, they would be
driven from sheer necessity to adopt their for mer vicious courses,
and to mix with their former companions,
so that the recurrence
ater than before. He
of criminal practices would be tenfold g
believed that a penal colony was first calculated to offer a field
of employment for such convicts; and he believed in many
respects, ao far from the well conducted settlers being injured in
a moral point of view, the contrast between the two classes
had a most salutary influence Oa the character of the free fopu-

lation. The possession of land in Van Diemen's Land was '
easily obtained, and the present system worked exceedingly
well. He apprehended that none of their Lordships would
stand up and say that the number of convicts should be mate-
rially diminished. If they determined on founding a new penal
colony, he would ask them how they intended to do so? It was
mucheasier to speak of forming a colony than the actual forma-
tion of it. They required security, and that the new penal
colony should not be in a tropical climate—that it should be
destitute of inhabitants—that its soil should be fertile, and
that it should be of considerable extent. In his humble judg-
ment the motion of transferring our convicts to purely penal
colonies, would act most fatally to the system of transportation.
—(Hear, hear.) They had only this alternative—would they,
if they could find a colony, establish a new penal colony, and in-
vite free settlers thither? or, would they establish a colony which
from its commencement to its close should never be.refreshed by
the presence of an unconvicted man, but should be a den of
pollution and condemnation ?—( Cheers. )_ They could de
nothing so fatal as that to the convicts. He would ask, what
was the convict to do after the termination of his sentence ?
they would be deprived during the existence of their sentence
of the society of all virtuous men, and when they were set free
they would be unable to leave the colony. Would their Lord-
ships form such a colony as that ? Let them take Norfolk
Island, for instance, as a colony, into which tone should be
admitted but convicts, it must in a few years become one
of the most awful places on the face of the empire.
The greatest possible advantages had been conferred upon the
colonists, and, in order to enable them to derive benefit from
the convicts, those convicts were compelled to go through all
the gradations of punishment under the surveillance of the po-
lice and magistrates. Under those circumstances he would
say that he conceived it would be most inexpedient in their
Lordships to comply with the prayer of this petition. Their
Lordships would find it rather a curious fact that this country
bore no comparison to the state of France in reference to con-
victs. In France only 8,000 convicts were thrown back upon
them, and yet they complained of it as an intolerable hardship.
What then would be thought of it in this country if they had
50,000 convicts thrown back upon them? The Government
of which he lately had the honour of being a member had
added a new colony to New South Wales, sufficiently far re-
moved from the tropics to be healthy, and to this colony
a considerable number of convicts were being removed.
It was provided that these persons should be removed to an-
other colony, and provided with food for a limited period with
a small portion of land, which they hail the option of culti-
vating for themselves ; and from the proximity of New South
Wales, they could, when their term was expired, go to that
settlement and engage themselves in service. Those persons, from
the time of their arrival in that place, might be looked on
as having obtained a conditional pardon, and when any de-
mand for labour arose in the neighbouring settlement, they
could go to service. These were the objects which the Go-
vernment had in view for the amendment of the state of the
convicts. There was no subject which had been more
anxiously considered by himself and the Right Hon. Baronet
for the Heme Department than the present question. They
had taken every step that was pessible for the purpose of re-
lieving the moral and financial system. He believed that the
moral system depended on the admixture of the convicts with
the free populatio:s, and also the proximity of some
large sand important country to which their labour
might be transferred. He regretted to say that
Van Diemen's Land had not been free from the let e mania for
speculation ; undertakings had been commenced on borrowed
capital, bearing most usurious interests. When these specu-
lations failed, property was sold all over the island, and it was
to that fact, and not to the presence or absence of convicts that
lie attributed the distress and depression that had taken place.
He did not deny that the presence of a considerable number of
convicts would have the effect of lowering the rate of wages,
and that consequently numbers of free labourers had emigrated
from Van Diemen's Land. But there were other causes at
work also, for it. might be recollected that within the last six or
twelve months, a rapid improvement had taken place
in the districts of Port Philip and South Australia.
In the latter district more particularly, minerals had
been opened up to a great extent and there-
fore, there had been an increased demand for labour ;
and the colony was so near Van Dieman's Land that labourers
could always have the opportunity of removing there, and,
therefore they were not to attribute the emigration altogether
to the introduction of convicts, but to the fact that a more re-
munerative field was formed for them. He entreated their
Lordships would consider before they made any serious change
in the law of transportation—before they altered or condemned
the existing system, and consider what other system they could
substitute for it. Let there not condemn ; let them be satisfied
to amend what was defective, but let them not
destroy until they had found another that was more
advantageous to the colony of Van Diemen's Land,
which had been a petal settlement from the commencement.
Let them consider what it was to relieve this country from
the immense mass of corruption which would be ever present
if a large number of convicts were permitted to remain in it.
Let them consider what the chances were which were given
those convicts after the termination of their sentence in a
country so peculiarly fitted for them. He thanked their Lord-
ships for the attention they had paid to him, and he sat down,
again requesting them not to effect any changes without due
consideration.

The Duke of RICHMOND said, that having been a direc-
tor in the Pentonville Prison, he was enabled to state that the
convicts sent from that prison were received in the colony with
the utmost distrust ; and, in fact, it was a difficult matter
for them to obtain employment. Many of them, however,
earned for themseives a name as the most industrious inhabit-
ants of the colony.
Lord LYTTELTON, in laying papers on the table, said it
might be expected from him that he -would state to the
House on the present occasion what were the
intentions of the Government with respect to the
colony of Van Diemen's Land. This subject divided itself
into two parts—that which referred to the morral and social
state of the convicts, and that which referred to the incon-
venient and financial grievances of Van Diemen's Land, as
compared with other colenies. The Noble Lord had referred
to the probationary convict gangs, and adduced several tables
which had been forwarded to this country illustrative of their
beneficial working. That many allegations in the petition
were correct, could not be denied, and he hoped their Lord-
ships woutdegive these their most careful consideration. There
was another material point to which he would allude. Last
year a dispatch had been received from Sir E. Wilmot,
urging on the Government the importance of allowing a free
importation of corn from that colony into this country.
Perhaps he was not exactly in order in alluding to it at the
present time, still he thought it right to mention it, as a
measure that was likely, along with others that
might be devised, to prove beneficial to the colony.
He was prepared to admit that the petitioners had great
grounds of complaint in reference to the number of convicts
which were sent to their colony.—(Hear, hear.) Her Ma-
jesty's Government were most anxious to apply some remedy.
—( Hear, hear.) He was enabled to state that the petitioners
might entertain some slight hope that, at no distant day, the
present system would be greatly relaxed. There had been an
application from the inhabitants of Port Philip to permit the
admission of convicts into their colony. Her Majesty's Go-
vernment had the strongest feeling of the necessity of some
change. A considerable number of convicts had lately been
transported to Gibraltar, and the system had worked most
satisfactorily. Her Majesty's Government were most anxious
to extend that system as far as possible.—( Hear, hear.) They
felt that the subject was one of the greatest moment, and he
could only say, on the part of the Government, that it should
receive their most serious consideration.—( Hear, hear.) The
Noble Lord, who was imperfectly heard in the reporters'
gallery, concluded by stating that the Government would most
gladly adopt any measure which might be calculated to remedy
the grievances mentioned in the petition presented by the
Noble Marquis.
Lord GREY said he looked upon this as a subject of the
greatest importance , but he did not think that the statements
made by the petitioners had been satisfactorily answered by the
Noble Lord opposite. The Noble Lord had not denied any of
the charges made by the petitioners, and therefore they were
deserving of the highest and most serious consideration of the
House, and the convicts should have immediate relief. No
doubt the difficulties in the way of doing this were great, and
required much time to deliberate upon. He had long been op-
posed to this system of transportation, and he fully agreed in
the sentiments expressed upon it in a pamphlet written by the
Archbishop of Dublin. In the principle of transportation they
looked for two objects—the first was the punishment of the con-
vict sent out, and the other was, to relieve this country from
his presence; but the great mistakel was in not separating those
objects completely. He believed that the system of penal labour
should be carried on in this country. The great difficulty in
carrying on the present system was that in case of any obstruc-
tion arising, it was 10 or 12 months before an answer could be
received from home to remedy that obstruction. There
was no reason why the penal labour should not be performed
here, and the convict afterwards sent into the colonies.
He knew that the colonies did not like receiving convicts
when their sentences had eVed, but that objection might be
overcome. He was aware that this was not an opportunity
to discuss so important a subject, but he could not allow the
conversation to close without expressing his dissent from the
opinions prevalent that the system of transportation ought to
be continued. If the system could be continued without its
faults it would be a desirable one ; but as it had been hitherfo
attempted, it had failed to answer all the purposes to which it
it had been applied. And if it could not be continued without
its faults, they had the alternative that ought to have been
adopted long ago—via., of discontinuing it altogether.
The Bishop of OXFORD agreed in the main with the
general principle advanced by the Noble Earl, though he could
not assent to what had been stated respecting the
moral effects of a convict population in Van Die-
men's Land. Transportation, as hitherto conducted,
had been the great curse of the world, and the reproach of this
nation. Let Noble Lords consider, that in the creation of these
eolonies as penal settlements, convicts had been sent out with
bodies of soldiers to watch over them, so incapable were they of
all moral relations ; and accompanied:by medical men to watch
over their health, though at the same time there was not a
single religious instructor. This penal population was set down
in this manner, destitute of all principle of moral instruction, to
form a new people. As they had sown so they must reap.
From the accounts they had received, it seemed that the popu-
lation was sunk in the deepest moral pollution ; the tone of
society was lowered, chastity among women was unknown, and
crimes of the most horrid character, such as it was hoped were
banished out of anything like civilised society, abounded.
Such were the results of this system of transportation.
He fur one heartily thanked the Noble Lord lately at the head
of the Colonies for his speech of that evening; he thanked him
for the enunciation of the great principle that Government had
seen the necessity of giving moral and religious instruction to
the convicts they sent out. He rejoiced in the way the House
bad received that enunciation, and he rejoiced and agreed with
many of them. But he must say this, that there wore a few
points in which he could net agree with the plans which the
Noble Lord had announced, and justified, as those which the
Government had adopted when he was at the head of the
Colonial-office. He could not agree with the principle which
the Noble Lord had laid down, that the presence of vice had a
tendency to raise the standard of virtue among the free popu-
lation. This he considered the most monstrous paradox that
ever was propounded to Christian men. Let them con-
sider that in the colonies vice was not exhibited in chains.
It was not punished with fetters. No. Vice there in many
instances set the tone of society so far, that a man high in
his profession told there that he did not dare
to say that he had not come out as a convict, because it would
seem as if he had not a fellow feeling with those around him.
He (the Bishop of Oxford) would have thought that the best
way to promote virtue would have been to have kept vice out
of right. They would not, for instance, in the desire to pro-
mote virtue, take their families into the precincts of licen-
tiousness ; they would rather conceal the knowledge that such
vice existed, lest the very fact that the world contained it
should contaminate their morals: The Noble Lord told them
hat his proposal for relieviag Van Diemen's Land was this--
to found a new settlement, not strictly penal, in the northern
parts of Australia. This course was alto open to objection.
The convicts were to found a new colony for themselves; they
were to receive land from Government if they were unable to
purchase it. Now it appeared to him that this would
necessarily place these convicts upen a better
footing than the. man of virtuous character in the
colony from which they had been removed. We
should treat convicts just as we treated a patient. We
should not appoint a physician to a sickly man who lived at a
distance of three or four hundred miles, for there would be
the journies backwards and forwards, which would of course
increase the expense and the difficulties.—(]fear, hear.) And
therefore he would maintain that convicts should be punished
in this country. What did they seek by the punishment of a
felon ? Of course, an opportunity of recovering their good
chercter. But their Lordships said that he could not do that

in this country. He agreed with their Lordships, and he '
therefore said that a penal colony should be established for the
reception of men who had gone through their punishment
here. Such a system would be the means of converting such
men into the pioneers of civilisation.---(Hear, hear.) Such
men would be free from the difficulties to which they would be
subjected did they remain in this country. And instead of
being the vilest of their race, they would be the erectors
of the dwelling•.places of virtue and civilisation.—( Cries
of " Hear, hear.") Let the Government confess its past
faults, and venture upon a future in which they would take
care to palliate the great evils which their present system had
produced. If convicts were kept at home, they would be more
under the eyes and power of the Government—( Hear, hear)—
and by adopting the suggestions which he had humbly offered,
he did not doubt that they would confer upon this great
country a great and lasting benefit.—(Hear, hear.)
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE rose to explain. He
would be very glad to learn that it would be found practicable
to dispense with transportation altogether ; and he also listened
with great pleasure to the admirable address of the Right Rev.
Prelate in reference to the experiment of the Pentonville
Prison, and he did hope that the amount of crime causing these
things might decrease, so as to bring it in greater proportion
with the population.
After a few words from Lord LYTTELTON and the Bishop
of OXFORD, the petition was ordered to lie on the table.
The Public Works (Ireland) Bill was then read a third
time and passed.
The Game Bill was then read a second time.
WEXFORD, CARLOW, AND DUBLIN JUNCTION
RAILWAY. •

Lord MONTEAGLE said that the other day he had given
notice of a motion with respect to an Irish Railway Bill, the
Wexford, Carlow, and Dublin Junction; and he would now
explain himself to their Lordships in a few words.
His motion was for the purpose of facilitating the
passing of a Bill through the Standing Orders' Committee.
The motion was that the standing orders in this case was dis-
pensed with. The error which had been commuted was the
serving of some notices en a Sunday and a Christmas day,
though it was proved that no hardship was in consequence in-
flicted on any one. By allowing the Bill to proceed employ-
ment would be given to 6,000 persons.
Lord REDESDALE regretted he could not concur with
the views of the Noble Baron opposite, because if the standing
orders were to be of any value at all, they should be attended
to in this respect. The standing order which in the present
case had not been observed was improper service of notice, or
that notices had been served on Christmas-day and Sunday ;
and surely if the parties serving them were not wilfully negli-
gent they-should know that they were doing an improper act.
He thought the Committee had come to a just conclusion that
thwe was no case for recommending the parties to the mercy of
the House for non-attendance to the standing orders.
After a few words from the Earl of SHAFTESBURY,
The LORD CHANCELLOR said that the notice was, of
course, illegal, if served on Sunday, and that, in fact, a very
serious punishment was attached to any party who attempted
to serve such a notice en a Sunday. —( Hear, hear. )
• The motion was then put and agreed to.
Their Lordships then adjourned at a Quarter-past Eight
o'clock.