The Sun.
London, England, 1834-08-09 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

The SPEAKER took the chair at twenty minutes past twelve.
EXCHEQUER BILLS (PUBLIC WORKS).
The Exchequer (Public Works) Bill, was; on the motion of Lord
ALTHORP, read a third time and passed.
PUBLIC COMMITTEES.

Mr. SINCL AIR rose to move for several returns, of which he
had given notice, relative to the number of public committees ap-
pointed, the number of members of such committees who had
attended, with the periods during which they had sat, &c. His ob-
ject was to show that the number of select and other committees
had increased, was increasing, and could be diminished without de-
triment to the public service.
Mr. HUGHES seconded the motion, but he feared it would be
impossible to make out an accurate return, such as was moved for
by the Hon. Member.
Mr. AGLIONBY thought that many Committees had been ap-
pointed during the Session, which could have been dispensed with,
and which had been productive of no public good.
Mr. WARD thought there ought to be some regulation adopted
to secure the attendance of Members appointed as Committees. It
was too much the practice for Hon. Members to go down and vote
upon matters in their respective Committees, although they had
never attended its sittings, nor ever heard a word of the evidence
before it.—( Hear. )
Lord G. SOMERSET observed, that so long as the House sat
from twelve till three in the morning, the inconvenience of so many
Members being occupied in attending Committees, could not be
obviated. _ _ _

After a few words from Mr. PRYME and Mr: BxNETT.

Lord J. RUSSELL said there could be no objection to the mo-
tion of the Hon. Member. He feared that the portion relative to
the number of hours each Member attended could not be satisfac-
torily ascertained.
Mr. LITTLETON thought this was the most appropriate time
to move for such a return, as the information would be in the hands
of Hon. Members, so that they would be able to judge of the pro-
priety of any means of improvement that might be introduced.
Mr. BERNAL deprecated the system of Hon. Members flocking
into a Committee-room to give a vote upon a measure, of the de-
tails of which they knew nothing. A Gentleman of extensive
information told him that he understood Members received ten
guineas a-day for attending Committees; and this opinion must
have originated in seeing the anxiety with which Members attended
to vote. He feared it would be impossible to devize any plan for
putting an end to this system.
After a few words from Mr- HAWES and Mr. POTTER, the mo-
tion was agreed to.
A message from the Lords announced that their Lordships had
agreed to the Poor Laws Amendment Bill, the Justices of the
Peace (Ireland) Bill, and the Roads Act (Ireland) Amendment
Bill, with amendments, to which they required the concurrence of
that House. Their Lordships also requested a copy of the report
of the Select Committee on the Cinque Ports Pilotage, which was
ordered.
Lord ALTHORP moved that the Lords' amendments to the
Poor Laws Amendment Bill be taken into further consideration on
Monday next.
After some conversation it was arranged that the further consi-
deration of the amendments be taken at the five o'clock sitting on
Monday.
Mr. LANGDALE understood that a clause for the protection
of the religion of Dissenters in workhouses had been omitted by the
other House. He would call the attention of the House to this
omission on Monday next.
Mr. DENISON presented a petition from a place in Surrey in
support of the Established Church.
Mr. S. MACKENZIE presented a petition from the inhabi-
tants of Calcutta, praying for the extension of the trial by jury to
that colony—(hear, hear) • also a petition from the same place,
praying that the right of holding real estates in India might be ex-
tended to aliens and others ; also a petition from the same place,
against the present rate of duties upon teas.
Lord G. SOMERSET presented a petition from Doncaster
against the Universities Admission Bill.
Mr. F. SHAW presented several petitions from places in Ireland,
in support of the Established Church.
There being no other business before the House, the Speaker
quitted the chair at a quarter past one, and the House adjourned till
Monday.