The Sun.
London, England, 1834-08-13 00:00:00

CONSTABULARY FORCE.

The Duke of WELLINGTON called the attention of the
Noble Lord at the Head of the Government to the subject of
the establishment of a more efficient constabulary force in
villages.
The Duke of RICHMOND said he agreed with the Noble
Duke on the importance he attached to this subject, and was
glad to state that the Committee on the County Rate Bill had
adopted a Resolution yesterday, recommending that the con-
stabulary force of the country should be put on a better footing.
Lord MELBOURNE said there could be no doubt of the
importance of the subject, and he was of opinion that there
could not be a more favourable time than the present for
taking it into consideration, when the country was in a state
of tranquillity. He assured the Noble Duke that the ques-
tion should receive the immediate and serious attention of the
Government.:

.....
The Customs Bill was read a third time and passed.
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COLONIZATION BILL.
Upon the motion of the Marquis of CLANRICARDE
the House went into Committee on this Bill.

Several amendments of a verbal character were agreed to.
The whole of the clauses having been gone through, the
House resumed, and the Report was ordered to be received to-
morrow (this day. )
. _ _

The Fines and Recoveries ( Ireland) Bill also passed through
a Committee. Report to-morrow.
The Report of the Committee on the Turnpike Roads
(Ireland) Bill was brought up. The amendments were agreed
to, and the Bill was ordered to be read a third time to-morrow.
CINQUE PORTS PILOTS BILL.
_ _ . _

Lord AUCKLAND moved that the Cinque Ports Pilots
Bill be read a second time.

The Duke of WELLINGTON could not allow this Bill
to pass its present stage without stating to their Lordships the
objections which he had to it. He would not attempt to deny
that abuses might have crept into the present system, but then
he would assert that it had been found not only to answer the
purposes for which it was intended, but to give general
satisfaction. He himself within the last twelve months
made such alterations and improvements in the Cinque
Ports as he had deemed necessary, and therefore he hoped
their Lordships would not pass a law which would have the
effect of destroying a long-established and highly useful insti-
tution without previous inquiry. He was aware that this Bill
was brought in in conformity to the recommendation, of a Com-
mittee of the House of Commons ; but what he wished was
that the whole subject should undergo inquiry by a Committee
of their Lordships' House before a step of this kind was taken,
and that the parties coming forward to give evidence should
be examined upon oath. He objected to the mode in which
the pilots were to be selected, and he equally objected to the
clause relative to the remuneration to be given to the boatmen
along the coast for taking pilotashore. He thought the lat-
ter arrangement would impose an unjust tax upon the ship-
ping, and was inconsistent with the principles on which the
Legislature had heretofore proceeded. The object of all the
enactments which had been made on this subject down to the
present time was not only to facilitate but to render cheap the
navigation along the coasts of this country and in the narrow
seas ; but it was, he thought, clear that if this Bill were passed
that object would be in a great measure *feated. He dis-
approved of the clause which deprived the pilots of the Cinque
Ports of the power of causing surveys to be made along the
coast of Holland ; because he deemed it indispensable that
such a power should exist if an efficient pilot establishment
were desirable. He could assure their Lordships that he was
not interested in the matter further than being anxious to de-
fend the rights of a very meritorious body of men. The Noble
Duke concluded with moving that the Bill be read a second
time that day six months.
The Earl of RADNOR supported the Bill. He could not
see how any injustice could be done to the pilots by allowing
the watermen, in the absence of the pilots, to navigate the
ships into the Downs. The Noble Earl said that he had re-
ceived a letter from the Captain of an Indiaman, who had
sailed through the Downs a few days ago, complaining that
although he was anxious to take a pilot on board, yet that he
was unable to fall in with one.

The Duke of WELLINGTON shortly replied, and said
hat he should persist in his motion.

Lord AUCKLAND said that great anxiety prevailed
amongst the merchants that some change should take place
in the law relative to pilotage, and there seemed to be a
general feeling in favour of the Bill. He agreed, however,
with the Noble Duke, that inquiry should take place into the
subject, and he thought, instead of being confined to the
Cinque Ports pilots, that it should extend to the whole pilot-
age of the country. At present the law was not uniform.
There were different systems of pilotage at different ports,
and the pilots were under a variety of authorities. For in-
stance, there were Trinity Houses at Newcastle, Hull, Yar-
mouth, Bristol, and Liverpool, and there was no controlling
power. He felt that the whole system should be inquired into
with the greatest care, as it was a subject deeply interesting
to the commerce of the country. After what had passed, he
did not feel called upon to persist in the measure ; but he
trusted their Lordships would consent to a full inquiry into
the subject next year.

The -amendment was then agreed to.
The Registration of Tithes Bill, the Appropriation Bill,
the Exchequer Bills Bill, the Assessed Taxes Bill, the Spirit
Duties Bill, and a number of other Bills, were severally com-
mitted, and ordered to be read a third time to-morrow.
A message was ordered to be sent to the House of Com-
mons, requesting a conference to-morrow at a quarter past five,
on the subject of the County Coroners' Bill.
Adjourned at nine o'clock.