The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-02 00:00:00

INDIAN FINANCE.

Mr. GRANT-DUFF, in reply to Col. Sykes, said the
Secretary of State for India intend3d to take in Land the
-matters which had formerly occupi d the attention of Col.
Norman and Cul. Beootne.
TUE NORWICH ELECTION.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved that the report
of Sir SamuJ Martin, one of the judges selected for the trial
of election petitions, which stated that corrupt practices did so
extensively prevail at the last election that it. was abso-
lutely necessary that inquiry should take place in the

matters connected with the late election in accordance
with the act passed in the l tith year of her Majesty's reign
for the suppression of bribery at elections. The hon. and
learned gentleman went at some length into the vari-
ous matters that took place at the last elo c-
tion, azd stated that at two o'clock on the day of election
the Conservative candidate, Sir Henry Stracy, was very
much behind the Liberal members, but that soon after
that hour numbers of electors were t.) be soon hanging
about the public-houses in the neighbourhood of the poll-
ing booth. They were asked it they had voted, but they
said they did not intend to vote unless something was done,
and eventually a number of them received ss. to £1 each
hem certain persons connected with the return of the Con-
servative candilate, Sir Henry Stracy. It appeared that
the bribery was done in a most systematic manner, and
the judge said it was most desirable to know where the
money so spent came from, and ho (the Attorney-General)

thought that would be a must desirable thing to know.
(Hear, hear.) He did not desire to press unduly against
the men who took the bribe, but what he wished most par-
ticularly was to find out who was the really guilty Fifty,
in the back ground—(hear, hear)—who supplied the
money—who was, in fact, the cause of the whole of the
extensive corruption that prevailed. He hoped the house
would agree to the motion asking for the address to her
Majesty to issue a commission to probe the whole of the
matters to the bottom.

Mr. REED opposed the motion because the bribery
proved was not of a very extensive character. (Oh, oh.)
He had presented a petition that evening on the subject,
most extensively signed, and which prayed that 12,000 or
13,000 persons should not be disfranchised through the
venality of a few.

Mr. DALRYMPLE was in favour of the motion for the
address. He did not think that an inquiry into the cir-
cumstances at the late election would necessarily lead to
the disfranchisement of the town. He thought it was the
best thing that could be done, b3cause it would lead to
Norwich being delivered front the stigma of corruption
that had so long clung to it.
Mr. HARDY thought the report of the judge ought to
be acted on—(hear, hear)—and he was also of opinion
that in every case where a judge so reported, the house
ought at once, and without discussion, accept the repre-
sentation of a judge, and agree to the address for a
commission. (Hear, hear.)
Sir W. RUSSELL said he did not believe that the
bribery that had been proved had been done with the
knowledge of Sir Henry Stracy ; on the contrary, it had
been committed by some over-zealous friends, and he did
hope that a great injustice would not be inflicted for the
wrong-doing of a few. (Hear, hear.)

The motion for the address was then agreed to.
VALUATION OF PROPERTY BILL.

The object of this bill was to enact that at the end of
every three years at most a review should be made in all
parishes of the assessment of property subject to local
burthen.

Mr HENLEY objected to the motion for its second read
ing, as it introduced a system perfectly novel to local taxa.
tion.

Mr. GOSCHEN, in reply to Mr. W. H. Smith and Mr.
Locke, said the agreeing to the second reading to-night
would not imply any agreement to the details of
the bill. He hoped that during the time that
would now elapse, in consequence of postponing
the consideration of the details, before the measure would
come before the house for further consideration, no undue
opposition would be made to the Government passing the
bit during the presEnt session.
Tha bill was then read a second time.
The Drainage and Improvement of Lands Bill and the
Inclosure of Lands Bill were read a third time and passed
The House shortly afterwards adjourned.