The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-04 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-YESTERDAY.

The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o clock.
The Bayswater Market and Baths Bill was withdrawn.
On the motion for the second reading of the Metropoli-
tan Street Tramways Bill,
Mr. PEASE moved that the bill be read a second time
this day six months. He did not think that the laying
down of street tramways would be a benefit to the work-
ing classes, and he stated that he offered opposition to the
bill entirely upon public grounds. Trials of the tram-
ways had been made in Victoria-street, the Bayswater-
road, and Westminster Bridge-road, and they were proved
to be unsuited to the traffic of London.
Tile motion was snonded by Mr. LOCKE.

Captain R. GROSVENOR said !bat that public nuisance
George Francis Train—(laughter) —had rendered public
tramways in London obnoxious, because he bad laid down
tramways in such a manner that they did considerable
damage to N ehicles that had to pass over thorn. The plan
now proposed would not offer any obstruction to vehicles
passing over the rails.
Mr. LOCKE said the rails woul 1 monopolise a large
potion of the road, and in some parts of the narrow streets
it would be found that these tracts would bo a great im-
pediment to the traffic.
Mr. LAIRD said in Birkenhead there was no complaint
of damage being done to carriages passing over the rails
and along the Liverpool docks a train had been found of
considerable importance, and had not been the cause of

an 3 inconvenience.
After some fu:ther remarks a division took place, when

there were—
For the s s!cond reading
Against
Majority --131
THE EASTER ADJOURNMENT.
Mr. AYRTJN gave notice that at the rising of the
House on the 23d instant, the First Lord of the Trea-
sury would move that the House do adjourn until the Ist
of April.

THE SUNDAY TRADING BILL.
Mr. T. HUGHES moved the second reading of this bill.
and, in doing so, said the bill was similar, with the excep-
tion of very minor details, to that of last year. He knew
that the Government were of opinion that it was time to
legislate upon the subject, and he proposed that it should
be referred to a select committee.
Mr P. TAYLOR moved that the bill be read a second
time that day six months.
Dr. BRADY seconded the amendment.
Mr. AYRTON expressed a hope that the house would
agree to the bill being read a second time.
Mr. P. TAYLOR withdrew his amendment, and the
bill was read a second time.
Mr. FAWCETT moved the second reading of the Elec-
tioa Expenses Bill, and explained its objects,
Mr. BAINES seconded the motion, and said he was
anxious to see working men in the house, but it was im-
possible that could be dene unless the expenses of a con-
tested election were reduced.
Col. BARTTELOT strongly objected to the bill.
Mr. P. 11. MUNTZ supported the bill.
Colonel GILPIN did not believe the working classes
would be benefited in the slightest degree by the passing
of this act.
Mr. J. WALTER, while believing that the bill would
not make more easy the return of working men to the
house, did not think that the expense laid upon the rates
for the legal expenses of elections would break the back of
that most enduring animal—the British ratepayer.
Mr. FLAYER moved that the bill be read a second time
that day six months.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS also opposed the bill.
Mr. AYRTON thought the house might with propriety
allow the house to pass this stage, so that it might be re.
ferred with any other to the committee.
On a division the bill was rejected by the narrow majo-
rity of three.
On the motion of Colonel FRENCH, a select committee
was appointed to inquire into the management and cost
of the lunatic asylums in Ireland.
Mr. BAZLEY obtained leave to bring in a bill to
amend the Lands' Clauses Consolidation Act, so far as
relates to the settlement of the costs of arbitration.
Mr. S. CAVE obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend
the law relating to life assurance companies.
The house then adjourned at half past five o'clock.