The Sun.
London, England, 1860-02-22 00:00:00

BILL.
This bill passed through committee.
TASMANIA.

I--,F EB. 20.

lINIPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS—(YESTERDAY.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at live o'clock.

ENDOWED SCHOOLS.

Lord CHELMSFORD presented a rwtition from Roc-
hampton against the endowed schools bill,
CHURCII RATES.
_ _

The Bishop of CARLISLE presented petitions against
the abolition of Church rates.

THE LAW AND EQUITY COURTS.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said ho had the honour to
lay on the table of their lordships house a bill for the
fusion of these courts. The object of the Lill was to
enable parties to a suit to obtain a final or satisfactory deci-
sion in the court in which their proceedings were
first commenced. The noble and learned lord made a few
observations on the inconvenience at present experienced
owing to the system now in existence.
After a few words from Lord BROUGHAM, the bill was
read a first time.
• PRIVATE BUSINESS.
On the motion of Lord REDESDALE the following bills
were read a second time :—The Auchterarder Common
Muir, Glasgow Town Clerks, London Hydraulic Power
Company, Edinburgh Royal College of Surgeons, Fergus
River Navigation Improvement, Southall New Cattle
Market, Waterford and Kilkenny Railway, East India Coal
(limited) Company, and Dublin City Steam Packet.
THE PLEA OF NOT GUILTY.
Lord BROUGHAM introduced a bill for the purpose of
substituting a new plea in criminal trials for that of not
guilty. In many cases the plea of not guilty was merely
regarded as a form, and it would be much better if some
means were provided for superseding such a procedure.
The bill was read a first time.
SIGNOR. BUONCOMPAGNI.
Earl GRANVILLE read a letter ho had received from
Mr. Corbett, the Charge d'Affairs at Florence, stating
that he had not, as has been alleged in debate, attended any
official reception of Signor Buoncompagni. At the same
time, he said had he done so he should not consider it any
impropriety.
COMPANIES (1860) BILL.
This bill was read a second time. . _

ST.-MARY-IN-RYDAL MARRIAGES VALIDITY

The Earl of CARNA.RVON presented a petition from
the citizens and electors of Hobart Town, in Tasmania,
praying for the disallowance of the set amending the con-
stitution of the Legislative Council in that colony.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE said the petition of the
noble earl referred to a measure touching the constitution
of the Council of Tasmania. The upper chamber was to
consist of fifteen and the lower of thirty members, a
number of whom were to retire yearly. It had been
found that that regulation worked very objectionably. The
members retired after so short a period of service that there
wag a fear that the council might altogether fail.
To remeCly this it ...acted that the members
shmehl retain their seats for the whole of the six years for
which they were elected. He thought, however (as we
understood), that this act was only complained of to
strengthen the complaint th it judges were not allowed to
sit. He (the Duke of Newcastle) did not think that such
an arrangement was injudicious.
The Earl of DERBY presented a petition from the
clergy of Tasmania, praying for the disallowance of the act
upon other grounds than those just mentioned. The noble
earl said on the formation of the colony large reserves were
made in favour of the clergy. These reserves had been re-
served by the Crown, and the first pecuniary payment made
to the clergy was £3lO a-year. It was afterwards arranged
that £16,000 a-year should be placed at the disposal
of the Colonial Legislature for distribution amongst the
clergy, but a further modification was made, by which the
salaries of the bishops became chargeable upon the colonial
funds, and the salaries of the clergy were again very much
reduced. When it was recollected that the larger sum had
been guaranteed to the clergy, it was highly objectionable
that, without notice,!their salaries should be suddenly
reduced. The act of the colonial legislature which
affected the rights of the clergy was passed through the
two houses, and received the consent of the Colonial Go-
vernment in a few days.
The Duke of N EWCASTLE said the, after some hesi-
tation, he had advised her Majesty not to agree to the bill
for amending the constitution of the Legislative Council of
Tasmania.