The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-09 00:00:00

iiiPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY).

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat. on the woolsack
at five o'clock.
The Bishop of EXETER presented a petition against
the bill to legalie marrine with a deceased wife's sister,
The Earl of HARDWICKE presented a petition in
• favour of a regular steam postal communication between
this country and Australia.
THE LITE LORD TRURO'S LIBRARY.

The LORD CHANCELLOR wished to set himself
'right upon a question on which it appeared he had com-
mitted a mistake. It would be in the recollection
of their lordships that immediately before the Easter
recess, the noble marquis informed the house that
'a Communication had been received from Lady
Truro, and he was deputed to inform the house
that her ladyship had expressed a wish to present
the law library of the late Lord Truro to their lordships'
house. Upon that occasion Lord Lyndhurst passed a
well-merited eulogium upon the deceased nobleman.
Re thought it necessary to add a few words for the pur-
pose of reminding the house of the great efforts made
by Lord Truro in the way of Chancery Reform.
He had been understood, also, to have said that
it was Lord Truro who had actually drawn up those
reforms of that court which had been subsequently
passed into a law. It appeared that he was not quite
correct in that observation, and he now begged to say
that he would be the last man in the world to detract
from the merits of the noble and learned lord near him
(Lord St. Leonards), who was really the author of those
'bills.

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS BILL.
Oa the order of the day for the third reading of this
bill,

The Dake of RICHMOND intimated that the did
not intend to oppose the measure, but upon the part of
the farmers of East Sussex, who had petitioned against
it, observed that after the manner in which they bad
'been treated in 1846, their lordships could scarcely be
surprised at their regarding with su.picion any act in-
terfering with them. They did not complain so much
of being called upon to furnish agricultural returns, but
they e3nsidered that they ought not to be compelled to
do so by act of Parliament, and to be punished with
'penalties for neglect. Re contended, however, that the
Government had begun at the wrong end. They ought
to-have turned their attention, in the first place, to the
amendment of the system of taking the corn averages.
A more gross delusion never did and never could exist
than the returns now furnished. As affording any-
thing like a correct average of price they were alto-
gether useless, although in many parts of the country
the rent was made dependent upon the averages so
obtained. A large proportion of the corn sold never
found its way into the averages at all ; and he would
suggest that the 20 or 25 thousand a year which it would
cost to carry this bill into operation would be far more
usefully employed in remedying this evil and injustice
than in subjecting the farmers to unnecessary annoyance.
He objected to the attention of the poor-law officers
being diverted from their own proper duties to the col-
lection of agricultural statistics, arid protested against
the penalties of the bill imposed-as outrageous.
Lard WODELIQUSE contended that the apprehen-
sions of the farmers as to the effect of this bill were ground-
less, and that as soon as it was discovered that it would
not interfere inquisitorially with their affairs, not only
would their objections vanish, but, as the information
which would be collected would be of great use to them,
they would receive the measure with satisfaction.
The Earl of MALMESBURY wanted to know whe-
ther the power of the guardians of adding to the sche-
dules would enable them to call for returns of rent
Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEYrepIied that all the
power the Board of Trade had, reserved was to increase
o'r diminish the particular descriptions in the several
columns. He admitted the desirability of improving
the mode of taking the corn averages ; and directions
bad been given in several of the market towns to enforce
the law with greater strictness, the result of which had
been that the returns were far more accurate than in
former years, and afforded a fair criterion of the price of
corn. Ile defended the compulsory part of the bill as
necessary, though he did not believe there would be any
more occasion to enforce the penalties than there had
been in the case of the census. There the knowledge
that the power of enforcing compliance with the act ex-
isted was sufficient to induce people to furnish the re-
turns required, and it would doubtless be so in this case.
He knew how important it was to obtain the co-opera-
tion of the gPritry in inducing the farmers to come for-
ward and assist the Government in obtaining the neces-
sary information ; but that information, while beneficial
to the country at large, would, he believed, be moat be-
neficial to the farmers themselves.

The Duke of RICHMOND said that when the bill
became law, he should, as he always had done, advise
the farmers to obey the law. ll)wever, in his opinion,
it was on'y 25,0001. thrown away.
Lord ABINGER said he had not heard any state-
ment that convinced hint of the benefits of this bill, nor
did he think the farmers desired it. It would, in his
opinion, only serve the speculators, who were the per-
sons intereAel in knowing the probable surplus produce
of the year.

The bill was real a third time and passed
INDIAN FINANCE.

The Marquis of CL4NRICARDE moved that the
return of the territorial nvenues and disbursements of
the East India Company, lately presented to the house,
be printed, and asked for a return of the military dig.
bursements during the years included in the foregoing
return, specifying the Presidencies and provinces in
which they have been incurred. The papers laid before
Parliament contained no account of this expenditure.
He thought it was time to consider the financial state
of India, as it appeared the present annual deficitncy of
the revenue exceeded 2,000,0001.

The Duke of ARGYLL said there would be no ob-
jection on the part of the Government to furnish all the
information it pose.essed ; the military expenditure in
the several Presidencies might be given, but there
would be some difficulty in going into the detail re-
quired to distinguish that of tile,different provinces.
After a few words from same noble lords the motion
was agreed to.
Their lordships then adjourned.