The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-01 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAIIENT

.HOUSE OF COMMONS. —Tins DAY.
The SPEAKER took the chair shortly after 12 o'clock.

GREENOCK HARBOUR BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
RAILWAY GUARDS AND PASSENGERS COMMU-

NIG A.TION BILL.
Mr. SHERIDAN moved the second reading of this bill,
the object of which is to make railway c mpauies provide
means of communication between passengers and guards
in charge of railway trains. The kind of communication was
left for the decision of the railway company, but the Board
of Trade would have to say whether the means provided
were sufficient. He had heard the objection—Was there
any necessity for such a he communication which would place
it in the power of any timid lady to stop t train ?
His answer was that the train would not necessarily be
stopped, for the communication was with the guard, not
the driver. As to the point of necessity, the hon. member
referred to several accidents caused by wheels breaking
down, or carriages taking fire by friction, and stated that
if a communication with the guard were provided, the dan-
ger in such cases would be greatly lessened.
gr. QA.VB said Ito would offer no objectio4 to 040 bin

--g- -
the present stage, but he considered it would be unadvis.
able that it should pass in its present state. So efficient
scheme had been decided on, experiments were being
made, and if an imperfect plan was rendered compulsory
a great evil would be done. At the same time outrages
had occurred which justified the adoption of such a com-
munication. There were two ways by which a com-
munication might be obtained. One way was by signals
and the other by an alteration in the construction
of the carriages. With regard to the American car-
riages they were too wide for our gauge and too long for
our curves. Perhaps one of the best systems eves signall-
ing by electric telegraph, but the cost was very great—
namely, £lO per mile of railway and 10. per cant. upon the
outlay for maintenance. The report of the Royal Com-
mission on Railwaye would shortly be issued, and if the
hon. memby found his bill to be consistent with that re-
port, he did ❑ut ace why it should not pass through the
other stages; but he (Ur. Utivo) reserved his Opinion till
the report was issued.

The bill was then read a second time.
TURNPIKE TWISTS BILL.
On the motion for the second reading of this bill,
Mr. WA L P OLE suggested that this bill should be re-
ferred to a select committee. if this were agreed to, be
would offer no opposition to the second reading. Rcfc rrlng
to part four of the bill, which was an attempt to remedy
what had always been a difficulty in endeavouring to
abolish tolls, namely, to extend the area of rating, he
thoug'it some rules should have been laid down for the
guidance of the justices.

Mr. WHALLEY stated that ho would agree to the sug-
gestion of the Home Secretary.
Mr. KNIGHT protested against the whole charge fur
clearing off debts being put upon the parishes which the
roads passed through, and thought a part, if not the vrb.ole,
should be defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund.
Lord HENLEY adverted to the injustice which would
be done by the bill to pstrishes which were not in highway
districts, but which had a turnpike road going through
them.

Mr. HENLEY said there could be no doubt that the
turnpike roads were better kept than the parish roads. In
its present shape the bill was very objectionable, but ha
very much doubted whether any general measure could be
produced that would deal with this complicated question,
where the interests were so diverse, without doing gross
injustice to some parties.
Mr. GOLDNEY supported the bill.
_ . .

Mr. BEACH thouitit if tolls were abolished, the debts
should be charged on the Consolidated Fund. No doub;,
inconvenience was caused by the present system, but still
there was the broad principle that those who used the
roads paid for them. Within the last 30 years the debt
had been reduced from seven to four millions, and there-
fore they might reasonably entertain the hope that a fur-
ther reduction would take place. He objected to the
abrupt change which would be caused by the bin.
Mr. CLIVE said the question should be left to th•
select committee.

Sir M. BEACH thought a general rate should be levied
for the maintenance of roads throughout the country, but
bow that could be best done he could not say. He objected
to the way in which the hon. member proposed to deal
with the debt. The proposal was that certain trusts were
to pay off their debts, and cease to exist in 1868, while the
remainder should do so in 10 years. The practical result
would be that the public would be driven to those roads on
which the tolls were abolished.
After some observations from Colonel French, Lord
G. Cavendish, and Mr. Knatchbull-Hugessen, the bill
was read a second time, and referred to a select com-
mittee.
PUBLIC HOUSES, &c., REGULATION BILL.
Mr. GRAVES, in rising to move that the order for the
second reading of this bill be discharged, stated the reason
which had induced him to adopt this course. Within the
had been nasmitaiduetetrofehreimd
wthitaht
thepa Government daysre natnwle•
tahlarge o
ipooorttei or
on
oof f
tthhee
hrielvl efenlute. theUynhdaedr tuhoesoe
tchiercr toonntsirtasencheust,
to withdraw it. There was no doubt that some change of
the law was necessary, but the experience he had gained
showed him that iu any measure dealing with so large a
portion of the revenue of the country ought not th be
taken up and dealt with by a private member, but by the
Government, and he was glad to be able to state that the
Home Secretary had adopted that view, for he had given
him an assurance that ho would prepare a bill on the sub-
ject next year.
Mr. J. A. SMITH thought the hon. member (Mr.
Graves) having received such au assurance from the Go-
vernment had adopted the proper course.
Mr. W. FOSTER expressed his satisfaction that the
Government was to deal with the subject, but thought
they should have a statement to that effect from the
Treasury bench.
Mr. S. CAVE said that Mr. Walpole had been obliged to
leave the house, but he had authorised him (Mr. Cave)
to state that the Government would introduce a bill.

Mr. HADFIELD and Mr. IionsFALL made a few remarks,
and the bill•was then withdrawn.

PROMISSORY NOTES (IRELAND) BILL.
Mr. M'KENNA moved the second reading of this bill,
which, he said, would effect a. great and substantial im-
provement in the law. What he proposed was, that any
bank should be able to issue notes in any part of Ireland,
payable at its head office or depots, provided that bank was
under the Bth and 9th Victoria, chap 59, issuing notes
against specie. There were 150 to 200 places in
Ireland where, under the Scotch system, banks might
exist. The present law, he assorted, acted as
a premium to Irish bankers to lend their money out of
Ireland, from the amount of gold which they had to keep
in hand es a counterpoise. Besides that they had to pay
a circulation duty. This however was not a bankers' ques-
tion, but was brought forward in the interest of the Irish
people generally. The issue of bank notes was at present
confined to six banks, but he wished that greater facilities
should be given for banking transactions.
Colonel FRENCH opposed the bill as it would materially
diminish the security of the public, and moved that it be
real a second time that day mouths. lie saw no reason
why they should alter the law of England.
Mr. POLLARD-URQUHART hoped the bill would
meet with a favourable reception.
GOSCHEN objected to the bill, which he said would
grant a monopoly to the banks of issue, but would be of no
practical use to the public. A question like this, which
dealt with the currency laws, ought to be dealt with by
the Government, and not by private members.
After some discussion,
Mr. S. CAVE said the hon..member for Youghal (Mr.
M'Kenua) stated that this bill assimilated the law with
that of Scotland, but he (Mr. Cave) thought they should
deal with the question on its merits. The hon. member
wished that notes might be issued at branches, but pay-
able only at the depots at which gold was deposited. This
proposal would give the holder of notes in the town a
great advantage over the holder of notes in the country in
the case of a run, because the former could immediately
go to the bank at which the gold was deposited and cash
his notes. The currency laws ought not to be tampered
with by private members, especially when the tendency
was to lessen the capital of the bank. The question should
only be dealt with by a comprehensive measure, and there-
fore hethought the house ought td hesitate before adopting
this bill.
The house divided— 46
Fur the second reading
70
Against 24
Majority
re of the day were disposed of, and the
house Theother e
rde
adjourned.

PRUSSIA.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAM.)
BERLIN, May 1

At the sitting of the Chamber of Deputies this
morning, Count von Bismarck brought in the
draught Constitution of the North German Con-
federation.

The President moved that the Constitution should
be taken into final consideration, and that a reporter'
should be appointed.

The motion was carried by a large majority, and
Herr Twesten was nominated reporter.

LAW INTELLIGEIVCE.—This Day.

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.
(Sittings in Banco bafore Justices Blackburn, Shoo, and

Lusb.)
ROBINS AND OTHERS V. RESO'.
Tho appellants in this case wore millers at Coventry,
and they ap, lied to the Court to reverse the decision of
two justices of that place on the ground of illegality.
The defendant was a stonemason, and employed by the
appellants to do certain work on their premises at a salary
of L 1 2s. a week. Ho absented himself a portion of one
Saturday
and the greater part of the following Thursday,
by which his employers sustained a loss owing to the
stoppage of their mill, the stones not being dressed. They
refused to pay him any wages, and he summoned r
thourem
before the justices, who awarded him 16s. 4d. o f
days' wages. For the appellants it was
ed con
weetended thkat
this was not warranted ho was engag by
and having got drunk, and being unable to do his work,
ho had forfeited all claim to vragos. •
the ,
,
Mr. Willett appeared for the appellants, and the respon-
dent was not represented by counsel.
The Court considered that the case was clearly in
favour of the appellants, and accordingly reversed the de-
cision of the justices.

Naval and Military intelligence.
Marshal the
a'
The following General Orders, signed by Major..
tahe slightoili cearlsteorfatti:tet
Royal
uotyhael
hGae‘n,eerbaelenli.iisrsduelciVibllyiacnol
mPainuila4,d' olif.CFießl.d'.
Duke of Cambridge, K.G., and promulgated for
general information :
Queen
Dress of 011ieers.-1. Her Majesty the
patrol hasl-ieeital
(p.kleetasneodwtownoprpnrobvye
Artillery. 2. The approval of her Majesty has
also
been obtained for a similar patrol jacket, with
addition of blue velvet collar and cuffs,
being
the
into wear by the officers of the no b.
yal Engineers.
.gtaken
3. Standard seiled patterns of these
are deposited at the Horse G patrol jackets
Guards, and
strictly adhered to. are to be

Retirement of Officers.—Referring to circula r
memorandum of the 27th of December, 1866, No.
388, suspending the operations of the circular
memoranda of the 15th of February, 1861, No. 106,
and the 28th of February, 1862, No. 186, his Royal
Highness the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief,
at the request of the Secretary of St tte for IN ar,
notifies to the army that the suspension is removed,
and that the sale of commissions by half-pay (ACM
MI now be carried out as i*rdi