The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-02 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PAii,'LIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.--(This Day.)
Tho SPEAKER took the chair at twelve o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Lords' amendments to the following bills were
considered and agreed to—Cornwall Railway, London
and South-Western Railway, Mersey Aids and Hat.-
hour (Consolidation of Act.), Mersey Docks and Har-
bour (New Works), Halifax Park and Improvements.
The Great Southern of India Railway Company Bi►l
and the Warrington and Stockport Railway (Capital)
Bill were read a third time and passed.
The Holroyd Estate Bill wag read a second time.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA BILL (No. 2).
•

The house went into committee on this bill, iesuming
at chime 13. .

Mr. COLLIER moved as an amendment that the
members of the council should' have 5001. a year sash
instead of 1,2001., as propo ed in the bill. The council
would have great patronage, and with such men as those
who would compose the council a desiro to serve their
friends would be a greater inducement than mere
salary.
Lord STANLEY opposed the amendment. He
thought 1,2001. a year was not too much for men who
would have to pass the greater part of their time in
London. He took that opportunity of stating that he
intended inserting a proviso to the effect that no member
of the council should be entitled to a pension who had
net served ten year.
Mr. GREGSON did not think the whole time of the
members of the council would be reqaired. They would
only have to attend the board once a week, anci he
thought 5001. a year would be sufficient. For that
and the patronage attached to the office, he thought
efficient men would be found.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER. said
tLat, although the members of the council would have
to meet once a week iu a council, a daily attendance of
many hours would be required of them in addition.
There were many men who were not habitually resident
in London, who would be very efficient members of the
council, and their compulsory residence would entail
upon them great -cscpense.
Mr. V. SMITH. said if first-rate men were to be ap-
pointed members of the council, 1,2001. or ev. u 2.000/.
a year would n t he too large a sum for them, as ,i,ey
would be equal to privy councillora and Inca holding
high office in the State. Bu-. ye did not think
that would be the coodit:on of the council. The
Directors of the East India Company were in possession
of 5001. a year with patronage ; and he nevzr heard that
those gentlemen complained of the inadequacy of their
salaries. If the East India Directors elected -four 6f the
gentlemen already Directors who would not attend more
than once a week from their other pursuits, 5001 a year
would be enough for them ; while for the nominees
of the Crown he admitted 1,2001. a year would-not be
too much.

Lord STANLEY thought two scalcs of salary objec-
tionable. It was not the intention of the bill to rind the
persons appointe.i,on the council to give up the whole
of their time and to abandon every other support; but
it would be expected of them that thdy sbcnld give
up as much time as the performance of the duties would
require._ • .

Mr. LOWE paid the only difficulty the committee
was in was that they were called upnu to assaess the
salary for duties on the nature of which they had no in-
formation. If the duties were to be those of the Court
of Directors be thought 5001. a-par would be sufficient,
but if the duties were to be those of a permanent
secretary in a pu; lie office be considered that 1,200/.
a-year wonid be by no means exorbitant. He deplored
the reckless manner in which mo•.ey was squandered
away in that house—money that would spread education
over whole districts and miiigate the horrors •of
a perverse religion, and all this to be wrung out of
the sweat and blood of a miserably oppressed people.
(Hear, hear.)
Colonel SYKES (Director) spoke of the vast amount
of business the Directors of the East India Company hail
to discharge. He considered 8001 or 1,0001. a year
would be sufficient, and that it should be considered an
honorarium

Mr. M. MILNES considered 1.2001. a year not too
much for the members of the council.

Mr. WHITE thought the work would be as well done
by men at 5001 a year as at 1,2001 a year.
Mr. WILLI -e MS considered 5001. a year salary suf-
ficient, especially as the patronage was valued in 1853 as
worth 6,0001. a-year. (Oh, Oh !) The finances of
India were in that embarrassed state that, if they con-
tinued this profligate system of expenditure, the re-
sources of Eeglancl would be called upon to meet and
they would nave to tax the people of England to make
up the deficiency of India.
Loed JOHN RUSSELL considered the decision of
the committee, giving patronage to the council, and de-
priving them been seats in that house, bad ereatly in-
creased the difficulties of the subject. If the opinion of
the hot. member for Lambeth was correct in reference
to the patronage, be (Lord J. Rovsell) feared it would
result iejoriouely to India, Or the whole, he thought
1,2001. a-year was not too much if they were to have
the best men, and guard against the misapplication of
the patronage.
Sir J GRAHAM said, that the bill and the amend-
meutie coupled with the statements of .the members of
her Majesty's Government, he presumed the council
would have daily duties to dieclearge. (Hear.) It ep-
Peered to him that it was the intPnt . t, ..1 tier der 01a-
j- etv's Goerrr nicht to ui,.ioe the work into coininittees
eeej.‘t to the direction of the Pretideut of the Council.
The impression on the minds of bon. members with re.
ference to the bill was that if elected to the aPtivoil t,:ev
must devote their 4 hole time to the detieCiatheii office,
and he had been informed by Captain Soeppard, at pre-
sent a director, chairman of the fludson'e corer,„„3,
and deputy chairman of the Trinity 11 .ard, that if he were
elected a tnemberof the council he should consider himself
bound to resign those two offices. (Hoar. hear ) He
bad no desire to spend one rupee more than was neces-
sary, to advance the happiness of the people of
India, and he thought nothing would conduce more
towards the attainment of that object than by having
a well constituted Government in this country. On the
whole, he considered the sum named in the bill not too
much for the members of the council, understanding
that the devotion of time meant such reasonable attend-
ance as the President of the Council might require,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it
was not desirable to introduce into the bill words
rigidly preventing the members of the council from per-
forming other duties, but to leave it to the President of
the Council to define their duties and attendance, ac-
cording to the necessities of the Cr;Se. The disposal of
their tima.to the duties of the office would not preclude
the members of the council from attending to other
duties. It would, however, be a matter of election,
whether gentlemen would place their timeat the disposal
of the office, or adhere to their counting-houses
duties in a rigid manner. He thought, however, the
members of the council, although called on to place
their time at the disposal cf their offices, would
permit them to maintain, in . a modified form, their
relation with the pursuits that bad heretofore
entirely absorbed their lives. He considered a celery of
1,200/. a-year by no means too much. The subject was
a very difficult one. They had heard many sums men-
tioned, and the hon. member for Aberdeen bad said that
whilst 8001. a-year would he an honorarium, 1,2001,
a-year would be an insult. (Hear, bear, and laughter,)
He considered the members of the council ought not to
be paid less than the Lords of the Treasury. (Divide.)
Sir G. C. LEWIS considered the difficulty of fixing
the amount of salary arose from the large number of
councillors, Ile supported the sum named by the Go-
vernment in the bill, but suggested a modification of
the clause, to the effect that the sum should not exceed
12001., which would enable the Government at any
future time to adapt the salary to the actrial duties
hereafter to be discharged by the members of the
council.
Lord STANLEY said it was better to fix the sum,
and if it was found hereafter there was a diminution of
duties, he thought it would be better for the Govern-
ment of the day to come to Parliament for a bill to re-
duce the members of the council rather than provide in
the bill for a reduction of salary.
Alter some far her conversation, Mr. COLLIER tx-
pressed his wish to withdraw his amendment, but it was
objected to by the committee.
[LENT SITTING.]

BRIDGE OE.ALLAN.—Tbe visitors at tide favoiirite
watering place are still very numerous, and, up to this
period the season has proved to'hti the most lucrative
one that the hotel and lodging-house keepers.have
enjoyed. Tnis may be in a great tneaeurd attributed to
the facilities afforded by the Scottish Central Railway,
and the low rates charged by them to induce parties to
visit it.
SANATORY CONDITION 01? PRINTING OFFICES,—
Amongst those trades and proteasi,,us opposed to the
duration cf life which are foil.iwed in the metropolis by
large numbers of persona, few are more' fatal than that
of the compositor and printer. The number of deaths
from consumption amongst there ie very large. Thote
who have visited some of the London printing-officea,
which Lava bean adapted for this purpose from old-
fashioned dwelling-houses, will not for a moment doubt
that the deaths and loss of health are to be attributed to
the condition of the atmosphere, produced by over-
crowding the space, and setting at defiance all sanatory
princip!es. Nor are the editors And correctors of the press
in many cases better accommodated. Men well aware
of the danger are shut into closets, partitioned off from
the ill-ventilated space, and little larger than full-sized
coffins l Sketches of some of these literary dens, in
which are accommodated men who are earnestly working
to elevate the taste and improve the conditi,in of the
community, would astonish many readers. Changes for
the better have either been maile or are in progress in
various quarters. Much, however, that is bad remains
to be altered ; and taking the whole of the sanatory
arrangements that have been provided for those engaged
in the printing profession in a eerie, there remain de-
fects sufficient to account as clearly for the loss of life
in printing-offices as in the barracks of the metropolis.—
The Builder.

THE HIGHLANDERS AT LUCKNOW.—The natives of the
town remark the difference between the Highlanders and
the other soldiers, and there were no end of queries as to
when the " ghayra" or gownmen were going back. The
dress was a perfect curiosity among the natives, and it
was ridiculous to see the crowds of them always about
the guardroom, and the intimacy that existed between
them and the solciers. It ra3 a common thing to see a
great stalwart Highlander asleep on a couch. and a couple
of black boys, cf their own accord, fanning him and
keeping the flies off, nor were they ever in want of any-
thing, for these little urchins would fly off like so many
pilot-fish, and bring them back oranges, sweetmeats,
&e..—Z:tfer Inveriten Courier.