The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-19 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS-Tm 9 EVENING.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat en the woolsack at
five o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The following bills were read a second time:—Ebbw
Vale Company, Hastings Pier, Holderness Embankment
and Reclamation, Hoylake Railway (Chester Extension),
Snailbeach Mine Company, Whitehall and Waterloo Rail-
way (Abandonment).
Lord REDESDALE said that before the orders of the
day were ;gone into he would mention that. he had re-
ceived last night a letter from Mr. France, which was dated
the 16th, and which had been received by him last night,
at about six o'clock. This letter contained no explanation
of the statements which had been already made, and it was
obvious that the letter was not intended to reach
him before ho had made his motion of last night. Un-
der those circumstances he should ask that Mr. France
should be brought to the bar of the house, and that then
select committee should be appointed to inquire into the
charges made. against the chairman and members ap-
pointed to investigate into railway bills, and that noble
lords should be appointed. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. France was then introduced and placed at the bar
of the house.
He said in answer to the Lord Chancellor that hisname was
France, and that he was a railway contractor, and the
author of a pamphlet entitled "Lord Redesdalo and the
Now Railways."
Tho LORD CHANCELLOR—Have you the letters con-
cerning this pamphlet?
Mr. FRANCE—I have the letters. (The letters were then
handed in.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR—Have you copies of the
letters addressed to the noble lord ?
Mr. FRANCE—Yes, printed copies of them. (These were
handed in.)
Lord REDESDALE—Have you received a letter from
me addressed to you this morning at the Gresham ?
Mr. FitaxcE—No; I have not been thew to-day.
The LORD C lIANCELLOR—T he letter dated the 16th
when v. as it posted ?
Mr. FxaxcE-Last night : but I began that letter on
the 16th, and only finished it yesterday.
Lord REDESDALE—But has not that letter been
printed and circulated amongst members of this and pro-
bably of the other house ?
Mr. FRANCE —Yes, to-day. I told you originally that I
should publish the correspondence.
•It was then moved that Mr. France withdraw, and a
select committee was appointed.
BRITISH NORTH AMERICAN BILL.

The Earl of eARNARVON moved the second reading
of the North British American Bill, and said that it was
proposed that a federation should be created amongst the
British North American provinces, and that with
regard to the proportion of the population
they should be equally represented. This would
embrace the two Canadas, Nova Scotia, Labrador,
and Now Brunswick. It was for that house to
give them the first start in their new national career.
By this bill the functions relating to the local legislature
and to the central legislature were clearly defined.
[LEFT SITTING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS. -THIS EVENING.
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
LABOUR OF CHILDREN.

Mr. FAWCEECI;id on Friday next he should call the
attention of the house to the necessity of extending the
provisions of the Factory Act to children employed in
agricultural labour.
THE REFORM QUESTION.

Mr. MILL gave notice that on going into committee he
should move that in order to secure to the utmost a real
and equal representation of the people it was expedient
that any number of electors should have the power of
combining with one another to elect their representative.
SUSPENSION OF THE HABEAS CORPUS ACT.
Lord NAAS gave notice that to-morrow he should move
for leave to bring in a bill for a renewal for a short time
of the suspension of the Habeas Co►pus Act in Ireland.
TRUST PROPERTY.
Mr. HADFIELD asked the Attorney-General whether
his attention had been directed to the great number of
institutions raised by voluntary contributions in England
having property affceted by the law of mortmain, and held
by trustees or a trustee for religious, charitable, literary,
scientifi educational and other useful purposes ; and
whether he would bring in a bill to cheapen and facilitate
the mode of transferring property so held.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he admitted the
importance of the subject, but ho could not undertake to
bring in any bill on the subject.
CHARGE AGAINST CAPTAIN DESLANDES.
Mr. GUINNESS asked the President of the Board of
Trade if his attention had been directed to the particulars
of certain charges made to tho Local Marine Board of
Liverpool, on the 18th of December last, against Captain
Gordon Deslandes, of the ship Anne, for gross drunken-
ness while in charge of the said ship.
Sir S. NORTIICOTE said attention had been given to
the subject, but the matter rested principally with the
Liverpool Marine Board. There had been a correspond-
ence on the subject, and ho had no objection to its pro-
duction.