The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-28 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(This Day.
The &MAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The follawing bills wera considered and ordered for
th-rd reading :—Brentferd Gas ; Garngad R ; and
Ware, Hadbain, and Buntingford Railway.
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.
Mr. CAIRD moved the second reading of the bill be
introduced some time Mince for providing agricultural
statistics throughout England :led Wales. He said
he was anxious to divest the matter of all poli-
tical and party bias, and to treat it simply as n
question of economical science. He then entered upon
a series of calculations and returns to show what mite
takes both producers and consumers had fallen into in
consequence of the want of these statietics. An accu-
rate system of agricultural statistics would he thought
prevent those serious alternations in prices which had at
various times proved so detrimental to the interests
of the c)untry, by leaving an over supply at one
time and repressing the supply at another. He can-
vassed the statereente of hon. members on the report 0
the committee to inquire into this subject, and said there
was no other class of men the Government had not inter-
fered with to obtain statistics of tie trade, but farmers.
The cotton trade was subj sot to these returns, and he de•
nied that the operation of the act with reference to
agriculture would be more inquisitorial than the other
trades. He considered the most important information
to be obtained was the average of corn grown. It
was the least objectionable mode of ascertaining
the quantity, and he suggested it should be obtainer
en the plan adopted in Ireland. The mercantile com-
munity of this country must be largely interested in
obtaining these returns. During the last four years no
less than 111,000,0001. had left this country to pay for
food to make up the deficiencies of our harvests, and
from the want of proper information large importations
of rice had taken place during tho last two years to meet,
anticipated deficiencies, which had had the effect ne
doubt of lessening the price of corn, With the excep-
tion of Spain and Turkey, England was the only coun-
try without statistical infermatien relative to agricul-
ture. He proposed the information asked for should ke
voluntary, and to show it would be trustworthy,
he instanced the returns that had been made
on that principle during the last ten years in
Ireland and for the past four years in Scotland. In
Y.irkshire, where the experiment had been tried, 991
per cent. of the returns were filled up. He further re-
ferred to the numeral statistics compiled from voluntary
information. That department of the Board of Trade
was the proper medium for carrying out the provision,
of the bill. The occupiers of land might be obtained
from the rate-books of the various parishes, and the
schedules to ba filled up might be passed through the
post-office, and he proposed shat relieving officers should
be employed to obtain information withheld by occupier.
He estimated the oust at below 9,0001. or 10,0001.
Mr. PACKE said the farmers had been told this bill
would do them no harm, but they had a right to ask it
it would do them any good. (Hear, hear.) The farmers
of England were some years ago reduced to the brink of
ruin by the leeislatioa of the house, and in all measures
affecting their interest they had a right to demand before-
hand that it should be proved they were for their benefit
before they were passed. True, these returns were to
be made by voluntary ireane, but he was very much
sof ry thebillas the introduction
for a compulsory
afraid that if Parliament adopted a permissive bill an
attempt would soon be made to r-nder it compul-
o He
thin
e looked
edge upon o
the
s the
wedge
measure. (Rear, hear.) He objected to the farmers
affairs being pried into in this manner. No other trade
was sukject to such an inquiry into his affairs. He saw '
no difference between traders in fields and traders in
houses, and he was at a loss to conceive why farmer, I
were to be made the exception. If it was of advantage
to the community that they should know what produce
the farmer possessed, it would be equally as advantage-
ous that farmers should know the stocks of tradesmen,
whose articles they consumed, and he asked the house
if they were prepared to legislate acecor id•
ngly and make
statistics of trade universal. He moved the second read •
ing of the bill this day six months.
Mr. DUCANE seconded the amendment. He ob-
jected to this species of agricultural legislation as being
calculated to mislead the public, by producing a vastg
amount of false information. (Hear.)
Sir G. C. LEWIS said there was a peculiarity con•
nected with agricultural statistics ; if they were to have
them, that it would be necessary to create a special
agency for the purpose. (Rear, hear.) It was per-
fectly true that a great mass of statistics were laic
annually on the table of tie house, but many of them
were obtained incidentally in the collection of the re•
venue, which gave the beet possible security for their
accuracy, and were rendered without additional expense,
but there were some returns that could not be made in-
cidentally, such as correct informaticn with reference to
population. The returns is reference to the population
were of the utmost importance, and as they cost from
between 140,0301 to 150,0001. it was desirable
to have them on that account taken at decimal
periods. He thought the objections raised to agri-
cultural statistics that they caused an inquisitorial
Ivisitation of farmers' property, and a compulsory means
of obtaining information was claptrap.

LEFT SPEAKING}.

LAW INTELLIGENCE—(This Day.)

ROLLS' COURT.

(Before the Master of the Rolle.)

WHEINCROFf V. SOUTH YORKSHIRE RAILWAY AND RIVER
DON COMPANY. JUDGM ENT..

His H mour the Master of the Rolls disposed of this
case on a former occasion, and it was then reported in
the columns of Me Sun.

It will be recollected that the contention here was as
to the light of the company to make a towing path in
front of the plaintiff's property, without paying him
the amount of the compensation claimed. His Honour
granted an injunction against the defendants, allowing
the suit to stand over, with liberty to the plaintiff to
bring an action at law against the defendants in the
event of the defendants making a towing-path and tres-
passing on his property. No action at law has been
brought by the plaintiff, and the only question that
now remained to be disposed of was the question of
costs. It now appears that since the time when
this case was last before his Honour, that the defendants
have made a towing path directly up to the plaintiff's
property, where the towing path is made to diverge
down towards the canal; thereby avoiding the plaintiff's
property and claim of compensation.
Hie Honour the Master of the Rolls now disposed
of the question of costs, and considering the different
erroneous views entertained by the witnesses on each
side of the intentions of the company in making their
towing path and trespassing on the plaintiff's property.
his Honour declined to give costs to either party. Each
party pay their own costs, His Honour continued the
injunction—the right to raise an action at law, if neces-
sary, wits liberty to apply,

COURc OF QUEEN'S BENCH.
(Sittings in Banco before Lord C►mpbell, Justices
Wightnsan, Erie, and Crompton.)
THE QUEEN ♦. ELEANOR READE.
Mr. Huddlestone, Q.C., obtained a rule on a former
day, call ng upon Mr, Norton, magistrate of Lambeth
police-court, to show cause why Eleanor Reade, com-
mitted fur three months, should not be discharged. The
prisoner was apprehended on Good-Friday at the Crystal
palace on the charge of attempting to pick pockets.
She was remanded and ultimately committed for three
months.

Mr. Perry, chief-clerk of Lambeth police-court, op
and put in the conviction.
posed,
The court ruled the conviction was good, and die
charged the rule.

COURT OF COYLMON PLEAS.
'Sittings in BALICO, band efore JByles ices Coleridge, WireP,
.)

THE QUEEN V. PEaoocK.
This was an appeal from a conviction of magistrates
under the Sunday Act. The appellant is a publican,
keeping the Crown lan, Satt)n Bridge, and he was
fined by the magistrates for haying his house open on
Sunday night, the 20th December last, after 11 o'clock.
As the appeal was not ready within the prescribed
time, the Court held they had no jurisdiction to deal
with the case, and disini-sed the appeal, but without
coats.

POLICE INTELLIGENqE,(This Day.)

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AT THE ST,
—.PENTlNE.—Elizabeth
Andrews, a decent-looking feuial,, was placed at the
bar charged with attempting to commit suicide at the
Serpentine on the previous evening
Police constable 106 G said that on the previous even-
ing he saw the prisoner walk!ng !AD and down on the
bank of the Serpentine, and judgq_
g from her manner
that she contemplated suicide, he went up and spoke to
commit suicide, but
her, and she said she intended to
there were so many people about that she thou ,;lit it
would be of no use as she would be rescued. He took
her to the workhouse, where she had remained al, night
He found, on searching her at the Ration-house, the
following letter, written in a hurried manner :
" This is through distress of mind, taw troubles are so
great. I can live no longer. My husband has been the
cause of this—he going about sporting with other women
and leaving me for days. There is ona in Shepherd-street
who has told me that he, was going to keep
her, but I don't
care for that if he would but give me something to buy a
little food, and to find a place to lay my head in. The last
two months he has only given rue 43., and the last time a
shilling on Saturday. No one but myself and God knows
punish toy
.husband,for his ceuelty. Friends,
my sufferings. I am mad. These are: nay last words. I
hope God will
I have made my peace with God. '
The letter was signed by the prisoner.
Mr. Beadon said he should remand the prisoner that
inquiries might be made.
The accused, who seemed in a melancholy state, and
trembled in a very nervous manner, was then removed.