The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-23 00:00:00

MR. WAR.

CHANGE.

The usual Quarter Sessions having been convened at the
c3urt-room, Town-hall, before the Recorder, Samuel War-
ren, Esq., Q.C.,
The learned Recorder thus proceeded to address the
gran jury. Re said :—Gentleil en of the Grand Jury,—
In presenting to you, according to my custom for some years,
at the Michaelmas Sessions, a sketch of the year's legisla-
tion, I think I may at once promise to surprise you by the
character and extent of it, loud and vehement though com-
plaints have been that the last session was wasted, and has
nothing to show as the fruit of its labours. But, gentle-
men, the statute-book, looked at carefully, tells a different
1 tale. It is undoubtedly true that two vast undertakings—the
reform of our Parliamentary system, and that of bank-
ruptcy—the legislature undertook to cope with, but in vain.
Let me, however, give you some idea of what has been done
in the last session—that held in the 23d and 24th years of
the Queen. Of the 154 public and general acts, 40 relate
exclusively to Scotland and Ireland-18 to the former, and
22 to the latter; and many of those classes are of much
importance, but do not concern us here. Out of the 114
remaining acts, I shall select those only which are of more
prominent and general interest and importance. First of
all come before us four acts making more efficient and im-
mediate provision for the material safety of the realm, in a
military point of view; c. 112 better provides for acquiring
lands for the defence of the realm ; c. 140 facilitates the
acquisition by rifle volunteer corps of grounds for rifle
practice ; c. 109 furnishes the Government with two mil-
lions sterling towards defraying the expenses of construct-
ing fortifications to protect our arsenals and dockyards—
the ports of Dover and Portland—and erecting a central
arsenal ; and c. 13 considerately prevents members of benefit
societies from forfeiting their interest in them by reason of
their enrolment or service in any corps of yeomanry or vo-
lunteers. Then comes an admirable act, c. 123, to amend
the laws relating to the government of the navy, " wherrjin
(it rightly recites), under the good providence of God, the
wealth, safety, and strength of the kingdom chiefly dey,end.,,
C. 94 contains valuable enactments amending the Militia
laws, so as to secure increased efficiency and combined ac-

tion ; and c. 120 amends the law relating to ballots for the
militia, and suspends the making of lists and 'Alias for the
militia. Having thus done its best, following out excellent
measures passed in the previous session or two, to make us
secure against even the apprehension of danger from with-.
out, and in which it is seconded magnificently by the spirit
of the country, a little breathing time is given to set our
house in order—to attend to matters of domestic import-
ance. After some little heartburning as to the mode of
doing so, cc. 11, 62, and 98, provide for taking the census of
England, Scotland and Ireland on the Bth April next.
Two short acts, only, have direct reference, to the organisa-
tion of the Legislature; c, 63, permitting a Jew to omit the
famous words " upon the true faith of a, Christian," in tak-
ing the new oath, in conformity with the recent act, and a
standing order of the House of Cornmons ; while c. 99
continues the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act till the
10th August next. Next appear eleven acts, constituting
a little fiscal code, if I may so speak, which occasioned
Parliament great excitement and trouble, make most im-
portant changes in the laws of Customs and Excise, and
introduce the system of wine licenses and refreshment
houses, altering also the game duties, the stamp laws, and
imposing an income tax of 10d. in the pound. In this scene
of commercial activity I assume that thesevarious statutes
have been already, or will be, carefully conned over. They
are cc. 14, 15, 22, 36, 90, 107, 110, 111, 113, 114, 129.
Having set in order the revenue department, and acknow-
ledged that in doing so an eye has also been kept upon the
social and moral condition of society, with a view to improv-
ing it, the Legislature bethinks itself of the great interests
of education. By c. 108 is amended the Industrial Schools
Act, 1857 ; and it transfers the powers conferred on the
Committee of Council on Education, under that act, to the
Secretary of State. The law of marriage next attracts the
eye of the Legislature, which, by c. 18, enacts that
from and after the 30th June last, marriages may be solem-
nised according to the usages of Quakers, not only in the
cases provided for in two recent specified statutes, but also
when any one or neither of the parties is a Quaker, pro-
vided that the parties not being such Quakers, shall " pro-
fess with, or be of the persuasion of" Quakers ; with cer-
tain restrictions specified in the act. C. 24 removes a
doubt as to the validity of marriages in extra-parochial
places under the recent act of 20th Viet. c. 19, and em-
powers the bishop to authorise a marriage in an extra-
parochial church or chapel, between parties both or either
of whom are resident in such extra-parochial place. This
allusion to the clergy may remind us of another act,
c. 142, which aims at making better provision
for the union of contiguous benefices, in cities,
towns, and boroughs, in furtherance of the policy of
previous acts having for their object to abridge plurali-
ties, and enforce the residence of the clergy. Nor must
I here omit to notice two short acts relating to charities.
One, c. 134, amends the law regarding Roman Catholic
charities—amongst other enactments, provi ding by s. 1 that
charities for lawful purposes shall not be invalidated by the
addition of an unlawful trust, but the property may be ap-
portioned, and the whole applied to lawful purposes. The
second act, c. 136, amends the law relating to endowed cha-
rities by providing increased and inexpensive facilities for
adminiatering them. I recommend this act to public atten-
tion. I must not pass from this division of the subject

without alluding Co c. 93, amending and further extending
the Tithe Commutation Aets, and amongst various enact-

ments providing by s. 1, that corn rents under local acts
may be converted into tithe rent charge. Having disposed
of these matters of high and grave concern, the legislature
looks round benignly to see where its interference is neces-
sary to protect those who require it in the humbler classes
of society, and those engaged in exhausting and dangerous
callings. C. 151 provides for the regulation and inspection
of mines, extending and amending two previous humane
acts; and enacting that after the Ist of July next, no boy
under 12 years of age shall be employed in any mine or
colliery, with certain strictly specified exceptions ; and
ample provision is made for the careful inspection and regu-
lation of coal mines and iron-stone mines. Then w e have
c. 78, placing the employment of women, young persons,and
children in bleaching works and dying works under the
salutary regulations of the Factories' act, with a certain ex-
ception ; particularly specifying also the time and modes in
which such persons are to work, so as to protect them
from injurious and excessive labour. The convenience
and comfort of the humbler classes is further secured, by
c. 41 making perpetual the recent act amending the
law relating to Cheap Trains, with a view to economy
and safety. 'What a boon is this to those who so much
stood in need of it I Again, in this kindly humour,
c. 30, reciting the expediency of giving facilities for
effecting local improvements beneficial to the health and
comfort of the people, enables a majority of two-thirds
of the ratepayers, duly assembled, to rate their district in
aid of public improvements therein forming and maintain-
ing public walks, exetciso or playgrounds, and removing
nuisances and obstructions to them—improving open walks
or footpaths, placing convenient seats or shelters from rain,
and for other purposes of a similar nature. In c. 51, how-
ever, we see the legislature casting a watchful eye on rates,
taxes, and dues levied for the purposes of local government
and improvements in England ; and requiring that it should
be annually informed of all sums so levied, and the expen-
diture of them ; and abstracts of the returns which it orders
are to be laid before both houses of Parliament. While thus
providing for tho enjoyment and happiness of the people,
the legislature is seen, in c. 77, very vigilant about the re-
moval of nuisances and the prevention of diseases, and sup-
plying certain defects in acts previously passed with that
view. And, while in this humour, the legislature has at
length, in c. 84, sought to grapple with a long and pain-
fully-felt evil—the Adulteration of Food and Drink—" in
fraud of her Majesty's subjects, and to the great hurt of
their health." This is certainly a bold attempt, and all
must wish to see it succeed ; but the task is one of much
practical difficulty. I have not time to specify
provi-
sions of this act, which is short, having only foura
half.sections,the
r
but important, and a copy may be got for a p
penny. In the same spirit, c. 139 amend,:
aciineYl°aws con-
gunpowder,
cerning the making, keeping, and car
and compositions of an explosive nateutrromi,
ture, sale, and use of fireworks. tue toufaanc--
nLumber, relating to cer-
labrindawth
other short series of acts,
nine
in
important functionaries, and
twin public, boards and bodies, imp,
c. 101, the Poor-law
practitioners. By one of these
ears
aasa
second, C. 64, makes
Board is continued for three y
expenses of Local Boards of
the ex e
further provision
for
ent ComP missions, acting as burial
Health and Improvement
c.
124, regulates the pro-
boards ; and a third,
ceedingq of the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and
the management of episcopal and capitu-
the act relating
England.to
By the first sec. of o. 149 the few,
lar estates in •0. functions of the last surviving
or the only remaining
toanother f • mas-
er), are transferred _unctionary
mas-
ters in chancery
to the suitor's fee fund. By c. 116,
the solicitor the elec-
tion, P duties
payment, andcounty coroners are placed on
of
satisfactory footing • by c. 54, the staff of
n the Crown side of the Court of Queen's
officers o Bench is
reduced in number—that is, to the Queen's coroner and
attorney, and one mester; by c. 127, important alterations
and improvements are made in t he law concerning attorneys,
solicitors, prectors, and certified conveyancers; and by two
short acts, c. 7 and c. 66, amendments aro made in two re-
cent acts relating to medical men. I pass now to a small
bundle of acts —five in number—of a practical character,
especially to the business part of the community. The first,
c. 28, repeals an act passed in the year 1734, called " Sir
John Barnard's Act," and which had been passed, as the
act recites, "to prevent theinfamous 6
practice of stock Jo •
Ling," but which is now repealed on the alleged ground
that "it imposed unnecessary restrictions on the making of
contracts for the sale and transfer of public stocks and secu-
rities." The second, c. 21, empowers pawnbrokers, instead
of being any longer compelled to deliver a note gratis,
where the suns lent was less than 55., to take a halfpenny
where the sum lent shall be less than 10s. ; but payments,
where the sum lent is lOs or upwards, are not affected. The
third, c. 146, in consequence of the delays which have
arisen in completing the models of measures regulating the
sale of gas, under the act of the preceding session, defers
the time when several of its provisions were to have come
into operation. Chapters 58 and 137 apply to savings'
banks and friendly societies; the former act proviedi:_
,fe. e
the appropriation or division of the funds, in case
_rforvin.
dissolution of the society; the latter making further.l; 1
• ti from oncit Nocloti
sins for investing moneys revolve .J.