The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-20 00:00:00

THE PARIS EXHIBITION.

On the sum of £116,000 being mentioned as for the ex-
penses of the British Commissioners,
Mr. B. HOPE thought the Royal Commissioners were
mere puppets in the matter. They held their meetings, it
was true; but anything like a balance sheet had never
been presented to them. The Executive Committee seemed
to have all the matters relating to the expenditure of
money confided to it.
An HON. MEMBER asked the names of the parsons who
comprised the Executive Committee
Mr. D. HOPE said the secretary of the Science and Art
Committee was the Executive Committee. (Laughter.)
Mr. B. OSBORNE asked the Secretary for the Treasury
whether ha could say that the sum of £116,000 would
cover all expenses, and that there would be no further call
for money.?
Mr. lIUNT said ho really could not. He had felt stir
prise and indignation, he had tried protestation, and at
last be had come to Christian resignation on this Vote. lie
could give no guarantee for the future. The late nor pre-
sent Government was not responsible for the outlay.
Sir G. BOWYER said as neither the late nor the pre-
sent Government was responsible for the vote, ho should
like to know Irho was. Some one, more than likely some
subordinate, was the real party, and he should like to
know who he was. .

Mr. WALPOLE said, of course, the Government would
be responsible for the expenditure.
Mr. SCOURFIELD said what the house wanted to
know was, who was the person who had incurred this
outlay.
Mr. Sergeant GAZELEE said what was wanted was to
know who authorised the expenditure. There was, no
doubt, somebody behind the scenes, and what the house
wanted to know was who it was. He should 1 iko to know
who was to be responsible for the future.
. Mr. HUNT said the late President and Vice-President
of the Council had sent out some engineer officers to frame
the estimates, and they had been acted upon after exami-
nation and modification.

The vote was again real], when
Mr. DILL WT/s1 said he did hope that some assurance

would be given to tho house that the estimate would not
be exceeded.

Sir S. NORTHCOTE said it was very-difficult to give
such an assurance. The Government would do all they
possibly could to keep the expenses within the estimate.

The report was then received.
HABEAS CORPUS SUSPENSION ACT (IRELAND).
Lord NAAS said that, in moving for leave to bring in
a bill to renew for a short period the act for the suspension
of the Habeas Corpus Act in Ireland, he felt that the
better course for him to adopt was simply to confine him-
self to moving for leave to introduce the measure, and to
defer any statement he might have to make until to-
morrow.

Mr. BRADY and Mr. COGAN complimented the Govern-
ment on the exertions they had made in putting down
Fenianism, but they hoped that they would continuo the
good work, and proceed with such remedial measures
which were so much required iu Ireland.
Leave was given to bring iu the bill.
MARRIAGES (ODESSA) BILL.
Mr. WALPOLE obtained leaVe to bring in a bill for re-
moving doubts as to the validity of certain marriages be-
tween British sul.jects at Odessa.
CRIMINAL LUNATICS.

Mr. WALPOLE obtained leave to bring in a bill to
amend the law relating to criminal lunatics.

SUSPENSION OF THE HABEAS CORPUS (IRE

LAND) BILL.
This bill was read a first time, and ordered to be read a
second time to-morrow.

The house then adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS- LAsT EVENING.
BRITISH NORTH AMERICAN BILL.
The Earl of CAILNARVON 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 ba equally represented. This would
embrace the two Canada; Nova Scotia, Labrador,
and New 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. Under
its provisions a Governor-Ganeral would be appointed by
the Crown, and the Lieutenant-Governors by the Gover-
nor-General in Council for a term of five years. There
would be two Legislative Chambers : the Upper to consist
of 72 members returned by the three sections of the pro-
vinces, one being Upper Canada, another Lower Canada,
and a third the maritime provinces, with power reserved to
the Crown to create six more in cases of emergency, on
the recommendation of the Governor-General in Council.
With regard to the Lower House the principle adopted
was to provide a fair proportion of members to each pro-
vince according to population.. The total number of mem-
bers in the first instance would b 3 180, subject to !attire
alterations in the proportion allotted to each province from
time to time. The main object of the bill was to secure to
these provinces complete self-government with respect to
local affairs, connected with which was the subject of the
Intercolonial Railway, with reference to which nearly
every recent Administration had been more or less com-
mitted, and the ccnstruction of which was indispensable to
the successful establishment of the Confederation. It might
be urged that it would haveboen better to establish a closer
union between the provinces; but this had been found im-
practicable, on account .of the jealousy entertained by the
maritime provinces of their local autonomy. The present
scheme, therefore must be considered rather as a treaty of
union between the several colonies, and he thought that
great credit was duo to their representatives for the manner
which they had risen superior to local prejudices. In con-
clusion, Lord Carnarvon expressed his firm conviction
that the proposal contained in the bill would tend to
strengthen the liberties and independence of British North
America, materially promote the development of its re-
sources, and cement still closer its alliance with the Eng-
lish Crown.
The Marquis of NORMANDY and Viscount Moscx gave a
warm support to the bill, which also met with the general
approval of Earl RUssELL and Lord LYVEDEN.
The bill was then read a second time, and their lordships
adjourned at a few minutes past eight o'clock.