The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-30 00:00:00

MARRIAGE LAW AMENDMENT DILL.

Lord BUR? moved the going into committee on this
bill.

Mr. LYGON objected to the motion. The bill was
not likely to pa,:a into a law this session, and he thought
it was better to abandon further legislation on the sub-
ject for the present. Although the bill had been for a
long time hef ire the house it had received but little
consideration and discussion, and he, tht-refor,, asked the
noble lord to postpone its furtl.r 1. r li,e that the
house might fi,e(o7,. in a 11l- ,ro wanner the time
t ...Ise be unnecessarily c_msumed in the
discussion. The bill htfore the house materially differed
from the bills cf 1549 and 1855. The three classes of
exeeptions of .s valuable character provided for in the
former bills were not contemplated in this bill The bill
only dealt in one out of the 14 prohibitions mentioned in
Scripture, and he wanted to know how the proposer of
the bill reconciled his allowing so-glaring an anomaly to
exist as that of 13 prohibitions without the
bill, especially as one of the 13 prohibitions
had been diicussed in that house. Be moved
their goiter into committee this day three months.
Lord BURY hoped his hon. friend would not persist
in his motion. It was an important bid, and required
their setious consideration ; and if any delay had oc-
curred in its progress, it was owing to the continual
motions for adjournment and delay made by the hon.
member. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. DE VERE hoped the house would not proceed
further with the bill.

Mr. E. DENISON, 13 the representative of the
largest constituency is the kingdom, said the bill had
met with tto approbation of a large majority of his coo-
stituEnts. (Hear, hear ) He was not so sanguine as
to believe that the bill could be pawed this session, but
Le thought somo progress might be made towards
settling the question if they went into cainmittee on the
bill.

, Mr. BYNG, as representing the second largest con-
stituency, gave his support to the bill.
Mr. B. HOPE referred to the manner in which peti-
tions were got u e in Lancashire in favour of the bill.
Touters were employed to get signatures, and young
cSildren were allowed to sign them.
Lord GODERICII supported the bill.
Alter some further discussion, in which Mr. M.
Milnes, Mr. Peaw, Sir C. Jervis, Mr. Browne, Mr.
Dunlop, Mr. Stewart, and Mr. r. crosfley took part.
The house divided, when the numbers were—
For going into committee
Against it 5B
Majority
The house thou went into committee on the bill.
On clause 1.

Mr. LYGON moved the omission cf the words
" which has been celebrated at any time or place what-
ever within the realm or without." Toe effect of which
would be to still continue the invalidity of these mar-
rik!es before the passing of the act. •
Mr. SCHNEIDER considered the omission of the
words would be to brand about 40,000 children as illegi-
timate. If the law was to be good for the future it
ought to be made applicable to the past, .especially
reference to marriage. A proviso could be afterwards in-
serted to meet the objection of the clause.
Mr. BRISCOE hoped the committee would not enter-
tain the amendment. If adopted it would press heavily
and unfairly on those who bad contracted these marriages
abroad and under legal sanction.
Mr. 13. HOPE said that the parties had entered into
these marriages with their eyes coen to the consequences,
and he thought the committee night not to pass a clause
which won d give them emunit3 for the offence.
Mr. Secretary WALPOLE said it wile important the
claims should be just and equituble to all the parties
concerned, whatever might to the result of the bill
hereafter. If any person marled his deceased wife's
sister, and subsequently sepal:Jo:A, and if the gentleman
married another per: on subsequently, as the law now
stood, the second marrLge was valid, but if the
bill passed in its present form, the former would
be valid ae well as the second one, and the party
would be._liahle, for bigamy. Another 4.bj.ctioie to
retrospective legislation was, that it would iiivalidale
all those marriages that had token place since 1835,
which .would materially interfere with the disposition of
Property relative to the children. The third objection
to the elatu.re iu its present form was that of a man
married to his deceased wife's sister, and they afterwards
separated from conscientious scruples, this bill would
validate the marriage against the, will, and the lady
would be able to rnairtain a suit against the man for a
restitution of conjugal rights. Ile objected to the legis-
lature being retrospective. It should be only prospec-
tive.

Viscount GODEEICH hop3d the noble lord (Bury)
would not accede to the amendment.

The SOLICITOL-GENERAI said it was neceasary
to alter the clause t) meet the olj ,cLions raised by the
right lion. gentlemen tha Secretary of State for the
Home Deparaneut, especially with regrarl to the: causa
of the double marriages referred to. Double marriages
existed, and it wasnot desirable they should recklessly
legislate on them. The difficulty raised ought to be
met on this clause before the bill was further proceeded
in commiteee.

Mr. AYRTON said it was not intended by tha bill
to establish cumptlsory bigamy. The Act would not
take effect where be parties bad treated the ►uarriage as
invalid, or one or the other of the parties had married
again.
[LEFT SPEAKIN G.]

CRYSTAL PALACE COMPANY.

ANNUAL 111EEriNG-THIS DAY.

The sixth ordinuy general meeting of the shareholders
of this company was held this day, at the Bridge louse
Hotel, Southwark. T. N. Farquhar, Esq., occupiei the

chair.

The usual routine business having been transacted,
The CHAIBMAI moved the adoption of the report, babieh
stated that the revenue account for the year ending 30th
of April last shoved a gross balance to its credit of 35,075/.
After deducting all preference charges for dividend and
interest, the general revenue account showed an available
balance of 13,79)7. The directors recommended that this
balance should be carried over to tho next half-year, and
if this could let done they hoped, with the prospects
of the present season, to be able at the meeting in Deem.
ber next to submit a proposal for payment of such a
dividend on tho ordinary shares as would be satisfactory
to the general body of proprietors. A considerable reduc-
tion had been effected in the past year under all the ordi-
nary headset' expenditure, and the directors trust theta
still further reduction may be attained by a strict and
vigilent eueerintendence over all the departments, without
in any wa: impairing the efficiency or high character Of
the undertaking. In regard to the receipts for the pest
year it is satisfactory to obs:rve that. the gross amount ee-
ceeds that of the previous yeer. But this is iu a measure
to be attributed to the Handel Festival, which can only be
regarded as an exeeptional occasion. On the °thee hand,
the expenses of the festival were very large, but still
leaving a satisfactory balance in favour of the company.
In reference to the 6 per cent. debenture stock there has
been appropriated to this clef° about 140,000 e and the
accounts show that 84,251/. was received in eish to the
30th of April last on account of this stock, and Which has
been applied in paying off temporary leans and debentures
falling due. The directors were open to receive applica-
tions for the balance of the 250,000/. of this stock dulho-
rised to be raised by the resolution of the gene meeting
of July 3), 1,357, and they coafidently reconaneeeled the
shareholders op themselves and their friends te take up
this stock, the security for which was considerei by the
Board to be undoubted. The directors regretted to state
that their efforts to procure a reduction of the eepital of
the company and to effect an arrmagernent fur the Sun-
day opening, in terms of the proposal submittee to the I,
last meeting, and so generally approved by the share-
holders,
have been frustrated through the intervention
of the Court of Chancery, an injunction bowie; been
obtained at the instance of a shareholder in the company to
restrain thedirectorsfrom carrying out the proposed eeasure.
The contract for the supply or refreshments having ,erereee
at the beginning of this year, the directors advertised for
public tenders, which resulted in their concluding a con-
tract with Messrs. Sawyer and Strange nn
favourable terms to the ear: -1 ,ee pee, jeer one.
1,,,, ,;.e.y eonueence that thia meauge-
reeet would be found to work beneficially for the coeFanY
and the public, while the energy displayed by the con-
tractors leads to the eepectation that the result willerove
satisfactory to them. The revenue account far the yr a en,.l-
- the 30th of April last showed that 122,062/. bad been
received, including 12,417/. for season tickets, 93,62 g. for
:ulmissious, 8,964/. for rentals, 7,5257. retreshreent con-
tract, waiting and cloak rooms r and the expeniiture
,
amounted to 87,r88/., including 5, 5051. for guttered, man.
agement ; 10,715/. for maintenance and repeirs of Wild-
ieg ' • 8,5331. for gardens and grounds; 2,76e7., waterworks ;
8,8741., alterations and additions to various departments ;
7,622/., music ; 9,1941., opera concerts ; 14,6987., Ileadel
Festival ; 2,454/., special concerts, fetes, See.; 2,5007,,
flower shows ; and 1,4681. poultry shows ; leaving a bal-
ance as above of 35,07 d. The capital account shows that
1,339,362/. had been received, including shares isauel by
Robson, and 1,347,8307. expended, including 28,023 slares
fraudulently issued by Robson, leaving a balance against
the company of 8,4687.
ldr, OcaLvx seconded the adoption of the rarort.