The Sun.
London, England, 1835-07-14 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
NOTICES OF MOTIONS FOR THIS DAY.

1. Mr. Powell Buxton,—Alotionrespecting the treatment of Abo-
rigines in British Settlements.
2. Mr. Ewart—Select Committee, to inquire into the best means
of extending a knowledge of the arts, and the principles of
design among the manufacturing population of the country ;
and also to inquire into the constitution of the Royal Academy,
and the effects produced by it.
3. Mr. Buckingham,—Bill to authorize the purchase of lands for
the purpose of making Public Walks, Gardens, and Places of
Recreation in the open air, in the neighbourhood of all towns,
for the use of the population generally.
4. Mr. Buckingham,—Bill to authorize the erection of Public In-
stitutions, to embrace the means of diffusing literary and scien-
tific information, and forming libraries and museums in all
towns, for the use of the inhabitants of the same.
5. Mr. Buckingham,—Bill fur the better classification of Public
Houses, and for improving the regulations affecting the same,
with a view to the better preservation of the public health and
morals.
6. Mr. Charles Buller,—To mere for Papers relating to the Mau-
ritius.
7. Mr. Gisborne,—Claims of the Baron de Bode.

8. Mr. Rigby "Wason,2-i'ocQii;tP;itic;;;-from Great Yar-
mouth.
9. Mr. Aglionhy,—To refer to a Select Committee the Petition
from certain Electors of the city of York concerning bribery
at the last Election.
10. Mr. Shcil,—Papers relating to the affairs of the late Rajah of
Tanjore.
11. Mr. Hume,—Copy of Memorials to the Treasury, complaining
of Captain Knight of the Coast Guard in Scotland.
12. Mr. Hawes,—Petition from Albany, Cape of Good Hope, for
compensation.
13. Mr. Charlton,—To call the attention of the House to a para-
graph in the Morning Chronicle
14. Mr. Mark Philips,—Bill to declare the state of the Law with
respect to persons who impugn the doctrine of the Trinity.
--Municipal Corporations Bill.
I. Sir Robert Inglis,--To move four additional Clauses.
2. Mr. Rigby Wason,—That all Laws relating to Bribery and
Corruption at Elections for Members of Parliament be applied
to all Elections under this Act.
3. Mr. Herbert Curteis,—Clause to preserve the privileges of the
Cinque Ports.
4. Mr. W. Miles to extend the boundaries of Coventry and Ply-
mouth.
6. Slr. Frederick Berkeley,—That Gloucester be removed from
the second to the first division of Schedule A.
6. Mr. Brodie,—To move an additional Clause.
7. Sir John Buller,—To move the insertion of a Clause.
s. Mr. Parrott,—To move an additional proviso to the 10th
Clause.
9.- Mr. Hawkes,—To add a proviso,to Clause 114.
ORDERS OF THE DAY FOR THIS DAY.
1. Landed Securities (Ireland) Bill—Second reading.
2. Municipal Corporations Bill—Further consideration of Report.
3. Real Property Bill—Second reading.
4. Supply (13th July)—Report.
5, Customs Acts (Tea Duties)—Report thereupon.
6. Stamps and Tax Offices Bill—Committee.
7. Supply (10th July)—Repert.

_ -
DROPPED NOTICES OF MOTIONS OF YESTERDAY.
1. Mr. Harvey,—Returns relating to Revising Barristers.
. Mr. Harvey,—Return of every Barrister who has held offices of
honour or profit, at home or abroad, dining the last twelve
months.
3, Mr. Balfour,—To put a question relative to the management of
the Crown Lands in Orkney.
.1. Mr.
.Stewart Mackenzie,—Select Committee on the state of
5.
MEr.dmrucalatliaocne,—in to motlaonvd.
e
an Amendment to Mr. Stewart M'Ken-
zie's motion.

NOTICES OF MOTIONS GIVEN LAST NIGHT.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 15.
1. Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer,To present a Petition for
removal of the Civil Disabilities of the Jews.
2. Lord Viscount Ebrington,—Petition from Castlemorton, against
the proceedings of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster.
THURSDAY, JULY 16.
1. Mr. Poulter,—To add a Clause to Imprisonment for Debt Bill.
2. Mr. O'Connell,—Select Committee on Foreign Lotteries.
3. Mr. Hume,—On going into Committee on Election Expenses
and Qualification of Members Rill, to move an instruction that
they have power to divide it into two Bills.
THURSDAY, JULY 23.
Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland,--13ill to regulate Municipal
Corporations in Ireland.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13.
Mr. Charles Buller,-.-Motion on the state of the Mauritius.

lAIPERIAL-PARLIAMENT

THIS DAY, TUESDAY, JULY 14.

HO USE OF CO .1131 ONS.
The SPEAXER took the Chair at ten minutes past t.vel
o'clock.

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS:

Mr. PEA SE in moving the further consideration of the Re-
port on this Bill, said that he felt satisfied, if the measure be-
came the law of the land, it would greatly conduce to prevent
that cruelty which, he was sorry to say, was so much exercised
towards animals. lie was the last man in the world to inter-
fere with the diversions and amusements of the poor, and be-
lieving that the present Bill would not militate against these
amusements, he had brought it forward for the consideration of
the House.
Colonel SIBTHORP did not rise to give any opposition to
the Bill, but merely for the purpose of throwing out a few sug-
gestions for the consideration of the Hon. Member who bad
brought it forward. He should be the last in the world to
throw ridicule upon a measure having humanity for its object;
but the Hon. Member, although he had enumerated bears,
badgers, and foxes, had entirely forgotten that odious and abo-
minable practice of skinning cats.—( A laugh.) He trusted
the Hon. Member would take that subject into his considera-
tion. On the whole, thinking the subject would be productive
of much good, and tend to the prevention of great cruelty, he
should not object to the Bill going into Committee.
Sir M. W. RIDLE Y did not quite agree with the Hon.
Member who had last spoken. He complained that the Bill
gave too great a power to the inspectors, who were authorised
to enter any house or place, and carry before a magistrate any
persons whom they believed to be exercising unnecessary cru-
elty to animals. The inspectors were to be appointed by the
vestries of the parishes, and were to be paid out of the poor-
rates. lie believed the provisions of the Acts already in exist-
ence were amply sufficient for all the purposes of the present
Bill, and he feared that it was only a surreptitious mode of in-
terfering with the amusements of the lower classes.—( Hear.)
In his opinion, the amusements of hunting, coursing, shoot-
ing, and fishing, were as much breaches of the Act as
cock-fighting and bull-baiting. The former amusements
were within the reach of the higher classes only, and those
individuals who had not the means to resort to them
availed themselves of the latter. The Hon. Member who
had introduced the Bill was no doubt actuated by the best and
purest motives, but he ( Sir M. W. Ridley) thought the pro-
visions of the 3d and 4th George 111. amply sufficient
for all the purposes which this Act contemplated, and even
these gave a very arbitrary power.--( Hear, hear.) There
was a provision respecting unnecessary cruelty in carrying
animals, and no person could go into any of our public markets
without seeing calves carried with their heads down ; but al-
though this might be unnecessary cruelty, he feared the pre-
sent Bill would not correct the evil. If any legislation upon
these matters were • attempted, it would fail, and its conse-
quence would merely be to bring legislation into disrepute,
and render it totally inefficient for all. good purposes. _ Instead
of making the lower classes regard legislation as a protection,
they would be t4tsgltt to consider it as merely an instrument
of persecution and oppression. The present Bill also
greatly increased the power of informers, a class of individuals
that certainly ought not to be encouraged, for' they were
most mischievous.—(Bear, hear.) Any ill minded man
could go and lodge an information against his neighbour if
in his opinion any unnecessary cruelty was practised, and
have him subjected to a penalty. The Bill also affected in
some degree the higher classes, and he questioned whether,
according to the provisions of the 16th clause, the master of a
fox-hunt might not be subjected to a penalty for slaughtering
a horse. Although the lion. Member might not mean it, he
feared it was liable to be so construed. He suggested to the
Hon. Member that at this advanced period of the session it
would be better not to press the Bill to a third reading, but
if he did, he (Sir M. W: Ridley) would move, as an amend-
ment, that the Report be taken into further consideration that
day six months.
An HON. MEMBER (name unknown) would also recommend
the Hon. Member for Durham to postpone the Bill to next
session.
Alderman WOOD—In this Bill all the parishes in London
were to have inspectors, and to be saddled with the expense of
them too, when the Corporation had funds, and were quite
willing to pay for, their own inspectors, lie denied that there
was any cruelty proved against Smithfield market before the
Committee of last session. He thought the Bill of Mr. Mar-
tin was quite sufficient for all the purposes, and there could not
be better inspectors than the Police, who were always on the
sheets. The inspector under this Bill would be like many
more—he would be paid so small a salary, that the first thing
he would do would be to go to the drovers and say that lie
would shut his eyes for a consideration. If the House were
determined to legislate upon the subject, and sent the Bill into
Committee, he would oppose some of the clauses.
O'CONNOR DON, fully agreed with the Right Hon.
Baronet opposite (Sir M. W. Ridley), and if he pressed his
amendment to a division he should support him. He was par-
ticularly opposed to the 12th clause, which he considered a
most arbitrary one, as it was opposed to good sense.
Dr. BO WRING did not see that because Legislation did
net do all that was expected from it, yet surely the House
ought to carry it as far as they could. They ought to take
as much care of animals, "it far as they could, as they would do
of man—but there was a question beyond that of the animals,
—there were the morals of the men who inflicted the cruelty
upon them. -=
Lord MAHON had attended several meetings on the sub-
ject of cruelty to animals, and was sure that if some lion.
Members had heard the well-authenticated statements which
were made at those meetings, respecting the cruel practices
which prevailed, they would not have expressed the senti-
ments which had just been heard. He thought, however, that
more good was to be effected by the prevalence of public feel-
ing, than by penal enactments ; still he did not agree with the
Hon. Member for Newcastle, that positive enactments were
unnecessary.—( Hear, hear.)
Mr. PEASE explained, and referred to the evidence taken
before the Parliamentary Committee, from which it appeared
that the rich, rather than the poor, were the most guilty.._.
( Hear, hear.) Some of those who had been employed in pits
near this House, bad said they wished they bad never seen a
pit; and the frequenters of pits were generally bad husbands,
fathers, sons, and-subjects. He was quite satisfied that, if
the Bill passed into a law, it would not only be practicable,
but productive of the most happy consequences to society.
Mr. WIL KS hoped the House would allow this Bill to go
into Committce. The only objections that were made to it
were to particular clauses, and if these were well founded they
might be discussed in Committee, and amendments made to
meet them. He recollected that nine or ten years ago, when
Mr. Martin introduced a measure of this sort, he was perse-
cuted, and could not pass through the streets of London without
being insulted by the brutal drovers. Since that time, however,
the experiment had been made, and undoubtedly the interference
of Mr. Martin had procured a much greater degree of
protection to the animal creation, and it was now universally
acknowledged, that his interposition was founded in the purest
principles of humanity. He would not trespass upon the House
by referring to the objections which were made to partisular
clauses; he would only say, in confirmation of what had fallen
from the Honourable Member for Durham ( Mr. Pease)
that the object of the Bill was to do that which
it was absolutely necessary should be done, viz., that
the 4th or sth Act of Parliament upon this subject
should be consolidated into one act. At present, if any pro-
ceedings were taken before a magistrate, it was necessary to
refer to three or four acts of Parliament. Let them consoli-
date and simplify these Acts. lie was sure that the Hon.
Member for Durham, for his attempt to do this, deserved, not
the disapprobation, but the applause of the House. That
House had passed a Bill prohibiting bull-baiting and cock-fight-
ing within 5 miles of London. What was the result? Within a
quarter of a mile of the boundaries a new pit had been erected,
in the respectable vicinage of Tottenham and Edmonton, to
the very great annoyance of the respectable people in the
neighbourhood. Low and vulgar blackguards went by hun-
dreds to frequent this pit, which was opened in defiance of
the. Legislature. He regretted that some of the higher
ranks degraded and debased themselves by mixing with
those who frequented such places, and in supporting a
pit which Was constructed in a direct evasion of the law.
He entreated Hon. Members to allow his Bill too into Com-
mittee, and if after it should have passed through Committee
any clauses remained which were open to objection, the House
would have the opportunity of rejecting the Bill on the third
reading.
Mr. BROTH ERTON would support this Bill, as he would
assist the progress of any measure that had a tendency to
cherish the spirit of humanity, and preventing the demoraliza-
tion that flowed from these acts of cruelty.
Major BE A UCL ERK rose amidst cries of " Divide," and
said, he thought that the House ought to let this Bill go into
Committee; at the same time, if there was anything objection
able in it, he would vote for an amendment.

Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the House
divided when there appeared--
For going into Committee 3O
Against it
'l6
Majority for going into Committee l4
On our admission to the Gallery, we found the House in
Committee on the Bill, Mr. Cann- in the Chair.
Mr. PR YME objected to the 2d clause, because it defined
the offences much too vaguely, and gave such arbitrary power
to the Magistrates. Unless very material alterations were made
in Committee, he should feel himself called 'upon to vote against
the third reading. He would move as amendment that the
word "carelessness" should be omitted in the clause.
Mr. ROEBUCK thought that the whole clause ought to
be left out on account of its being so indefinite. In his opinion
it would be totally inoperative to remedy the evil com-
plained of.
Colonel SIBTHORP thought with the Hon. Member
who had spoken last, that the clause was so undefined that it
ought to be omitted. It would be very difficult to say what
was a sufficient quantity of food. The punishment of a horse
might be necessary, and yet another person might deem it cruelty.
He could not understand what was meant by the words " unneces-
sary torture" in the clause. It might be construed one way by
one, person, and another way by another, like the old woman who
said her eels were not tortured, because they were accustomed to
the skinning. Some persons preferred boiling their lobsters in cold
water, to make them firm—( A laugh)—but that might certainly
be construed into " unnecessary cruelty." It appeared to him that
the clause was altogether of so doubtful and arbitrary a character,
that he should move its omission.
Sir J. \VROTTESLEY begged to ask the lion. Member for
Durham, if he was aware that all animals intended for human food
were kept twenty-four hours without food, previous to being
killed

Mr. PEASE had no objection to omit the word " carelessness."
He hoped the usual course of amending the clause 'would be,
adopted, instead of moving its omission altogether.
The amendment was then put and agreed to.
A conversation here took place with respect to the word, 'tor-