The Sun.
London, England, 1832-01-11 00:00:00

LEGISLATION.

The haste with which some Bills have been passed
through Parliament has sometimes involved both Houses
in awkward dilemmas. Two or three instances in the
former Parliaments may be useful to the future. The in-
stances are of modern date ; and it is to be hoped that
they will show the necessity of narrowly watching the
immense pile of Bills now before the Legislature.
The Parish Registry Act (56 Geo. 111. cap. 146),
provides, that any person or persons wilfully making or
causing to be made any false returns in the books of bap-
' tistns, burials, or marriages, " being thereof lawfully con-
victed, shall be deemed and adjudged to be guilty of fe-
lony, and shall be transported for the term of fourteen
years." And the succeeding clause enacts, " that one-
half of all fines or penalties to be levied in pursuance of
this Act shall go to the person who shall inform or sue for
the same, and the remainder of such fines as shall be un-
posed •n any churchwarden shall go to the poor of tilo
pariah; and the remainder of such fines as shall be im-
posed on any rector, &c. shall be applied to such charitable
purposes as stall be appointed and directed by the Bishop
of the diocese."

The only punishment imposed by this Act is transpor-
tation for fourteen years, and that is to be equally divided
between the informer and the poor of the parish. There
was originally named a fine that was struck nut, and
the transportation was substituted. The other parts of
the Bill were not altered, so that the Statute-hook con-
tains this extraordinary Act amongst the laws of the land.
The Act 54 Gen. 111. c. 26., for repealing the duties
of customs on madder, and granting other duties in lieu
thereof, enacted " that from and after the passing of this
Act, the several duties of customs shall cease and deter.
mine." Here was a complete repeal of all the duties of
customs ! Here was legislation with a vengeance ! The
root and branch reformers could not have legislated more
sweepingly. Luckily the Act contained a clause enacting
that it might be altered or amended in the Session of Par-
liament. So a Bill was brought in three days after-
wards, "to rectify a mistake ;" which immediately passed
through all its stages; and on the following day it re-
ceived the Royal Assent.
In a new Gaul Bill, passed a few years since, it was en-
acted, that the county prisoners should remain in the old
prison while the new prison was building : but a subse-
quent clause provided, that the materials of the old prison
should be used in building the new gaol !
In the Hackney Coach Act, which came into force on the
sth instaat, we are informed by Mr. Timms, of the Stamp-
office, who drew up the Bill, the intention of the
Legislature was to allow stage-coaches to take short fares,
and yet clause four states, " that nothing in this Act shall
extend to any stage-coach used for plying fur passenger',
to be carried for hire at separate fares."
And in Act of the same Seas on, for the Vend and. De-
livery of Coal., the Legislature haie wisely pro.?vihing
tled,
" that the seller shall with every waggon carry a wet
machine, or otherwise pay a penalty of twenty pounds."
The House of
collective wisdom never considered that
weights would be wanted, in order that the carman might
weigh the coal'.