The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-01 00:00:00

LEFT SPEAKING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS—THIS EVENING.
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The following bills were read a third time and passed:—
Holyhead Water, and Neath and Brecon Railway
(Capital).
WORCESTER AND BIRMINGHAM CANAL BILL.
On the motion that this bill be read a second time. ,
Sir J. PARINGTON opposed the motion because it
would prejudicially affect several of his constituents. It
was proposed to convert the canal into a railway,• at least
so it was supposed, but in the event of a promise being
persevere
with that such was not the case; he should not ,
with his motion. He should conclude that the bill breau
a second time that day six months.
Mr. PRICE seconded the amendment.
that the canal
Mr. BROMLEY, •on the part of the pronlipters,
they had already given an undertaking,
a, y, and the y were
should not be converted into
a rbe Zodified.
quite willing that the tolls shouIdDODSON thought after
said
After a short discussion, Dlr. .
gtvthe bill might be post-
the intimation that bad been
promoters, the second readin
the galoteratious proposed would
ponod in order to see that
who opposed it.
i_ en on the part of the
f S t State t e for the
meet the- views of those
agreed to, and the further proceed_
proceed-
ings The suggebtion was
NORTHeford
intelligence
Secretary fortnight.o 0 f
ingliwniAthDtpheEnbilLl
e o postponed
saLkdee Legislature ectlheaietvu r e o f Nova Scotia favour-
able
NE
'rya AMERICAN
confederation of the North to the American
Provinces ?
Mr. CARDWELL said it was quite true that such in-
telligencehad been received:

TILE CATTLE PLAGUE.
Mr. CIIEETHAM asked the Secretary of State for the
Home Department if the Government Would suspend the
operation of Part I. of the Cattle Diseases Prevention Act,
relating to the slaughtering of animals and compensation
for the same after the 10th of May.
Sir G. GREY said that an order of the Privy Council
had already been issued extending the operation of the
act beyond the original term fixed until the 10th of May ;
but in conseghence of information that had come to hand
from all parts of Ur) country, they thought it was again

_________,.....,........
the duty of the Privy Council to further extend the time
beyond the 10th of May.
TOTNES ELECTION.
Mr. BOUVERIE rose to move that an humble address
be presented to her Majesty praying for the appointment
of a commission to inquire into the corrupt practices which
had been proved to have taken place at the
last election for the borough of `retries. He
said the evidence appeared most conclusive that
extensive corrupt practices had existed, and that the mode
pursued was either by promises of obtaining situations for
different persons, or by direct money bribes, the market
prices for the votes, it appeared, being £2OO a piece. The
committee came unanimously to the conclusion that ex-
tensive bribery existed at last election, and it became his
duty as chairman to move that a commission should be
appointed in accordance with the law as it at pr, sent existed. It had been said that these cam_
missions led to no good results, and therefore their
appointment was useless, but he thought that as it was the
only way to probe the matter to the bottom the inquiry
would be at once made.
Mr. BAXTER thought the appointment of these com-
missions led to no good results. Ile had known three or,
four of them that had in former times been appointed,
and yet in no one instance had the recommendations baen
followed by any legislation. The commissions cost be_
tween £1,500 and £2,000, and to spend such sums 'without
any results was worse than useless. The house had quite
sufficient evidence before it for any practical purpose. lie
thought that every person proved to have taken or offered
moneyr. D. G
money at an
letlieFcFticiT
instowulidshbeed atthoenepeenparol sepotteedrs of the.
Mhouse, in regard to bribery at elections, were more severelty
carried into operation than was the case at present.
Major EDWARDES objected that the borough which
he had the honour to represent—viz., Beverley—should be
paraded in that house and throughout the country as a
corrupt borough. Since the Reform Bill of 1832 there had
only been three petitions against the return for Beverley,
in two of which the petitioners entirely failed to prove,
their allegations. He thought one of the first alteratioret
in the law with respect, to elections should be an alte-„-,_
tion with respect to the mode in which petitions comp] win-
ing of undue elections were presented. In many Cases
they were got up for the purpose of extorting money from
the members elected, and failing in this, the petition at
the last moment was withdrawn, after it had been. b anging
over the head of the member for two or three mon'.lls.
Sir G. GREY thought the motion ought to, kie agreed
to as-the committee had reported that bribery and corrupt
extensivelyenppurt evailed at the last 'election.
from the chair and agreed to
practices
Thewithoutm aohi o
division.n was then