The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-18 00:00:00

PUBLIC COMPANIES' BILL.

Mr. D. GRIFFITH, in moving the second reading of this
bill, explained that the measure was practically the same as
one which had passed through several stages in a former
session, and had been amended and reduced to the simplest
form in committee. In these circumstances, had there not
been a large amount of new members in the present Parlia-
ment, he would have moved its second reading without
adding a single observation. The object of the bill was
the regulation of voting in large public companies.
It was a simple proposal to extend their powers so as to
enable them to know what they were voting about. (A
laugh). lts operation was restricted to those companies
which were under the Companies Consolidation Act of the
year 1815, under which there were two ways of voting__
personally and by proxy. Those companies consisted of
such an enormous amount of individuals—five, ten, and
fifteen thousand, and in the case of the London and North
Western Railway, 22,000 shoreholders—that all could not
attend their meetings. In not a few cases ladies were
shareholders, and also large manufacturers and others in
various parts of the country, who invested their surplus
money in them, and could not be expected to ba present.
Consequently, if such persons voted at all they had to do so
by;proxy, and their votes might be given in favour of an
object which, if they had heard tho statements made in the
course of the discussion, they would not have voted for.
The system was, therefore, liable to great abuse by persons
gathering in proxies with which to carry any scheme which
they might have in view. The hon. gentleman gave some
instances of directors of railway companies holding proxies
for such a large amount of stock that they were able to carry
any measure, notwithstanding the opposition of the share-
holders present. To remedy this voting :in anticipation
he proposed that in the event of a poll being demanded
motion and amendment should be circulated amonagnsthoe,
shareholders, and their opinions ascertained by me
voting papers to be forwarded by post.
the
im-
regard to proxies ;
billl,lra.eGitlaßpSrOinNotpsaleidwhaes wouldsaluta salutary, and
tin oasoltl ecwttitosnanto
provement on the existing law
the pirnotxeinedsesdhothuladt
allbu t t
hhee
existing supposed
powers
proposal was an addition
remain untouched, and that this
present law.
he
presented in
t with h regard
itt tol
ee
to,marn.dGnuoitlasFsiulb,sntilit.tionufoiro,.the t
TRADE BILL.
petitions having been
a seconadgrev:,
The bill was thuenoipQeaudi
HUDDLESTON moved the second reading, and, in
statemmdbeteahrsauotrftere was no new principle involved
favour
liArl.a
iu
doing.sroog,fethnius
it. The clauses had all been drawn up with a view of
carrying out the intentions of the Legislature in repeated
acts of Parliament, and the only variations were such as it
was necessary to make in order to adapt the measure to the
exigencies of the present day. The frauds which it was
sought to prevent were the substitution and sale of au in-
ferior quality of hops for a superior quality, and the system
of false packing—filling up a bag with an inferior quality
of hops, while a small quantity of a good quality was put
in the centre, from which tho sample was generally drawn.
These practices had existed for a very considerable time,
and it was found almost impossible to repress thorn. The
temptation was very groat, and it arose from the different
priceti Which the different qualities of hops would fetch in

the market. The superior character of hops grown in East
Kent in favourable-soil, where there has beerka great ex-
penditure of capital, where the crop was very scanty, wore
used only for brewing. Some of the very best kinds for ale
fetched a price of something like eight or nine guineas per
cwt., while the inferior qualities requiring less expenditure
of capital and less care, would bring only four or five
guineas. The house would, therefore, see that there was a
great temptation if there was a facility offered for impos-
ing upOn the consumer and the public an inferior for
superior quality. The Legislature had thought it right to
protect the trade from frauds, and he might state that: ftVa
Acts had Jason passel with that view. The first of these
measures was introduced in 1710, and one of them 11:td
been repealed, The principal object of the present bill
was to require that the owner, planter, or dealer Should
mark the name, weight, year, and place of growth on his
bags instead of the excise, and there could be no hardship
in his being compiled to do so, for he had the materials,
for marking at his hand. There were also clauses rendet.,-
ing liable to a penalty persons who should fraudulently
pack, or suffer to be packed, hops of different qualities in
the same bag, and giving power to justices of the peace tor
issue a warrant for the detention of bags improperiy
masked, while a prosecution was instituted. lie had re-
ceived a suggestion as to the wording of some of the
clauses, which might be attended to in committee.

Sir B. BRYDGES seconded the motion.
Mr. BERESFORD HOPE objected to the bill as it di d
not allow a fair competition to growers, but granted a sort,t.f
monopoly to those in East Kent. He moved that it, be
read a second time this day six months. The hon.. gen-
tleman pointed out some objectionable words in 4.1 e bill
and hopod, if the bill went into committee, they would be
withdrawn.

Sir M. RIDLEY seconded the amendment,
Mr. LOCKE said the objection raised against the bill
was the old objection that the groWers of bad hops would
not bo entitled to sell them as good hops. The measure
was practically a revival of an old system, which had fallen
into disuetude. What objection could the Weald of Kent
have to put on an honest' ark. (Hear, hear.) Under Vita
old acts the grower was obliged to put on a mark, br.t if
he did not do it he could not be punished except in a, very
roundabout way, namely, by actions for penalty.
Mr. GREENE was in favour of the bill as it would be a
protection to brewers.

Mr. Alderman LUSK did not see why, there should be
special legislation for the hop any more than any other
trade.

After some observations from Mr. KNIGHT, Mr. Pmr, and
other members,
Mr. GIBSON thought the compulsory marking of any
merchandise 'inadvisable, and said that recent legislation
did not go in that direction, but he could not object to a
measure for the prevention of fraud. He should not oppose
the second reading of the bill, the clauses of which could
be very fairly discussed in committee.
Mr. HOPE then withdrew his amendment, and the bill
was read a second time.

BALoNGIKHNLEONTErnSov(eIdREthLeANserad
BILL).
Sir C. O'
reading of this
g
bill, the objectof which was to make Bank of En land note
a legal tender in Ireland, and to remove certain restrictior.:
which at present existed with respect to Irish banks of
issue. The hon. baronet at some length compared the
English, Scotch, and Irish banking systems, and remarked
that while in Scotland notes-were made payable to the head
office in Edinburgh, in Ireland, if a branch office were
opened, that branch office could only issue its OWII notes,
The consequence was that in Ireland, where there were six
banks of issue, there were only 191 branch banks, while
in Scotland, with twelve banks of issue, there were 591
branch banks. Another result was this ; banks being
compelled to keep a fifth more of gold than the amount
issued in notes, every branch bank in Ireland which
issued £lOO,OOO in notes had to keep in stock £120,000 in
gold. In Scotland, however, branch banks had only to
keep in stock an amount equivalent to the amount of notes
issued by that office. In conclusion, the hon. member ex-
pressed his willingness to postpone the bill for a month or
six weeks, if further consideration of the subject was re-
quired.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said ho had
carefully considered the provisions of the bill, and if it
had been in the power of the Government, consistent with
their public duty, to have consented to its second reading
they should have done so. But they had arrived, unhap-
pily, at a different conclusion. His hon. friend had stated
that he was willing to enter into an engagement to drop
the first portion of the bill in committee, and confine
himself to the second object of it if he were assured
of the consent of the Government. It would be
a very objectionable proceeding were the Government to
consent to the second reading of the bill, with a view of
casting out of it in committee that which, on account of
its magnitude, might be called the main principle of
the bill, namely, making the Bank of England notes a
legal tender in Ireland. He could not consent either to
the first or second portions of the bill. With regard to
making the Bank of England notes a legal tender in Ire-
land, his hon. friend, iu his speech, had cut the ground
from under his own feet, for he said that when Irish stock
was sold in London and Bank of England stock were re-
ceived in payment, the disposer of the stock, when he re-
turned to Ireland, had to submit to a rate of discount in
changing the notes. That showed that the Bank of
England was not always at par in Ireland. Ile (Mr. Glad-
stone) would not attempt to disguise the fact that the
banking question with regard to Ireland, and also with re-
gard to other portions of the kingdom, required revision
but it was not a question that could bo approached at dl
times with advantage. This was a strictly Imperial q tes
tion. It was quite true that they had three different
laws in operation, and he was very far from saying that th
laws ought not to be made uniform in the three kingdoms.
That was not his moaning, but his meaning was this—
that they could not settlo the law of any one of the three
kingdoms without considering what the effect would be
on the state of the law in each of the other two ; and that
was the ground on which he stood when he said that any
proposal with regard to the currency in Ireland must be
considered not only with regard to its effect there, but also
with regard to its effect on Scotland and England. After
giving a careful and concise review of the banking system,
the Chancellor of the Exchequer said that although the
Government were waiting as anxiously as the hon.
member himself for the hour when some revision of the
system might be made, they could not oousent to the
second reading of the bill.
Some observations having been made by Mr: HAMMY,
who spoke against the measure,
Sir C. O'LOGHLEN said that after the remarks made by
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, he would not proceed
with the bill.
The house then adjourned.

P NAME IN TEL Liti:EN CE—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

SOLDIERS CHARGED WITH ROBBING A GENTLEMAN,—
George Brown and Adam Clark, two privates of the Scots
Fusilier Guards, wore charged before Mr. Tyrwhitt with
stealing a watch and chain from the person of Mr. Arthur
George Shawe, gentleman, of Craven-place, Kensington.
Philip Shrive, 82 C—l was in the Haymarket about 2
this morning with another constable in plain clothes.
There was a gentleman who was tipsy trying to get into
a cafe. The prisoners walked along, and Clark stopped
onebuaolacttrkogk.f.refluse
the gentleman, saluted him and said, "How are yout mate ?"
and went through part of the drill, and then called out to
Brown, " Come along you fool." The prisoners and
the gentleman then went into Barnes's, but were turned
out. They afterwards wont into the Anglesey. Tavern,
.oww:tn:Liswa:
and while there ho saw Brown handling the gentleman's
watch-chain, and drawing it through the button-hole of
his waistcoat. They then all left the Anglesea Arms.
them. They got into Jermyn-street, and thentoall gout°
Clark walked with the gentleman, and Brown followed
them.
let get
a Hansom cab ; an
ealed to a
up behind he refused.
‘t‘hle
they
have
I followed him to Cambridge Houhsee,
he said
idl,iayskeesd,
my watch
genthievanienadgnoctivilhiinem.
inctolartkhesaoaidb,
right side of the cab,
stop and Brown jump out of the and on
myThasokincatutihaen cabmanthen app .
constable in uniform, because we werelgvfehoneltill.oacwinliansangwfholtlmlhoew;
cbinaugbt
chain."
lost anything, and
Clark getting out at the othiefr,
Proallikciengoffiotr, and should take
but I brought him
bolted away down Piccadilly,
him to the station,
the other
then sent officer after Clark, but
otlitt,h"eanndealifd
and
ho bol
d to go, and.
taken. While in the
but NVAS cab Brown became rather
violent, and though I told the cabman who I was he re-
fused to drive till a constable came up in uniform, al-
though I held out my warrant card to show him who I
was. 1 then saw Brown put his hand into his pocket
and take something out, which ho was about dropping
in the cab, but I took it from him, and it was the watch
and chain produced. I then got him to the station, but not
without some trouble, owing to his violence. The prose-
cutor is not able to be present to-day.
Thomas Cheney, 87 C (after corroborating a portion of
the previous evidence), said—Clark said he had not got the
watch and chain, and knew nothing about it. I got Brown
into a cab, and then Clark made off; pursued him, and took
him into custody, and, on telling him the charge, he said
he knew nothing about it, and struck me a violent b
on the chest, and tried to throw me, but a gentlemanto
ren-
dered me some assistance. He was violent on the way
the station, and threatened me. I found ss. 2d. on Clark,
7d. on Brown. The prosecutor is a captain in the army, I

believe.
The cabman said he did not know the persons who
spoko to him were officers.
The policeman said he was well informed by them who
they were.
Mr. Tyrwhitt remanded the prisoners, telling the cab-
man it was a discreditable thing for him to do.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. This Dar.

LONDON, April 18.—Wind this day at noon—South-
'Westerly; moderate breeze, and flue weather, but a little

cloudy.
April 17. —Wind S.S.E.— Sailed - Crimea, for
Uontreal.