The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-17 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.--(Tms DAY.)
The SPEAKER, took the chair at twelve o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Lords' amendments to the following bills were con-
sidered and agreed to :—Bolton Corporation; Brighton,
Uckfield, and Tunbridge Wells Railway; Hawick Police
and' Improvement; and Stockport, Timperley, and Al-
trincham Junction Railway Bills.
MINES TRESPASSES PREVENTION BILL.

Mr. SHERIDAN, in moving th© second reading of this
bill, said that its object was to prevent the depredations
that were frequently committed in miner, by which a great
loss was inflicted on mine proprietors. By the present law
very little provision was made to meet these injuries, and
serious complaints were made in consequence by parties
who were unable to obtain redress. The only remedy at
present was an application to the Court of Chan-
cery, which was a very roundabout process, or an
action at common law for trespass. Before the commence-
ment of such action, however, the injury was committed,
and very frequently no redress was obtained, as the persons
who were the offending parties were frequently men of
straw, and in many cases the injury was not discovered
until legal remedy was barred by the Statute of Limitation.
What he proposed by the bill was, to enable a mine owner,
on his making an affidavit before the Judges in Chambers,
that he believed an injury had been inflicted on his pro-
perty, to obtain an order for inspecting the same. The
hon. member here read extracts from the evidence of mine
inspectors, to show the extent to which those injuries were
carried.

Mr. PAULL said that, although his name was on the
back of the bill, he informed the hon. member who intro-
duced it that he was opposed to its provisions, as it had not
the approval of mine proprietors generally.
Mr. CLIVE opposed the bill, which was objectionable
because even on suspicion an underground warrant could
be obtained before the: injury was ascertained, which
took it out of the category of the law relating to injury be-
tween man and man. To justify the introduction of such
a measure, it should be shown that some great public
interest was involved, and he advised his hon . friend to
withdraw the bill.

Mr. DENMAN said he was surprised that the Solicitor-
General (now the Attorney-General) had opposed this bill,
which he believed was in accordance with the liberal
principles which had actuated the present Government.
The hon. and learned gentleman mentioned many cases
which had come within his own experience which showed
that justice had been defeated on account of conscientious
objections to taking an oath. Witnesses in such cases
were not allowed to give evidence, and were not unfre-
quently punished for their refusal. The evidence of such
persons would in many cases be more to be relied upon than
the evidence of those who readily took the oath, and never
thought about it afterwards.
_The house went into committee on the bill. The various
clauses having been agreed to, the bill was reported to the
house, and ordered to be read a third time to-morrow.

SHERIFFS' COURT (SCOTLAND) (No. 2) BILL.
This bill was withdrawn.
INDICTABLE OFFENCES (METROPOLITAN
DISTRICT) BILL.

The consideration of this bill was postponed till this day
week. •

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AMENDMENT BILL.
This bill, as amended, was considered and agreed to.

IRREMOVABLE POOR BILL.

This bill was read a third time and passed.
METROPOLIS LOCAL ACT AMENDMENT BILL.
The house went into committee on this bill.
The clauses to 71 inclusive were agreed to.
(LEFT SITTING.)