The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-03 00:00:00

INCOME TAX BILL.

This bill was read a third time and passed.
POLICE (COUNTIES AND BOROUGHS) LAW

AMENDMENT BILL.
The house went into committee on this bill,
On clause 1, _ _ _

Mr. HAW'ES moved the following addition : —Chief
constables appointed, or to be appointed, under the Acts of
the 2d and 3d years of her Majesty, cap. 88, and other Acts,
shall be styled!' County Commissioners of Police."

After some discussion
Mr. CLIVE said that he had received memorials from
Hampshire and other places, setting forth that the altera-
tion proposed by the hon. member was desirable.
Tbs amendment was negatived without a division, and
the original clause was agreed to, as well as clause 2.
Clauses 3 and 4, with some verbal *niendments, were
agreed to.
The clauses to 9, inclusive, were agreed to.
Some discussion ensued on clause 10, to which verbal
amendments were moved, but they were withdrawn, and
the clause was agreed to.
The remaining clauses were agreed to, and the bill
passed.
Mr. GRIFFITH moved that the following be added to
clause 16 :—" The High Sheriff of any county may agree
with the Justices of the Peace for the same county for the
employment cf the police constables in lieu of the javelin
men at the assizes ; and thereupon the chief constable, on
the requisition of the High Sheriff, shall place wider his
orders a sufficient number of such constables to keep order
in and within the precinct of the Court of Assize, and upon
such agreement being entered into as aforesaid, it shall be
lawful for the High Sheriff to discontinue the employment
of javelin men." The hon. member said the alteration he
proposed was in operation in Hampshire and other coun-
ties, and was found to work advantageously.
Mr. WYSE considered that the hon. member was pur-
suing a most irregular course in moving the addition to the
.clause, as a promise had been given that, next session, a
select committee would be appointed to inquire into the
subject of the expenses of high- sheriffs.
Sir W. MILES opposed the addition, which he con-
sidered unnecessary.
After a few words from Mr. HENLEY and Sir G. C. LEWIS,
The house divided, and the numbers were—
For the additional clause
Against

l‘lajority.

53

. 42

The clause was then added to the bill
_____ _____

Mr. J. E WART moved thefo,.ro;:ng addition to
clause 18 :--None of the provisions of this clause
relating to a police superannuation fund, or contribution
thereto, or payments thereout, shall apply to any city,
county, or borough in which a police superannuation fund
has at the time of the passing of this act been established
under the provisions of ary local act now in force.
The motion was agreed to
,and the clause was added to
the bill.

Mr. HODOKINSON moved the following addition :
" And be it enacted, that in every city or borough in Eng-
land in which there shall be a court house or other public
building belonging to any county, or to any riding, parts or
division of a county, it shall be lawful for her Majesty's
justices of the peace acting in and for such city or borough
to use such court house or public building for the purposes
of holding therein the petty sessions of such city or bo-
rough, or of transacting therein any business connected with
the administration of justice in such city or borough with-
out any charge for rent, or other payment, save and except
the reasoable and necessary charges for lighting and clean-
ing such court-house or public building, when the same is
used for the purposes aforesaid. Provided always, that the
necessary arrangements shall be made so that the use of
the said court-house or public building by the said justices
shall not interfere with the business of the county, or of the
riding,parts or division of the county, usuall y transacted there-
in, or with any purpose for which such court-house or public
building may be used by virtue of any local act in that
behalf : provided further, that in case any difference shall
arise between the said justices and the parties having the
control of any such court-house or public building, as to the
charges or arraagements aforesaid, the same shall be re-
ferred to the Board of Trade, whose decision in the matter
shall be final.
After some discussion,
The Chairman of Committees decided that the motion
could not be put, and it was accordingly withdrawn
Sir J. TROLLOPE moved thelfollowing clause, which,
after some discussion, was agreed to : " Whereas' the
°sun.. tY Lincoln is under three separate commissions of
Lan Peace, namely. Lindsey, Kesteven, and Holland, but
is for Pal" suPerhite d
n ence under. one chief constable, and
it is found. inconvenient and unjust that the superannua-
tion
fund should be separate be it enacted, that after the
;
passing of this Act that thesaid superannuation fund shall
be one common account so long as the police force for the
said county of Lincoln shall be under the direction of one
chief constable for the three divisions • but if the said force
shall hereafter be separated under different chief constables,
in that ease it shall be lawful to divide the said
tion fund in proportion to the number of men for each divi-
sionu-
of the said county of Lincoln at that time serving in
the said force."
Mr. DEEDES moved the following clause :—" The chief
constable of any county police force, and the watch
is and are
com-
mittee of any city, borough, district, or. place,
to suspend or dismiss any const
able
within empoweredtable
within their respective jurisdictions for misconduct or dere-
liction of duty; and in case of such suspension or dismissal,
all or any arrears of pay due to the said constable shallt)
forfeited ; and the said chief constable or watch committee
is and are hereby also empowered, at his or their discretion,
to fine any such constable in a sum of money not exceed-
ing one week's pay, and to reduce thesaid constable from
a superior 'to an inferior rank, such fine and reduc-
tion in rank to be in addition to any other punish-
ment to which the said constable may be liable ; and all
punishments, penalties, and fines, such as above enume-
rated, heretofore imposed or inflicted under any rules
framed under and by virtue of the third section, two and
three Victoria, chapter 93, shall be deemed to have been
legally imposed or inflicted. The court of general or quar-
ter sessions for any county and the council for any borough._
may, upon the recormaendation of the chief constable of
any county police force, or of the superintendent of the
police for the said borough, grant to any constable in the
sail county or borough out of the Superannuation Fund of
said county or borough a reward in money not exceeding

3, in respect of and as a reward for any meritorious act
done by the said constable in the execution of his duty."
Some discussion followed, and the hon. member agreed
to withdraw the first part of the clause. The remaining
portion, with some verbal amendments, was agreed to.
Sir W-. MILES moved a clause for the abolition of local
parish constables, which was agreed to.
The bill with the additions was then passed.
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHARITIES BILL.

On the order of the day for going into committee on this
bill,
Sir G. C. LEWIS wished to make some explanations
which he had not an opportunity of doing fully on a former
occasion. The object of the bill was to preserve valid
Roman Catholic charities to purposes to which those who
left endowments wished them to be applied ; but it was pro-
posed to give power to the Court of Chancery and the Charity
commissioners to alter designations. He understood, however.
that there was a want of unanimity on the subject. He did
not propose to press the bill this session. (Hear, hear,
from Mr. Bowyer and Mr. Maguire.) He would propose
that the exception to the existing law in reference to Ro-
man Catholic charities should be continued for another
year, and he Would move that the order of the day be dis-
charged.
After a few words from Mr. S. ESTCOURT,
Mr: BOWYER said that the great objection to this bill
was, that it proposed to give legislative sanction for the
first time to the Act of Superstititious Uses of Charitable
Trusts. That act was passed in the time of Edward VI.
to enable the Sovereign to take possession cf certain foun-
dations on the ground qi their being applied to superstitious
purposes, but it was never intended to be prospective. Any
bill giving legislative sanction to such an act would seri-
ously offend Roman Catholics ; and he reminded Protestant
members that they had no interest in the subject, which
related entirely to the administration of the property left
for Roman Catholic purposes. It was intended by this
bill to bring them under the operation of the Charities Act
passed some years ago, which was passed to remedy the
evils that were said to exist in respect to some Protestant
foundations. If the house, however, was determined to
interfere with the Roman Catholics, he thought they should
place them in the same position as Protestants. He had
no wish to throw any obstacles in the way of the settle-
ment of this question, and he hoped a satisfactory measure
would be introduced next session. _ _

Mr. HUTT regretted the course Government had taken
in proposing to except Roman Catholics from the act
Passed some years previously, and to postpone the matter
till next session. He had heard so much about bringing in
a measure every next session, that he was not only sick, but
entirely distrustful of such promises.
Mr. SPOONER could not agree to the equity of the
exemption of Roman Catholics from the law
of the land, and he was aware that the
wealthy and influential portion of the Roman Catholicbody
were in favour of some legislative enactment on this sub-
ject.
Mr. HENNESSY said that no bill introduced by Go-
vernment would receive the support of Roman Catholic
members which contained any offensive phraseology im-
puting to them superstitious uses.
Mr. BEAUMONT bore personal testimony to the state-
ment of the lion. member (Mr. Spooner) as to legislation on
this subject by influential Roman Catholics, and the oppo-
sition;to the bill was led exclusively by Irish Roman Catho-
lics, who really had no interest in the matter. _ _ _

Mr. BOWIER said that he was-exclusively an English
Roman Catholic.

Mr. BEAUMONT reminded the hon. and learned mem •
ber that he was member for an Irish borough, and therefore
could not be considered exclusively an English Roman
Catholic.

After some remarks by Mr. NEWDEGATE, Sir G. GREY,
and Mr. KINNAIRD, the motion was agreed to, and the bill
was withdrawn. 1
COURT OF PROBATE ACT.
This bill went through committee, and was read a third
time and passed.
The house suspended sitting at 20 minutes to four o'clock.

The house resumed at six o'clock.
__ BRIDGWATER ELECTION PETITION.

The SPEAKER announced that he had received a
letter from Messrs. Baxter, Rose, and Norton, agents to
the petition complaining of an undue return for the borough
of Bridgwater stating it was not their intention to proceed
with the petition.
Colonel TYNTE said it was just what he had expected.
The petition, like so many others, was withdrawn at the
eleventh hour.

The order referring the petition to the committee was
then discharged.
AYLESBURY ELECTION PETITION.

Sir W. TROLLOPE brought up the report of the Ayles-
bury Election Committee: The committee bad determined
that Thomas T. Bernard and S. G. Smith, jun., Esqrs.,
were duly elected to serve as burgesses for the borough of
Aylesbury ; and that T. Vernon Wentworth, Esq., was
not duly elected. The committee had also come to the fol-
lowing resolution :---That T. Vernon Wentworth was by
his agent, Benjamin Child, guilty of bribery at the last
election. That Thomas Polstur was bribed by the sum of
two guineas, being paid for the hire of a cart. That it was
not proved that the bribery was with the knowledge of T.
Vernon Wentworth. The committee had altered the poll
list by striking out the name of Thomas Waite, who was
not entitled to vote.

The return was then amended by striking out the name
of Mr. Wentworth, and the evidence taken by the com-
mittee was ordered to be laid before the house.

CHARGES ON THE CONSOLIDATED FUND.
lklr. WISE gave notice that early next session he would
move for a select committee to inquire into all charges on
and payments made ont of the Consolidated Fund, and to
examine the miscellaneous estimates since 1847, with a
view to consider what means could be adopted to reduce
the expenditure without detriment to the public service.

NAVAL YARDS IN SCOTLAND.
Mr. B. COCHRANE gave notice that on Thursday he
would ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether, as
Scotland furnished so large a portion of the material for
building ships, anh as many of the workmen in the public
yards came from that country, it would not be for the pub-
lic advantage that Government building yards should be-
established in that country.
MAIDSTONE ELECTION PETITION.
Mr. DUNLOP reported from the Maidstone election com-
mittee that they found that Wm. Lee and Charles Buxton,
Esqrs., were duly elected. That Henry Smith was proved
on his own admission, to have been bribed with a sum of £lO.
_ ROMAN CATHOLIC CHARITIES BILL.

In answer 'o a question from Mr. HUTT,
Sir G. C. LEWIS said he would to-morrow move for
leave to bring in a bill to continue for another year the ex-
emption of Roman Catholic charities from the control of the
commissioners.

Mr. HUTT begged to say he would offer the bill all the
opposition in his power.
HERRING FISHERY IN ARGYLLSHIRE.
Mr. FINLAY asked the Secretary of State for the Home
Department if he had received any official intimation of the
probability of a riotous collision amongst the herring fisher.,
men of Lochlyne, Argyllshire, in consequence of the sys-
tematic transgression of the act 14 and 15 Vict., c. 26, by
certain fishermen in that locality, and whether any steps
had been taken to maintain the peace ?
Sir G. C. LEWIS said the attention of the Government
had been drawn to the subject some time since. It was re-
ferred to the Lord Advocate; he reported that the Fishery
Board was quite prepared for anything that might occur,
and had taken all the precaution in their power to prevent
any disturbances.

JUDICIAL STATISTICS.
Mr. M. MILNES asked the Secretary of State for the
Home Department whether it would be practicable to lay on
the table of the house the judicial statistics of England and
Wales, which were made up to the 29th day of September,
each year, before the succeeding Easter recess ; and whe-
ther some similar statistics for Scotland might not be ap-
pended to the said report ?
Sir G. C. LEWIS said with regard to the police and pri-
sons statistics, they were furnished from accounts which
were made up annually for a year ending on the 29th of
September, as that was the close of the official year in the
boroughs and counties. The commercial statistics were
made up to the close of the ordinary year on the 31st of
December , but owing to the winter assizes there was always
some delay in their preparation, but he trusted that in future
they would always be ready before Easter. He might men-
tion that our criminal statistics were published far in ad-
vance of those of other countries—France for example.
MARRIAGE OF MEN IN THE PREVENTIVE

SERVICE.
Mr. BLACK asked the Secretary to the Admiralty if
there was any regulation preventing the men in the pre-
ventive service Inland Revenue from marrying, and if men.
had been dismissed in Scotland for this offence ?
Mr. LAING said that as the preventive service was un-
der the control of the Board of Inland Revenue, it was his
duty to answer the question. There was no regulation
venting the men from marrying, but the employment was
restricted to unmarried men; the reason was that as the
men had to travel over a large extent of country, and to be
absent from home about four nights in the week, it was
found married men were rather apt to neglect their duty.
Four men had recently left the service on their marriage,
but that could hardly be called a dismissal, as it was a con-
dition of their engagement from the first.