The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-06 00:00:00

STREET BAILIVAYS.

We have always advocated the adoption of street
railways in the cities of Europe, simply because we
know so well, from actual experience, the immense
advantages which accrue wherever they are intro-
duced: Two roads have been in operation in
London for several weeks ; both together are
barely two miles long, yet the number of pas-
sengers carried over them has excited the intense
surprise of the Londoners. Over one road during
ten weeks, and the other seven weeks, upwards
of 173,000 passengers have been conveyed by
the Company's cars, showing an aggregate of
nearly 1,000,000 annually. The subject has been
so thoroughly ventilated in this country, and the
people have, in spite of all the prejudice which has
been brought to bear by influential and interested
parties, become so thoroughly convinced of the in-
calculable advantages of the system that it is diffi-
cult to find words to place the matter in any new
form, and probably equally unnecessary to make
further comment thereon. Still, we feel so forcibly
the vast importance of the subject that we cannot
refrain from allusion to it. Numbers of those who,
in the absence of occular demonstration, were
decidedly adverse to even the experiment, are
now in the ranks of its warmest supporters.
The railway department of the Board of Trade
has made a highly favourable report on the sys-
tem, The undaunted energy which has accom-
plished the introduction of street railways into this
great city must enlist the admiration of every man
of any nationality, who possesses any nobility of
mind. Obstacle after obstacle, delay after delay,
and insult upon insult, has arisen and been
offered, but only to be swept away by the in-
domitable Mr. Train, whose name is now a
household word in every land. After a delay of
six weeks, caused by the strike of ironmen the
third metropolitan ioad, from Westminster-bridge
to Kennington-park, was commenced on Thursday
morning last, and will be open to the public before
the end of June. Simultaneously the Bank of Eng-
land road, extending about three miles from the
Bank, is to be built ; also lines in Portsmouth,
Exeter, Bristol, and, Cork,— The London American,

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COAIMONS.—YEStERDAY.
The SPEAKER entered the house at twelve o'clock, but
it was not until twenty minutes past that public business
commenced, owing to there not being sufficient members
in attendance.

The Stockport District Water Bill was read a third time
and passed.
The South Essex Water Bill was read a second time.

CHURCH RATES.
A number of petitions were presented against the abolition
of church rates.

THE GALWAY CONTRACT.
Mr. CALCOTT presented a petition from Clare, in
favour of a continuance of the Galway Mail Contract.
, NOVA SCOTIA.
Mr. CAIRD hoved an address for a copy of the de-
spatches from the Government of Nova Seotia relative to
the gold discovered there.—Agreed to.
FRIENDLY AND ASSURANCE SOCIETIES.
Mr. S. ESTCOURT moved the second reading of th's
bill. He said he had not heard of the slightest objection to
the first clause. With respect to the second, he did not
seek to cast on these societies any responsibility which they
were not at present liable with respect to the publication of
their accounts. The clause only required the society to mike
a return of the receipts and expenditure during the year, the
date of the establishment of the society, the number of
members, and the amount invested. By the third clause
the county court was fixed upon in which penalties were
to be received, but he had seduced the sum, which origi-
nally stood in the bill at £5, to £l.
The bill was read a second time.
COUNTY VOTERS (SCOTLAND) BILL.

On the motion for gsing into committee OR this bill,
Mr. MURE moved an instruction t) the committee to
make the rules and regulations contained therein conform-
able with those of the Act 19 and 20 Vic., chap. 58, in so
far as they are applicable to counties.
The SPEAKER said the instruction was informal, but
it was quite competent for the committee to deal with the
subject without the instruction being given to them.
On the SPEAKER putting the question that he do leave
the chair,
Mr. BLACKBURN said he had to move an amendment
to that motion. The bill which the hon. member proposed
to go on with contained no less than sixty faults,
which he himself had amended. He should therefore pro-
pose, as an amendment, that the 1311 be reprinted with the
amendments proposed, and that the house should on the
present occasion merely go into the crmittee on the bill
pro forma.

_
Sir E. COLEB ROOKE said he had taken the utmost
trouble in framing the bill, and was therefore very desirous
to proceed with the consideration of it without delay. He
would leave the question as to proceeding with the bill in
the hands of the house, although he thought they would not
have for some time so favourable an o.portunity for dis-
cussing the bill as the present.
Mr. ROEBUCK complained of the manner in which
business was transacted on Wednesdays. He found there
was no less than sixty alterations proposed in this bill, and
he did not think that the hon. member was a fit person to
make such a law as he proposed. The Lord Advocate was
the proper person who ought to have introduced the mea-
sure. There was a system springing up of peddling into
the constitution on the part of private members on Wcd-
nesday, and he thought the sooner the system was put an
end to the better.

The LORD ADVOCATE said he could not agree with
the statement of the hon. member who had just resumed
his seat. He was of opinion that private members had as
good a right to bring in bills as members of the Govern-
ment. His hon. friend (Sir E. Colebrooke) had paid great
attention to the subject,and he thought he was es competent
to deal with the question as any member in that house.
(Hear, hear.) With respects to the GO amendments which
it was said had been made to the bill, it was certainly true
there were that number of amendments, but they were much
to the same effect, namely, the alterir J the month from Sep-
tember to August. The bill would effect a great improve •
ment in the registration in Scotland, and he thought the
present was a very favourable opportunity for considering
its provisions.

Sir J. FERGUSSON thought the house would be in a
better position this day week to discuss this bill. The
changes proposed were very important, but the bill was most
loosely drawn up, and although it proposed only to assimi
late the county to the borough registration it required no
less than sixty alterations. Under such circumstances he
thought the bill ought to be postponed.
Mr. DUNLOP, under certain circumstances, was not
unfavourable to delay. He was, however, quite ready to
go on with the bill.

- Mr. LOCKE said he should not have obtruded himself
on the house had it not been for the ob:;ervations of the hon.
member for Sheffield. He thought the hon. member,
if he recalled his recollection for a moment, must
become aware that mr ly of the most important
alterations of the electoral law had been introduced by
private members. (Hear, hear.) It was to the e:;.ertion of
private members that the Jews owed their present position in
that house. (Hear, hear.) Then, again, there was the law
that admitted members to Parliament without the property
qualification; for that also they had to thank a private
member. (Hear, hear.) There was also another bill on
which the hon. and learned member invariably recorded
his vote; he meant the ballot. (Hear, hear.) He though
the hon. member for Sheffield would wait for a very long
time before he found that mersure brought forward by
members who occupied the Government side, or by those
who graced the Opposition side of the house. (Hear, hear,
and laughter.)EHis (Mr Locke's) opinion was that the most
important changes in the ! .ws affecting the people had
been introduced by independent and private members of
Parliament.

Mr. C. BRUCE thought that on the present Wednes-
day when a very attractive proceeding was to take place (the
opening of the Horticultural Gardens), the hon. member
ought not to persist in his intention.

The amendment was withdrawn, rqd on a motion made
by the LORD•ADVOCATE for the adjournment of the debate
until Friday next, it was agreed to.
WHITE HERRING FISHERY (SCOTLAND) BILL.
On the motion that the bill be read a second time,
c.A.I.RD said he could not consent to this bill, which
contained a very stringent penalty of a twiner bill. The
penalty to which he alluded was that if a person we., found,
not simply dealing, but even having in his possession, such
a fish at a certain season of the year he should be subject to
a penalty of £2O. He thought the Lill ought to be referred
to a select committee.

Mr. ELLICE was in favour of referring the bill to a
select committee.

The LORD ADVOCATE said he should not object to
the select committee if any result could be arrived at
during the present year. The inquiry would be so large
that it would be altogether impossible to arrive at a settled
conclusion this year.
The bill was read a second time, and ordered to be com-
mitted this day week.
CORK INFIRMARY BILL.
The house went into committee on this bill—Mr. MAs-
SET in the chair.

The whole of the clauses were agreed to, and the bill was
ordered to be reported.
DWELLINGS FOR THE WORKING CLASSES

BILL.

This bill was read a second time.
CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS OATH RELIEF BILL.

Mr. LOCKE moved the second reading of this bill.
He said he thought a great deal of misapprehension
existed as to the effect of this bill, as it had been thought
its provisions were more extensive than they really were.
This bill was simply for the purpose of enabling those who
have a conscientious scruple to the taking an oath by leave
of the judge, to make an affirmation. That was the whole
of the bill, and it was confined to criminal cases,
and the reason he so confined its operations was because
the civil court possessed the power of allowing witnesses
to give evidence after having made an affirmation. All he
proposed to do was to extend the privilege of the civil to
the criminal courts. Notice had been entred on the paper
that it was the intention of an hon. member to move that
the second reading of the bill be taken that day six months,
but he was quite at a loss to know on what ground, be-
cause the bill was totally different from that of the lion.
member for Tavistock, as he had attached the same pen-
alty for making a false declaration as that for taking a
false oath, viz., an indictment for perjury. The hon. and
learned member here cited several cases to show the neces-
sity of the bill, and concluded by moving the second
reading.
Mr. S. ESTCOURT moved the adjournment of the
debate.
six
xurnwmeeekant
would bLeOwCiKthEdrahwonp,edhoothaaataothhee
hmadotfioorn
thfberlaasdtj
been watching for an opportunity of bringing it forward.
The honourable gentleman, he did not think, had
ever read the bill— [Mr. Estcourt said he had.]
He (Mr. Locke) was delighted at that, because he
did not object to it, and he supposed his reason for moving
the adjournment of the debate was to give an opportunity
for some one to come in who had. (Laughter.) The Attorney-
General had no objection to the bill, and under such cir-
cumstances he hoped it, would be road a second time.
Sir G. C. LEWIS said he had been infohned of the
' operations of the bill. He did not tb4nk there was any
danger in allowing certain witnesses to make affirmations
in preference to taking an oath. He thought, however, the
second reading of this bill could be taken that day on the
I understanding that his hon. s,id learned friend, the At-
torney. General, should be free to take whatever course he
pleased when the bill was in committee.
Mr. SPOONER supported the motion for the adjourn-
ment of the debate simply because there was so limited an
attendance of members of the legal profession.
Mr. ESTCOURT withdrew his amendment.
Mr. HENNESSY moved that the bill be read a second
time that day six months.
After a few words from Mr. D. GRIFFITH,
Mr. ROEBUCK said it appeared to him that the pre-
sent bill was to extend the privilege given to Moravians,
Quakers, and Separatists to all other classes, and as such
he approved of it. As the law stands, a man in a peculiar
cut coat or shaped hat, when he had the oath tendered to
him in a court of justice, would say, " lam a Quaker ;"
the judge immediately would reply, " The law relieves you
from that oath," and an affirmation would be received.
Now what would be the case of a man in a similar situa-
tion, not either Quaker, Moravian, or Separatist? He
would come into court, and with a sincere religious
desire to observe the injunction, " Swear not at all," he
would object to the taking of the oath. The judge would
ask if he were Quaker, Moravian, or Separatist, and he might
reply " I do not know what you mean by Moravian or Sepa-
ratist, but lam a Christian. That would not avail him,
and he would either have t take the oath or bear the
at
con-
sequences of a refusal to do so. He thought it unju
what religious privileges were allowed to Quakers lhld
be refused to Christians, and therefore he should support
the motion for the second reading.
when there
After a short discussion the house divided,
appeared— 65
For the second reading ................... 31
should
Against it .. .. ............... . ...... —34

Majority .................... _ _
Tho bill was then read a second time.
TRAMWAYS (IRELAND) ACT AMENDMENT
BILL.
The house went into committee on this bill.
Col. DUNNE moved several amendments to some of the
clauses of the bill, some of which were agreed to.
Mr. BEAAIISII moved the following proviso to one of
the clauses of the bill :—" Provided always, that it shall not
be competent to make application for a tramway or tram-
ways, under the provisions of this or the
granteds asitdatutoY
and i)
recited
act, to
unite places between which a railway or railways directly
connecting the same shall havelbeen constructed under the
rpowers
eirns
authority of Parliament, or between which
for the same purpose shall have been
force."
Mr. V. SCULLY strongly objected
thought it highly objectionable toto the proviso. He
com-
peting with railways. This proviso prevent tramways
such being done, and he could distinctly prohibited
pass without enterin his not therefore suffer it to
Mr. CARD ELL •
g protest against •
said the proviso it.
the bill passed last was to be found in
year, and
was intended to be donehe should like to know what
Mrs Caym, i on the present occasion. %.
f T 41,4,1, §eg it was merely +,...amly A Wir.