The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-17 00:00:00

SEA-BATHING BILL.

Toe Marquis of WESTMEATH, on moving the
second reading of the Sea-Bathing Bill, entered into
particulars of certain indecent exhibitions on the sea
shore, at various bathing places, and gave some details
of the measure.

Earl GRANVILLE said such exhibitions were be-
neath criticism, and below contempt. They were un-
worthy the interference of the law, which lost its autho-
rity, and became degraded by touching them. Was the
measure to be applied to It,land I
The Marquis cf WESTMEATH said "No."
The measure was subsequently rejected.
EQUALISATION OF POOR-RATES.
The Marquis of WESTMINSTER presented a peti-
tion from St. George's-in-the-East, St. Anne's, Lime-
house, and St. John's, Hackney, for an equalisation of
the'poor rates of the metropolis.
Their lordships then adj,iurned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.)
The SMILER took the chair at twelve o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Fraserbugh Harbour, Great Northern Railway
(Capital), and the Margate Water Bills were read a
third time and passed.
The Keith and Dafftown Railway (No. 2), and the
Mid-Sums Railway Bills were nuttier considered, and
ordered to be read a third time.
The Islington Parish Acts Amendment Bill was read
a second time.
MS CHESTER. SEEEFFIELD, AND LINCOLN-
SHIRE RAILWAY (BUXTON AND CLEE-
THORPES) BILL.
Mr. C. FORSTER moved that the order that this
bill be committed, be read and discharged, and that the
bill be withdrawn.
Agreed to.

PETITIONS.
Petitions were presented from Ireland in favour of the
Tenant Right Bill ; in favour of medical reform ; exten-
sion of the jurisdiction of the Ciunty Courts; for the
repeal of obsolete laws relating to newspapers, &c.
BANICRUPTCYAND INSOLVENCY (IRELAND)
BILL.

The house went into committee on this bill, on the
motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL for IRE-
LAND.
On the Ist clause,
Mr. MACARTNEY said that, as in a com-
mittee of progress, he could not move the refer-
ence of this bill to a select committee, that its
pecuniary and official clauses might be properly
considered, he should merely confine his remarks to
those clauses, and at a future stage of the bill move tbeir
reference to a select committee for the object he had
stated. The hon. gentleman, at some length, entered
into the constitution of the present Bankruptcy and In-
solvent Courts in Ireland, and V- e number of judges and
officers connected with them, and the saline, paid to
them. The present bill contained 430 clauses. 30 of
them referred to the constitutien and pecuniary arrange-,
went of the new courts ; 4 to the stamp duties ; 271 to
benkraPtcy-; 72 to insolvency ; and 19 to joint bank•
ruptey and insolvency administration. The clauses were
:Tidied up in such a manner in the bill that they required
the most serious consideration and attention of a select
commi3ee to put them in a shape to be properly and
easily.understood. ,He asked the committee to suspend
the eoneideraion of the pecuniary and official clauses
nntit after they had been considered attentively
by a select committee. The honourable gentle
man said that a loose system was adopted by the
Treasury towards the Irish law courts, and referred to
a charge of 37,0001. advanced by the Treasury, within
two years, towards the payment of the Bankruptcy
Compensation Fund, Chancery Compensation Fee Fund
and the Suitors' Fee Fund. ,
Mr. VANCE olio urged various objections to the
bill. Great inconvenience mnst result from combining
bankruptcy and insolvency in the :ame court. He also
objected to the clauses putting the officers of the old
sourt, who were capable of discharging their duties for
many years to come, on the Treasury compensation
scale, to their injury and the increase of charges on the
public funds that would be occasioned thereby.
Mr. WHITESIDE was at a loss to understand why
the distinction should be kept up between bankruptcy
and insolvency. It infi cted great injustice on many,
and he iestanced the case of a gent'eman who succeeded
to an estate in Ireland, on which there were certain
charges to.some of which he made himself liable. He
gave ,up everything.' His estate was sold in the In-
cumbered Estates Court, and he was made an insolvent,
the effeCt of which was that he was still liable, whereas
if he bad been made a bankrupt he would have received
his certificate and become a new man. (Hear, bear.)
The learned gentleman also objected to the abolition
sad creation of so many law offices in Ireland, and said
that he intended to move for a return of the number of
pereons 'capable of attending to business who bad been
bOmPensated ur peni,i,ined by the Government to make
ibetu' fur new officers on every change that took
race 'in the administration of the law in Ire-
and- He assured the committee that they would
oeouitouisbed at the number of pensioned law-officers
Walking idly about the streets of Dublin who were in
the
110n9 of life and capable of discharging efficiently
very important duties. This bill would will to the num-
ber. 'l'hia hilt iE passed entail great expense with-
-I."'nee• benefit. He concurred in the Bllg gestiuu that the boll should be referred to a select coni-
rnittee, ae the result might
• the bankruptc tend to the improvement of
atd t law of England and Ire
• /awl, by abolishing the distinctionen that at present existed
beteie::n the two,. ~
Mr. SIALINS concurred-iin.the'remarks of the hon.
and learned member for E,nm
kiilen with reference to
the dietioction between bankrupts
4.- for r and insolvency, and
supported the euggessomreferring this bill to a select
committee. He was at a lose to know why the di:-
, tioetic.s was kept up
_between traders and non-trader-,
thon becomin
andould not
he a n
aon
to clear hi l,la trader 7 o.gaself
ve up all ne•pn,passed,
m
vent/ as a trader did Alien he became a bankrupt, and
cOmtnence the world again as a free Lean. There
was no reasonable prospect of thie 61.1 being
properly discussed this session, and therefore lie
hoped to i•ee it referred to a eelect committee of n
mercial men and lawyers, that Eniy weep ,
wo.ftohe ohjectciooin;
m t
taken to it, and to the distinction e' _ bankruptcy
and insolvency, might be properly discussed and consi-
dered. •
Mr,..I:I4I.DFIELD ca4ed attention to the present state
of the law relative tp imprisonment fir debt, and also to
enprecedented length of time suitors of the Court of
GiSancery were imprisoned for contempt of that court.
Tneugh tie CfOWll might extend mercy in cases of
life deatb; it could not in reference to
imprisonment for contempt of the Court of Chancery.
He had lately succeeded in releasing two ladies
who bad been imprisoned 14 years for contempt of that
court. Beth imprisonments were a scandal to the law,
and, aeted m•;st injuriously to the persons incarcerated
and their families.
o Mv, MALlNS.alsosgbjncted to the law for imprison-
ment for debt, and assured the committee that many were