The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-17 00:00:00

Vhioh I have received from the secretary the company
is as follows :

" May 16,' 1861.
" A letter from the Postmaster-General was delivered at
half-past 5 o'clock yesterday evening at the office of the
company, containing the intimation that he had declared
the Galway Contract at an end. If time be permitted, the
company will be prepared to join issue upon all the reasons
given by the Postmaster• General, and I am desired by the
Board to request that yon will add this statement to any
answer that you may feel called upon to give to Mr. Bax-
ter's question this evening." (Hear, hear.)
MERCHANT SHIPPING ACTS.

Sir 11. STRACEY asked the President of the Board of
Trade when he purposed to bring in his bill to amend the
Merchant Shipping Acts, of which he had at different times
given notice ?
Mr. M. GIBSON said that this question had been un-
avoidably postponed in consequence of the pressure of
public business, but he would introduce a bill ou the sub-
ject immediately after the Whitsuntide recess, and he
trusted that' the state of business would not further delay
the consideration of it to any length of time.
THE CONVENTION WITH FRANCE.
In reply to Sir H. STRACEY,

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
her Majesty's Government had received no official informa-
tion of any proceedings in the French Senate calculated to
infringe the provisions of the convention in reference to the
fisheries of the two-countries. He believed that there was
every desire on the part of the French Government to act
in good faith in regard to carrying out the provisions of the
convention.

ALLEGED BREACH OF PRIVILEGE•
Mr. M'EVOY drew the attention of the house to what
he considered a breach of privilege in reference to himself.
He entered the room where the select committee on the
registration of births, deaths, and marriages in Ireland was

sitting, when the examination of witnesses was going on.
The hon. member for Clonmel (Mr. Bagwell), who was in
the chair in the absence of the hon. gentleman the Secre-
tary for Ireland, beckoned to him and told him he was out
of order in being present. He replied that he waq not, and
then retired. Being, as he considered, acquainted with the
rights of members, and having a knowledge of this subject,
he thought it right to bring the subject before the
house, but without the slightest hostility towards
the honourable member (Mr. Bagwell,) who acted
_ _

is ;gaoran(:e of the mat+a of the house. Thr hon. =amber
-read certain rides and decisions of antecedent Speakers of
the house to show that members were entitled to be present
at committees unless they were secret or in deliberation.
Mr. BAGWELL complained that due notice of the sub-
ject had not been given to him.

Mr. M'EVOY said that he had delivered a letter at the
hon. member's that morning stating that he would bring
on the subject.
Mr. BAGWELL then explained that the committee
were really in deliberation at the time when the hon. mem-
ber entered the room.

After some remarks from Lord NAAS and Mr. MAGUIRE,
The subject dropped.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.

In reply to Mr. DISRAELI,

Lord PALMERSTON said that he hoped he was not
too sanguine in his expectation that the Financial
Budget Bill would be read a second time that evening.
He was most anxious to consult the convenience of hon.
members when it was consistent with the progress of the
business of Parliament. Assuming, therefore, that the
financial bill would be read a second time that evening he
proposed not to proceed further with it until next Mon-
day week, so that honourable members would
not be put to the inconvenience of coming
to London next week in consequence of having to consider
any question of public importance, when it was of course
desirable that there should be as full a house as possible.