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

SEA-BATHING BILL.

The Marquis of WESTMEATH, on moving the
second reading of the Sea-Bathing Bit!, entered into
partictihrs 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 Inland ?
The Marquis cf WESTAIEATH 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 01
the poor rates of the metropolis.
Their lordships then aljourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.)
The Swum 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 Dufftown Railway (No. 2), and the
Mid-Sussm Railway Bill,l were Wither considered, and
ordered to be read a third time.
The Islington Parish Acts Amendment Ball was read
a second time.
MANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD, 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bill be withdrawn.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 Bal; in favour of medical reform ; exten-
sion of the juri3diction of the CJunty Omuta ; for the
repeal of ob4alete laws relating t) neNspapers, &c.
BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY (IRELAND)
BILL.

• The house went into committee on bill, on the
motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL for IRE-
LAND.
On the Ist clause, .
Mr. MACARINEY said that, as in a com-
mittee of progress, ha 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 t' e number of judges and
officers connected with them, and the salines; paid to
them. The present bill contained 430 clauses. 30 of
them referftd to the constituti,o2 and pecuniary arrange-
ment of the new courts ; 4 to the stamp duties ; 271 to
bankruptcy ; 72 to insolvency ; and 19 to joint bank•
ruptey and ins.,..lvency administration. The clauses were
mated up in such a manner in the bill that they required
the most serious consideration and attention of a select
committee to put them in a shape to be properly and
easily understood. He asked the committee to suloend
the considera ion of the pecuniary and official clauses
until Oafter they bad been considered attentively
by a select committee. Toe honourable gently
man said that a loose system was adopted by the
Treasury, towards tho Irish law courts, and referred to
a charge of 37,000/. advanced by the Treasury, within
two years, towards the payment of the Bankruptcy
Compensation Fund, Chancery Compensation Foe Fund,
and the Suitors' Fee Fund.
-Mr. VANCE also urged various objections to the
bill. Great inconvenience most result :rem combining
bankruptcy and insolvency in the same court. Ile also
objected to the clauses putting the officers of the old

. -
e ant, who were capable of discharging their duties kr
• 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 infl cted great injustice on many,
and he instanced the case of a gentleman 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 be 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
and creation of so many law offices in Ireland, and sail
that he intended to move for a return of the number of
persons capable e-f attending to business who had been
bycompensated ur pensioned the Government to make
room for new officers on every change that took
place in the administration of the lew in Ire-
liked. He assured the committee that they would
be astonished at the number of pensioned law-officers
s°4lking idly about the streets of Dublin who were in
the prime of life and capable of discharging efficiently
very important duties. This bill would add to the num-
ber. This bill if passed would entail great expense with-
out a corresponding benefit. He concurred in the sug-
gestion that the bill should be referred to a select com-
mittee, as the result might tend to the improvement of
the bankruptcy and insolvent law of England and Ire-
beta
land,
een bY ab
theeliehing the distinction that at present misted
two.
Mr. MALINS concurred in the remarks of the hon.
and learned member 'foe Enniskillen with reference to
the distinction between bankruptcy and insolvency, and
supported the suggestion for referring this bill to a select
committee. He was at a loss
to know why the dis-
tinction w
and why a non traderas kept u
who between traders and non trader,
gave up all he possessed,
should not be able to clear himself on becoming
vent, as a trader did when he became a bankrupt, and
commence the world again as a free man. There
was no reasonable prospect of this bill being
properly discussed this session, and therefore he
hoped to see it referred to a select committee of com-
mercial men and lawyers, that many of the objections
distinction bankruptcy be!ween
taken to it, and to the ,
arid insolvency, might be properly discussed and consi-
dered.
Mr. HADFIELD called attention to the present state
of the law relative to imprisonment for debt, and also to
the unprecedented length of time suitors of the Court of
Chancery were imprisoned for contempt cf that court.
Though tee Crown might extend mercy in cases of
life or deatb, it could not in reference to
imprisonment for contempt of the Court of Chancery.
lie had lately succeeded in releasing two- ladies
who had been imprisoned 14 years for contempt of that
court. Both imprisonments were a scandal to the law,
and acted most injuriously to the persons incarcerated
and their families.
Mk. MALINS also objected to the law for imprison- •
meat for debt, and assured the committeethat many were