The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-12 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PA JAAIEN T.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—(YESTERDAY
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

CHURCH RATES.
Petitions against the abolition of church rates were pre-
sented by several peers.
CONSOLIDATION OF THE STATUTES.
The LORD CHANCELLOR laid on the table a bill for
repealing a number of measures on the statute book. This
was the first step towards consolidating the statutes. His
lordship said a bad principle had sprung up of passing a
new law without repealing the old one. The present bill
had been most carefully prepared by a gentleman in every
way qualified to perform the duty.
THE BONN TRIALS.
Lord SHAFTESBUR Y asked if the correspondence
between the Prussian and British Governments relating to
the trials of certain Englishmen at Bonn could bo laid on
the table.

Lord WODEHQUSE said the correspondence was not
yet completed.

SALMON FISHERIES (SCOTLAND).
Lord COLVILLE asked whether it, was the intention to
introduce a bill into Parliament during the present session.
to Carr) out the report of the select committee of their
lordships' house on the subject.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE said it was the intention of
the Government to introduce such a measure. He could
not say whether the bill would carry out the views of the
committee, but it was founded on their report.
INDICTABLE OFFENCES (METROPOLITAN
DISTRICTS) BILL.
The bill was read a second time.
PERSECUTIONS IN SPAIN.
Lord NORMANBY moved for a copy of the memorial
from the Protestant Alliance presented to Lord John Rus-
sell on the subject of the alleged religious persecutions in
Spain. '

Lord WODE HOU SE laid on the.table the paper referred
to by the noble lord.

ES
PU BUSINS.
Earl GTtANVILL B LICE
named the peers to compose the
committee agreed to on Friday last.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.---(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
NEWGATE MARKET.
The Sheriffs of the City of London appeared at the bar of
the house, and presented a petition from the Lord Mayor
and Aldermen of the City of London in Common Council
assembled, setting forth that a bill had been introduced into
the house for the disraarketing of Newgate Market, and
praying for leave to bring in the bill, and for powers to
build on the site of the market in question.
Leave was given to bring in a bill to effect the object of
the petitioners.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The standing orders were reported to have been complied
with in the case of several railway and other bills, includ-
ing the Streets Railway Bill, and in the case of a large
number of bills of a similar character it was declared that
the standing orders had not been complied with. Several
private billiwere also read a first time.

PETITIONS.
Several petitions were presented against the abolition of
church rates, in favour of the ballot, &c.
EVIDENCE OF PERSONS NOT BELIEVING IN

SCRIPTURE:

Sir J. TRELAWNY drew attention to the fact of a person
not being allowed to give evidence in a trial before a county
eourt judge at Rochdale, on which occasion the judge said
that a person who had outraged society should not be per-
mitted to give testimony in a court of justice, and he wished
to know whether it was intended to make any alteration on
this subject. •

Sir G. C. LEWIS said that, as he understood the hon.
member, the object was to ascertain whether or no it was
intended to alter the existing law, which excluded per-
sons not believing in the Scriptures from giving evidence
in civil. cases. He had' not received any notice of this
question, and he trusted it would not be pressed on the
present occasion.

Sir J. TRELAWNY—Then, I give notice that I shall
ask this question to-morrow.

Mr. BRIGHT said he thought it right to state, in jus-
tice to the judge of the county court at Rochdale, who had
incurred much censure from the expressions attributed to
him at the blearing of the case alluded to, that the learned
judge positively denied that he made use of any such ex-
pression as that of " a person who had outraged society,
&c." in respect to a person whose evidence was refused.
TRANSFER OF LANI).
Mr. V. SO ULLY gave notice 014 on Friday next he
would ask the Attorney-General if he 'proposes to introduce
a bill to facilitate the transfer of land, and if he received
an answer in the negative, he gave noticilifat early in the
session he would bring in such a bill he elf.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT: