The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-16 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT,

HOUSE OF LORDS.—(This Evening.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at 5 o'clock.

The Earl of ALBEMARLE said be bad a
motion on the paper for Friday next, respecting
torture in India, but he thought be should best
serve the interests of the millions represented
if he withdrew the motion until the assembling of the
next Parliament.
The Earl of EGLINTON presented petitions from dif-
ferent parts of Scotland, praying fur a restriction on the
sale of spirits.

MUTINY BILL.
On the motion of the Earl GRANVILLE, this bill
was read a first time.
LIGHTING OF TOWNS (IRELAND) BILL.
On the motion of the Marquis of CLANRICARDE
this bill was read a third time and passed.
COMMISSIONERS OF SUPPLY (SCOTLAND)
BILL.
This bill passed through committee.
INCOME TAX BILL.
On the motion for the socoad reading of this bill,
The Earl of DERBY rose to call the attention of their
lordships to the state of public affairs. The noble lord
said it was not his intention to make any objection to
the second reading of the bill that had just been moved.
He thought it would have been much better if the mea•
sure had been loft to the new Parliament to deal with,
and he trusted one of the first things that would come
under the consideration of that Parliament would be an
entire examination of the finances of the country. The
present income tax was universally condemned, and he
had hoped to see it altogether repealed. (Hear,
bear.) He regarded an income tax as a very useful
engine in time of war, but it ought to be, altogether
struck out of the list of taxation in a time of peace. He
bad indulged the hope that in 1860 he should see
the present tax entirely cease, which would
only be a fulfilment of the pledge given in
1853, but from what had since transpired, he confessed
he did not think that such would be the case, and that
there would be no relief from the intolerable burden even
at that period. The Chancellor of the Exchequer in the
present year had calculated that he would have a sur-
plus of 500,0001. Now, one of the provisions of the act
of 1853 was that in order to provide for the repeal of
the tax, it should be reduced from 7d. t SJ. during
the present year, and was to proceed at that rate
of reduction until it entirely cea,ed in the Sear 1860,
Now, in order to meet the extraordinary expenses of the
late war, it bad been found necessary to double the tax,
to raise it from 7d. to is. 2d., and eventually it was in-
creased to is. 4d., and the act, by which the the tax
was increased to that amount, stated that it
was only to remain at that sum for one year.
By the peculiar wording of the act, it had turned out
that the tax was to be continued for two years longer.
All persons declaimed against such a proceeding, being
at variance with the intentions of Parliament. Govern-
ment had said that they would not take
advantage of an acciJoral wording of the act,
but had they carried out that declaration ?
The noble earl then proceeded to analyse the calcula-
tions of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and said that
according to present appearances there was little hope of
a redemption of the tax at the period stated, and that it
such was intendej, the only way to accomplish so desir-
able an object was to economise the expenditure from the
present time until the year 1860. •

LEFT SPEAKING.

SOUSE OF COMVIONS—(Tnis Evening,
The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'd ,ck.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The followir, hills were considered, and ordered for a
third reading :—lnverness and Nairn Railway ; l‘leri-
ten's and Ha en's SufftTAnee Wharves ; Peebles Rad-
Way ; Rever,iionary Intem,t Sickty, an I Wycomb6
Railway.
The foll.)Aing bills were read a second lime:--Bank
of London. and 'Natimed l'r inci I Insurance Associa-
tion (Ni., 2) ; Town and Dock Dues Nairt
Helens CAcal and Railway (J impy))) ; Nevvquay Pier
and Harbour arid R tilway ; Thirai of the Dead within
the City and Liberiei of London ; Metrop-.litan Cattle
Market.

METROPOLITAN RAILWAY BILL.
The order of the day for the second reading of this bill
was discharged, and the bill was withdrawn.
TELEGRAPEI TO INDIA.
In answer to a que,tion from Sir D. NORRETS,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXOEIEQUER said
that a company was formed for carrying out a tel.'graph
to India by way or Silnria and the Persian Gulf, and
that under certain arrangements the Government would
give pecuniary asEistance to the company. The Go-
vernment wouli have no objection to lay the minute
referring to it on the table of the hou.e.
POSTAGE OF LETTERS.

Viscount RA.YNHANI asked the Chancellor of the
Exchequer whether her Majeity's Government would
have anyobjection to permit prepaid letters which might
pass through the Post- ffice with erong addresses to be
re-transmitte•l withi❑ the space of three days by the
same channel to the persons to whom they were ad-
dressed without any ix..ra charge ?
The CHANCELLLOR of the EXCHEQUER, after
referring to the present law, said that, so far as he was
able to judge, he thought the existing law very reason-
able, and he saw /la r,?a,on f r aftering it.

...
THE GUANO ISLANDS.
Mr. SCOTT asked whether the papers relating to the
cession of the Keoria MooriaLlands, and the correspon-
dence relative
which bad beent ethesupply
of
guano. with the terms
concluded with Mr. Ord and others,
would be laid ontable before the tikFo!ution ; and
also as to the removal.
Americans ? of
t,"thluo from the islands by the
L.)rd PALMERSTON ,o id
information t ) give beyon a the Government had no
that already made to the
house on a lor mer oecasion.:o on the island.
There was a difference of
opinion as to the quantity of
gaa
CHANCERY (IRELAND)t
Mr. VANCEII.S Treasury if
asked toe First Lord
of
it was the intension of the Government to fir u c
vacant Nrasterßhip in Chancery in Ira tnd ? ' --1) "e
Lord PALMERSTON said the 6uln• ~i..
.u---- wag undel.
consideration. No decision had as yet been cline to.

DUTY ON RAISINS
Mr. W. EWART inquired of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer whether the attention of the Government
bad been called to the understandin4 which existed at a
former change in the Customs Dutie:,, that on the fir.,t
appropriate opportunity the duty on currants should be
reduced to the same amount as the duty on raisin-?
The. CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER could

give no positive answer to the question.
The
was ono deserving of consideration.
TEM NIEG.X.RA. TROOP SHIP-

, _... •
In answer to a question from Sir J. LNG
Mr. F. PEEL s:dJ that there was a r,gulation in ex-
istence by which the dun aged bag.age of officers was al-
lowed for, and an allowance made for time lost in franc-
port. He was not aware that the fact of the case of the
Megaira would entitle the officer to such an allowance.
THE SPEAKER'S RETIRENIENT BILL.
This bill was read a second time, and ordered to be
committed.

EXCHEQUER BILLS BILL.
This bill was read a second time, and ordered to be
coannittod.