The Sun.
London, England, 1859-02-11 00:00:00

COUNTY PRISONS (IRELAND)

Lord NAAS obtained leave to bring in a Nll to•eonsoli-
date and amend the laws relating to county prisons in
Ireland. The noble lord explained that the bill was ren-
dered necessary by the very defective condition of the pri-
sons and bridowells in Ireland, and cited several statements
on the subject.
MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Mr. CROSS, in moving for leave to bring in a bill to
amend the law relating to municipal elections, said it would
be admitted that if there were bribery practised at these
elections that there would be bribery at Parliamentary
elections, because it would be impossible that persons who
were taught to bribe and be bribed annually
would not avail themselves of that knowledge when
called on to vote for a member of Parliament. The exist-
ing law was a dead letter, because the penalties it imposed
were too severe, and the mode of enforcing them too expen-
sive. His bill proposed to supply these defects by adopting
small penalties and summary remedy.
Mr. GILPIN seconded the motion.
After a few words from Sir G. B. PECITELL, which were
inaudible,
Mr. DILLWYN considered that, in order to carry out
purity of election in municipal matters, it would be neces-
sary to introduce vote by ballot.
After a short discussion leave was given to bring in the
bill.

STATUTE LAW COMMISSION.
Mr. LOCKE KING moved for a return, showing the
total sum which had been voted for the Statute Law Board
and the Statute Law Commission, from its commencement
till the present time. Accounts, in detail, showing how
that amount has been expended : Of the sums which have
been paid to draftsmen out of contingencies for
drawing consolidation bills : Return of the names
of the draftsmen employed to procure consolidation
bills, and the fees paid, or to be paid, to each draftsman ;
and, copy of the minutes and proceedings of the Statute
Law Commission (in continuation of Parliamentary Paper,
No. 78, Session 1855). He had very little confidence in
any bill that would be introduced which emanated from
the Commission that had been engaged on the subject of
the consideration of the statute laws.
Mr. HADFIELD seconded the motion.
Mr. WALPOLE—Her Majesty's Government have no
objection to this return, except as to the form of it. Part of
the papers for which the hon. member for East Surrey
moves have been already printed by order of the house, and
therefore if he will give me leave I will put in the Speaker's
hands a modification of his motion, with the object of pre-
venting unnecessary expense. The hon. gentleman has
asked me two questions—one with reference to the commis
sion, and the other with reference to consolidation bills re-
lating to the criminal law. Now, with reference to the com-
mission, I think, notwithstanding the observations of the
learned gentleman the member for Sheffield, that a vast deal
of very useful information has been furnished by the com-
mission, and that Parliament might safely and wisely act
upon that information. But, considering the difficulty of
carrying on the commission in the form in which it has been
carried on, and the expense occasioned by consolidation
bills, I think it would be better to act upon the information
already afforded by the commission before we put the coun-
try to any further expense in employing them to obtain
further information. Her Majesty's Government are there-
fore considering whether the labours of the commission may
not be stopped for a time. (Hear, hear.) With regard to the
other question—viz., the consolidation of the
li criminal
I have to inform the hon. gentleman that the seriesl f 11.:3
which are going to be introduced by my hon. an
'll not
]rely
consolidate the Attorney-General for England, 1_
d eo
sh and liy
ar ned
consolidate but most carefully revise the E.
hit
law. The al-
nwgke-
wise the Irish statutes relating to the trim
terations which are going to made b 3
;hat series of bills
be
(which will be submitted to the house to-morrow se'nnight)
ovement of the statute
nor indeed ough
will, I believe, be an immense
think he will
law. Of course I can hardly be irnPrected,
I, to state what these improvements are; but I hope the
t
hon. gentleman will be in his place, becauseli.v
be satisfied that, in point of fact, her t s Government
will put the statute law othe colubnelryievinetlo
haavmeuanchswbeetretedr
shape than it has hitherto been.
the only questionme
which the hon. gentleman put to with
reference to the commission. I think that the hon. member
for Sheffield somewat exaggerated the public opinion as to
the conunission when he said that the public complained

that the commission had been of no alvantage t) the
country.
The motion was ultimately withdrawn.

THE REV. MR. O'FAY AND MAJOR BURKE.
•• In reply to Mr. GREER,
Lord NAAS entered into an explanation with respect to
this subject, from which it appeared that Major Burke
had written a letter to the Rev. Mr. O'Fay, stating that he
would not disturb him further in the possesii.n of the land
which he occupied, which was not received in a friendly
spirit by the reverend gentleman who refused the offer.
There were no returns of the judgments of the three learned
judges, before whom the legal proceedfngs between these
parties had been tried.

Mr. GREER, in reply, said his only object was to
have laid before the house the views of the learned.
judges in question on the subject of the laws
relating to landlords and tenants in Ireland. He
thought the house should direct that copies of the judg-
ments be laid on the table from the notes of the learned
judges. He thought the proposition of Major Burke very
conciliatory, and n regretted it was not received in th•
same spirit.
After a few words from the SOLICITOR-GENERAL
against the course suggested,
Mr. GREER withdrew the motion.
WEST RIDING OF YORKSHI.
On the motion of Mr. BRAND, a newRE writ was
issued for the West Riding of Yorkshire, vacant
by Lord Goderich having been called to the Upper House.
by the decease of his father, the late Earl of Ripon.
The house then adjourned.

FALL OF A PUBLIC-lIOUSE.- TWO
BROTHERS KILLED.

aker, the coroner
Yesterday afternoon Mr. W. B
for East Middlesex, held a long inquiry at the Three
Compasses, Dalston, to view the body of James
Webb, a carpenter, who, with his brother, was
killed by the falling of a newly-erected publichouse,
called the Marian Arms, in Lansdowne-road, Rich-
mond-road, Dalston.

Mr. Angel, a solicitor, attended to watch the pro-
ceedings on behalf of Mr. Liscom, the builder.
The house was commenced a few weeks before
Christmas, and has recently been roofed in. On
Thursday afternoon the deceased men, with another
brother, were in one of the front roans laying the
flooring, when the front wall of the house Suddenly
collapsed, and the whole came down with a fearful
clash, carrying with it the several floors. One of
the unfortunate men was brought out dead, and
another, who was conveyed to the German Hospi-
tal, died on Monday morning. It appeared that
the arch of the cellar in front of the house had been
connected with the front wall with a " skew back,"
to form which the new brick work had to be cut
into to the extent of four or five•inches.

Mr. Wy at, the district surveyor, was examined
at some length, and he attributed the failure of the
wall to the forming of the "skew back" while the
work was in such a green state. The recent wet
weather might also have contributed, and the ram-
ming down of the earth on the top of the arch
might have weakened the centres.. The materials
used in the construction of the house were good,
and the footings and upper walls were in excess of
what was required by the Act of Parliament. Mr.
Liseom made the " skew back" on his own respon-
sibility, and as the house was covered in, according
to the strict terms of the act, he ought not to have
cut into the front wall without giving notice to the
district surveyor. He (Mr. Wyatt) would not have
given his sanction to the." skew back ;" but all he
could say was that it was an error in judgment.
Jam=•s Miller, a plasterer, spoke of the centres of
the arch not appearing sufficient to bear the weight.
They had not been struck.
The Coroner having alluded to the importance of
the inquiry, and that the evidence would not justify
a criminal charge against any one,
The jury, after some deliberation, found " That
the deceased had been accidentally killed ;" and
added, " that they (the jurors) could not separate
without expressing their opinion that the accident
was caused by the cutting of a skew back' five
inches in the front wall, which they considered to
be a very dangerous practice, under any circum-
stances, more especially when:the work is in a green
state ; and that the cutting should not have been
made without giving notice to the district sur-
veyor."

THIS DAY'S MARKETS'.

CORN EXCIIANGE.

Coastwise, 2,390 quarters of English wheat have come
to hand this week. By land carriage, fresh up, to-day, tho
receipts were limited, and the show of samples was very
moderate. There was a fair denia.nd for good dry qualities
at prices equal to Monday, but all other kinds were very
dull at late rates.

Foreign wheat was in good supply and heavy request.
In prices, however; no change took place. The fresh im-
ports are over 9,000 quarters.

Good and fine barley changed hands steadily at full cur-
rencies. Other kinds were less active.
Malt met a dull inquiry at the late decline in value.
The supply of oats was rather limited, and the oat trade
ruled firm at full quotations.
Beans and peas were fiiin in price, but we had a dull
inquiry for flour.