The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-12 00:00:00

Lord HARDINGE asked what were the plans proposed
by the Government with regard to the construction of the
new National Gallery. He said that at most a year had
elapsed since it was announced that the property which
was to form the site of the new National Gallery would
be in the hands of the Government, he thought it very fair
to ask what plans the Government intended to. pursue.
Ho thought that it was highly desirat)le to know what
the Government intended to do with the barracks and
the building of the gallery.
The Earl of MALMESBURY said that as soon as the
report of the committee was received they applied to the
trustees of the National Gallery for information, and ob-
tained some very succinct advice from them. The plans
were now ready to be inspected, but he could not at that
moment say what was to be done. He would, however,
make inquiries.
Lord OVERSTONE said that he regretted that the an-
swer which had just been given by the Government was so
unsatisfactory. It was a question of the highest import-
tame, both for the preservation of those magnificent pic-
tures, and that the people might enjoy the prospect of
them. He seriously and earnestly hoped that the plans
of the National Gallery would be immediately carried out.
The subject then dropped.
THE GUILDFORD BOARD OF GUARDIANS.
The Earl of CARNARVON moved for copy of corms-.
pondence which has recently passed between the Poor-
Law Board and the Guildford board of Guardians, in
reference to the relief of vagrants. He said that the board
had appointed as the °Meer of the Union a person who had
once been a policeman. To this there was no ob-
jection, but he understood—in fact, it was well
known to the whole neighbourhood that it
was so, that the relieving officer had taken his course of
inquiry into the conduct of the various applicants, and
not granting relief to those who were in the habit of
habitually living upon relief. Now he (the noble earl)
considered this idea of his duties to be quite erroneous,
though persons who lived on vagrancy wero liable
to be punished, and it was not for the Board
of Guardians to decide when application was
made to them. Several communications had been
made to them by the President of the Poor-law Board
telling them that their course of conduct was illegal, but
by a vote of the majority no notice had been taken of the
communications. He thought that such being the case all
information ought to be given to the house.
The Earl of DEVON said that there was no objec-
tion to the production of correspondence, but he
would ask his noble friend to modify his motion that it
might include the body of correspondence which had
passed not only between the Poor-law Board and Guild-
ford Union and other boards of guardians. As regarded
the Guildford Union it had done what his noble friend had
said ; they had appointed an assistant relieving officer
a man who had been a policeman, and in that he
thought they had exercised a wise discretion. They
(the Poor-law Commissioners) bad told the Board of Guar-
dians, and believed that. whatever the character of the ap-
plicant for relief, that if he or she required it, they were
bound by the act to give it, An inspector, id had in in-
terviow with the board of guardians, and impressed upon
them what was the nature of the law.
Lord OVEKSTONE said that this was only a fore-
shadowing of what was c ,ming, viz. a largo, full, and
comprehensive administration of the Poor-law. He
thought that every person ought to be relieved without
regard to conduct, character, or the circumstances which
surrounded them.
Lord REDES DALE said that he quite agreed with the
noble lord opposito in all that ho had said.
(LEFT SPEAKING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS--THIS EVENING.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at 4 o'clock.
COLONIAL BISIIOPIUCS.

In reply to Mr. GLAosTosE,
Mr. ADDERL SY said that it was entirely owing to the
information from Cape Town' not b-ing tic fill! as that
from Columbia that Miss Burdett C ants was not d rceribo 1
in the parliamentary return, No. 575, as the lady who had
provided the endowmouts fur the two former to the ex-
tent of .f.:17,53U each, as wed as the endowment for the
latter. Aa amended return would be printed, and laid on
the tall e as early as possibk.
ROYAL COLLEGE UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND.
Sir C. O'LOCHILEN • asked the Chief Secretary for
Ireland when he would lay up in the table of the 'louse
Vie draft Of the charter . her Majesty's Gevorument pro-
po,o to grant to the Roman Catholic University of Ire-
land ?
The Earl of MAYO said a correspondence ba,l been
going on with respect to the subject, which would very
soon be closed, when the subject would bo laid before
Parliament.

THE RITUAL COMMISSION.
Mr. WALD EGRA.VE-LESLIE risked the Secretary of
State for the Horne Department why the second report of
the Ritual Commission, which was laid upon the table of
that house on the 30th of April, by command of her Ma-
jesty, has not yet been distributed among members, and
how sow' it would be in their hands.
Mr. HARDY said the delay had been occasioned by the
fact that a large blue-book of about 300 pages had been
attached to the report. The report, however, would, ho
thought, be in the hands of hon. members to-morrow.
THE FORTIFCATIONS.
Mr. O'BEIRNE asked the Secretary of State for War
whether he would place upon the table of the ,housea
statement of the several contracts entered into and still
unfinished for work connected with or for the pur-
poses of the proposed fortifications for the de-
fence of the dockyards and naval arsenals, &c., of the
United Kingdom and the colonies, showing the date of
each contiact ; the nature of the work to be executed or
material to be provided; the total amount to be paid ; the
extent of work executed or of material already provided;
the amount already paid on ace mint of ea.eli existing con-
tract; and the date fixed in each contract for it. 3 comple-
tion.

Sir J. PAKINGTON said the sum voted for the con-
struction of works amounted originally to about seven
millions and a half sterling, and up to March laGt about
four millions of money had been expended, but he
was not able to say exactly what had been
expended up to the present moment; but he
might safely put the amount down at five mil-
lions. The work was all done under contract,
with two exceptions, one of which was compensa-
tion for laud. Ho did not think it was convenient
for him to give a long and detailed statement on the sub-
ject, but if the hon. member would move a return it
would give him a better opp)rtunity of dealing with the
question hi a more satisfactory manner than merely an-
swering a question.