The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-03 00:00:00

RESTRICTIONS ON TRADE.

Lord MONTEAGLE brought in a Bill to repeal cer-
tain laws which restricted the purchase and sale of goods.
In Ireland none of these Acts had been repealed, and
his object was to make the law similar to that in Eng-
land, and also to improve the latter. This was only
pursuino•b the same course which had been long since re-
commended in the House of Commons. lie wished that
the Bill should be immediately printed, and that it
should be read a second time as early after Easter as
possible. The Noble Lord concluded by moving that it
be now read a first t;ime.
The Bill was then read a first time.

The Marquis of tirrE presented petitions from Ayr,
Perth, and several other places in Scotland, praying for
the abolition of the tests which were required to be taken
by Dissenters on enterin ••• the several Scotch Universities.
APPEALS AND WRITS OF EgROB.

Lord CAMPBELL rose to lay on the table of the
House a Bill for removing objections which could now be
taken to the administration of justice •in this country
with respect to appeals and writs of error. The Bill
provided that upon the defendant giving security in
such sum as•the court might direct that-any fine that
might be imposed should be paid, and that the defendant
should be forthcoming to undergo any.sentence which
might be pronounced upon hini, that sentence should be
suspended until the court of appeal had decided upon the
merits of the ease. The Bill would not came into opera-
tion until the 9th of August. . . .
FEES TO JUSTICES' CLERKS..

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE rose. to move for a
return from each.of the clerks of the peace at the several
sessions in England and %Valet, of the- amount' of the
fees received by- him during each of the last three
years ending the 31st of December, 1842. 'This was
a matter which pressed most heavily upon the poorer
clas-ses of persons, because in the greater number of in-
stances, the fines did not amount to one quarter of
the amount of the casts, and in many other
cases the costs were- thirty or even forty times the
amount of the fine. Thus there could be no proportion
between the crime.- and the expense -to which the
unfortunate culprit was subjected. He felt sure this
was a subject Incwhich all their 'Lordships
must feel a deep interest. It had been mooted in this
House some time ago, and he trusted that. the Right
Hon. Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home De-
partment would take this matter into his serious con-
sideration. .

The Duke of WELLINGTON said he had made in-
quiry into this subject, and he found that those fees did
always go to the magistrate's clerk. It was a matter of
groat importance, and one to which her Majesty's Go-
vernment would give every consideration.
Lord WHARNCLIFFE was informed upon good
authority that those fees did not go to the magistrates'
clerks, but were generally appropriated to defraying
the incidental expenses of the trial, such as paying
witnesses and constables, so that very often only a very
small amount of the fees reached the clerk of the peace.

Lord BEAUMONT said the principal part of the fees
went in payment to the constables, whose expenses were
regulated according to the distance they had to travel.
Lord CAMPBELL said that as the Government in-
tended to take up this subject, he would suggest to them
the propriety of regulating - the fees to clerks of the
peace, so that they should not depend upon the length
of the proceedings. He knew that great extortion had
been practised in consequence of the fees being regulated
according to the length of the proceedings to which they
related. _

After a few words from Lord REDESDALE and the
Earl of COLCHESTER, the Returns were ordered.
MESSAGE FROM THE COMMONS.
Messengers from the Commons brought up a Copy of
the First Report of the Select Committee of the House
of Commons, appointed to consider the law affecting
Joint-stock Companies, which, on the motion of
Lord MONTE AGLE, was ordered to be printed.
On the motion of the Duke of WELLINGTON,
Their Lordships then adjourned till Tuesday, the 16th
instant.