The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-16 00:00:00

'IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

(THIS I)AY.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

The SPEAKER took the Chair at Twelve o'clock.
METROPOLIS IMPROVEMENT BILL.
The Earl of LINCOLN moved the second reading of
the Metropolis Improvement Bill.
Mr. HAWES greatly disapproved of the Bill, and
protested against the way in which it was now brought
before the House. There had been nearly one hundred
alterations made in the Bill, and these within a day or
two. No person could have had time properly to look
over the Bill in the shape in which it was then presented
to the House. If the attempt to carry the Bill further
at that time were persisted in, he should feel himeelf
justified in moving the previous question.
The Earl of LINCOLN said, since he had had a seat
in that House he had never heard a more unfair objec-
tion taken to proceeding with a Bill than that of the
lion. Member for Lambeth, and it was particularly un-
fair, as a preliminary one, coming too from such a
quarter; but of the hundred alterations which the lion.
Member said had been made in the Bill, there were not
more than six of them but what were merely verbal
amendments. These amendments he (Lord Lincoln) bud
had printed and circulated, with a view to the con-
venience of Hon. Members, and in order to facilitate
the business of the House. The Hon. Member
said he was acting with unfairness in asking them
to go on with the Bill. Why late last night,
or rather early this morning—at about half-past twelve
—that Hon. Gentleman had informed him (Lord Lin-
coln) that he had an immense mass of amendments to
propose, and what course did he,(Mr. Hawes) pursue in
respect of them ? Why he had not printed one of them.
—(Loud cries of "Hear, hear.") Was not that an un-
usual course ? Now he (Lord Lincoln) would not
charge the Hon. Gentleman with unfairness ; but he
would say that the course he had adopted was a most
inconvenient one, which could lead to no good purpose.
If, however, the Hon. Member thought this a proper
course, and the House chose to sanction it, he (Lord
Lincoln) would not as an individual complain ; but
this he must say, that such conduct entirely pre-
cluded the Honourable Gentleman from indulging in any
censure upon him (Lord Lincoln.) It could not be de-
nied that he (Lord Lincoln), by having his amendments
printed, had afforded an accommodation to the House
which the Hon. Gentleman himself had not been gracious
enough to nfford:—(Hear, hear.) . Having given the
House every facility in respectto this Bill that he could, he
indulged the hope that a due consideration would not be
denied to it. Under such circumstances, he should regret,
even for tne Hon. Gentleman's own sake, if he should
seriously endeavour to interfere with the progress of a
measure which he (Lord Lincoln) had reason to suppose
would be certainly acceptable out of deers.—(Hear.)
Mr. HAWES said be had told the Noble Lord, three
or four months ago, that he had many amendments to
propose to this
.Bill ; and he had told him so again at a
later period, certainly under the expectation that the
Noble Lord would have invited him to lay those amend-
ments before him. He did not do so, and there let the
matter rest. He would accept the invitation of the
Noble Lord, and proceed to state, as precisely as he
could, his general objections to this Bill. He begge lto
say, then, that he conceived this Bill neither more nor less
than making war on the whole trade of London. It was,
altogether, of so vexatious a character, that if the public
understood its real character, the House would be inundated
with petitions against it. It involved alterations not only
as regarded the construction of the buildings, but of a
sanatory character of the most extraordinary descrip-
tion ; and like all the other Bills of the present
Government, it was distinguished above all of its other
bad` qualities for the enormous amount of patronage it
created for the Government. He trusted the Noble
Lord would be able to state the real expenses which the
public would have to beat' under this Act—an Act of the
most over-reaching and tyrannical character, which ab-
solutely interfered so alike with the rich landlord and
the poor one that neither of them would be able to
alter or improve their premises as they liked.
If the present Bill passed it would have the effect of put-
ting a stop to that desire for building which was so pre
valent at the present moment, fur no party would be
enabled to build engine-houses or other places for rail-
ways, or a small bridge over a fancy piece of water, or
even a wall, unless they sent for a London surveyor, and
asked if he approved of it. If they did not adopt this
course they would he subject to a fine of 500/. ; added
to this, in cases of buildings referred to by the Act, it
required that a good foundation should be found. Was
tot that, he should ask, absurd ? Because it supposed
that all architects and surveyors, unless under the sanc-
tion of the Government, were incompetent to perform the
duties of their avocations. All houses of public resort
were all subject to the provisions of the Bill—even
public-houses and school-buildings came under its ope-
rations ; and, added to that, the Bill would have the
effect of taking away votes from those who occupied
chambers of the value of 10/. and upwards. Now, such
a matter was a subject of great consideration, especially
in the City of London. There was another part of the
Bill to which he wished to call the attention of the
House. It was provided that the salaries of the official
referees and registrars should he paid out of the county
rate ; and he felt bound to congratulate the county of
Kent—that county, which proeuced hops and apples,
always had the greatest benefits, for while Middlesex
paid 1,0001. to the county rates, and Surrey 3001., Kent
•tnly paid 801. In his opinion, proceedings under
the Bill were by far of too summary a character.
Under this Bill builders were liable •to be called before
justices of the peace, and even workmen were liable to
a fine of 50s. if they acted contrary to the provisions of
this Act. The 43d clause was also very objectionable,
and he hoped it would be struck out. tinder all these
circumstances he would ask if this was a proper Bill to
proceed with at such a period of the session? The public
had not had sufficient notice of the contents of the Bill,
and he thought ip might be postponed with advantage to
the public. He should therefore move the previous
question.
Mr. MACKINNON seconded the motion. He ad-
verted to the recommendations of the Committee for
securing better ventilation and drainage, and stated that
many of these recommendations were omitted from the
Bill altogether. The whole Biel must have originated with
some builder, desirous of putting any unfortunate per-
sons erecting a house to as much expense as possible.
It contained a vast amount of legislation that was totally
unnecessary, and he strongly recommended that it
,hould be postponed.
The Earl of LINCOLN said he never saw a more
'eractical illustration of the saying that extremes meet,
than the opposition of the two lion. Gentlemen to the
dill. The Hon. Member for Lambeth made a slashing
attack on the Bill, and said it went too far, and his
Honourable Friend said it did not go far enough.
de begged to remind his Hon. Friend who had seconded
the amendment, that the recommendation of the Coat-
uittee of which he was a member formed the basis of
the Bill introduced by Lord Normanby ; but it was found
ao impractical that it was obliged to be abandoned.
['here was no provision to prevent building back to back.
Lie thought buildings "of that character might be made
consistent with the health of the inhabitants ; neither
were there many provisions with regard to drainage, be-
esuse a Commission was sitting upon that subject now,
the result of which would be that there would be general
egislation on the subject next year. The Hon. Gen-
tleman, the Member for Lambeth, had asked thatthe Bill
,hould be postponed. He could not see the advantage
tf that, as the subject had been most maturely eoesi-
!ered. Most eminent architects had been consulted, and
therefore there was no further necessity for de aging the
311 k If the provisions of the Bill were bad, let it be
,•ejected ; but if good, let it be passed now, It was
tot a war on the trade of the metropolis, as the
Honourable Member for Lambeth had said, but
e Bill to prevent the faulty construction of
buildings, and to promote the health of the metropolis.
lie thought he had a right to say that the public not
ally understood the Bill, but approved of it. The
;anatory regulations constituted one of the most powerful
rguments in its favour. The Hon. Gentleman com-
plained of the way in which the Bill was drawn, and
'poke of its ridiculous minutenes. Whatever the
Government did, it appeared, was wrong.—=(Laughter.)
'he had often heard the Hon. Gentleman, who was a
great critic in his way, complain of the vagueness of
.lovernment Bills; but when a Bill was brought
t'orward, which be who ran might read, be
made a different sort of complaint. He also complained
,1-* many of the enactments as being too extensive,
particularly that which referred to the British Museum.
This was rather unfortunate, since the trustees of that
Institution had themselves requested that it, might be
included. The Hon. Gentleman said that sf this Bill
had been in existence some time since there were many
public buildings which could not have been constructed.
['his was an unfortunate objection, because within the
last few months an accident had happened at the Brick-
layers' Arms, which would have been prevented if this
Bill had been in operation. 'The Hon. Gentleman cpiv
plained also that places of public resort were placed
tinder supervision. Did he recollect that such a thing
had occurred as a theatre falling down in the metro-
polis ?—(Hear.) Again, the ion. Gentleman complained
of the patronage given by this Bill. He mAtit say
that if any Government was less exposed to observa-
tions of this kind it was the Government then in power.
He would defy the Hon. Gentleman to frame a Bill of
this sort without the appointment of the offigeee ap-
pointed under the Bill. He had been told that the num-
ber of referees appointed under it wise insufficient ; but
he had refused to increase their numbers, and had only
appointed two. It would be their duty to act as arbi-
trators, and to render the stringent enactments of the
Bill as harmless as was consistent with the public safety.
The Hon. Gentleman had complained of the inoroase in
the county rates, but the expenses would be defrayed by
the districts benefited. Every endeavour had been
made to make the appointments as fair as possible. With
regard to the objection to clauses 18 and ltt, as no
doubt that Hon. Gentlemen would attack them in
Committee, he should then be prepand to defend them
but the Hen. Gentleman would find that those clauses
existed in the present Act. He considered the principle
of the Bill so good, that he would not detain the House
longer by defending it ; and he trusted that no further
obstacles would be thrown in the way a the House re-
solving itself into Committee,
After a few words from Mr. MACKINNON, .
Mr. TUF.NELL complained of the late 'period of the
session at which a measure of tills importance was
brought forward ; and he fought the lion. Member for
Lambeth was perfectly justified in opposing it, It
affected every building in the metropolis, and was a most
nnwareanted interference with the rights of property.
No doubt the surveyors were in fayour of the dill, as it
brought theist a vast additional amount of business.
Therewas no provieion whatever to prevent any oneof these
Official referees ;Tom being the agent of one of the large
proprietors in the metropolis. He was somewhat sus-
picious as to the parties who were to he appointed official
referees. There liad.beeu an alteration ire the wording of
the Qittll49 relative to the qualification Of these officers.

Lord LINCOLN—It is a purely verbal alteration.
Mr. TUFNELL thought the alteration most sea
picious ; the original words were ‘: an architect or sat.'
veyor ;" the words now were "of the profession of an
architect or surveyor." That looked as if a job were in
preparation for some person now in the office, who had
perhaps studied architecture for a short time mall
years ago. He believed that, under this Bill, a personcould not alter even a window or a door without sending
for the Government surveyor. Considering all thieg%
he thought it better that the present Bit should be with-
drawn, in order that a perfect Building Bit], in accord'
anee with a good Sewerage Bill, might bo introduced at
-an early pmed of the next sesion.'
The Earl of LINCOLN briefly explained.
The gallery was then cleared for a division, when the
numbers were—

For goisg into Committee.... 39
Against it
Majority
The House then went into Coainiitt,e upon the Bill,
and the preamble was postponed.
Clauses 1,2, 3,4, 5,6, 7,8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13, were
agreed to, with a few vyrbal amendments.
On clause 14.barig put,
Mr. HA 111 ES moved an amendment, that the-district
surveyor should be subject to costs as well as the builder.
The Earl of LINCOLN made a few observations that
were inaudible in the ggery.
Mr. HAWES withdrew his amendment, and the clatise
was agreed to.
On clause 15 being, proposed,
Mr. HAWES obj*cted to the amount of the penaltY,;
5001. a-day was monstrous, and he hoped the Noble LW"
would reconsider it.

The Earl of LINCOLN would consider the subject'
He was afraid, however,. that it would be necessary to
maintain the high,penalty. He would, however, deter-
mine the matter upon the report.
On the question that the clause stand part of the 13/11,
Mr. HAVES objected to the clause extending to all
species of building..
The Earl of LINCOLN suggested that the objection
would come better at another part of the Bal.
The clause was then agreed to.
Clauses 16 and 17 were agreed to without diSCUSSIOII*
[LEFT SITTING.I

NEW EXETER CHANGE. —The little arcade between!
Wellington-street North, and Catherine-street, Strand, belt
the Marquis of Exeter, and now nearly completed, willbe
thrown open to the public in the course of a few weeks, 813 j
will, doubtless, be regarded as one of the most acceptable 0
the recent metropolitan improvements. It contains tell
neatly arranged shops, with dwellings, &c., and their VEP
struction appears as convenient as could be expected. I;
architect, we believe, is Mr. Sydney Smirke. The arabesque
decorations are extremely light, pretty, and tasteful; they
were designed 'and executed by Mr. L. W. Collmann, °
Mount-street.

THD LONDON COFFEE AND EATING-HOUSE KEEPOS
ASSOCIATION.—Last night the 15th half-yearly meeting Ot
the members of the above Association was held at Andei:i
ton's Hotel, Fleet-street, to receive the report for the past
half-year, and to elect officers for the year ensuing. At eigh
o'clock Mr. Hare, the President, was called to the chair.
report was read by Mr. Abbot, the secretary, from which Lt
appeared that the members of the Association had increasn
during the past year, and that the profits of the steam-bog
excursion, the entertainment at the Eagle Tavern, and t 1;
ball at Willis's Rooms, had yielded a profit of nearly
whilst the handsome subscriptions at the dinner bythe 1/1'.4
quis of Westminster (the patron), the chairman (Iletrd
Warburton, Esq., M.P.), and other gentlemen, demand`
their thanks. The report was adopted, and gave great sat
faction Mi. Kirton (the late Vice-President) W
MS elect
President ; Mr. Binmore, Vice-President ; Mr. Humphries:.
Treasurer; and the Committee and other officers having he':
elected, a vote of thanks was given to the chairman, and th•
meeting separated.

A CRUEL CASE.—At the Worcestershire quarter
sessions, held last week, an old man named George Lanie.i
' apparently worn out with age, and totally unable to suPP°
himself, was lifted into the dock,' and an indictment rea...
charging him with "wilfully and maliciously" damaging
hop-bines, the property of Mr. Samuel Roe, of Great Malverlb
on the 13th ult. On being called on for his plea, the po°r
.
old man lifted up his head, and lo,,king round the cout;ii
muttered to hint-elf--" Yes, this is the church—but it
the right one." An endeavour was then made to explam"
the nature of the charge to him, but the old man had trr
yelled far on the "last stage of all ;" everything passing
around him was veiled in dark oblivion, and all attempts rd
make him understand where he was, or what lie was eharg,
with, were utterly in vain. Mr. Huddleston then subraitt7,
to the court, on behalf of the prisoner, that he appeared 'A-
sti& a state of mental imbecility as to warrant the assung;
tion that he was not cognisant of his own acts, and cons
ue
quently not responsible, and called his son, who informed t,P,,
court that his father was ninety-six years of age, and on the
day in question he had escaped from the custody of a person'
who had been appointed to watch him, and had wander
into the hop yard by the help of his sticks, where he bad
dealt blows on both sides upon the bines. With these facts
before them, one would naturally have expected an imalL-
diate acquittal at the hands of the jury, seeing that the
:
charge was for " wilful and malicious damage ;" but
.A.tP"
court ordered otherwise, and the case was directed to prec,,ein
Mr. Huddleston entering a plea of "not guilty" on behalf
his client, owing to his inability to plead for himself !
evidence had, however, been scarcely entered into when tba
jury were so convinced of the prisoner's state of mind as 11;
require no further information, and a verdict of "not gailtY
was returned.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT SLOUGH.—WINDSOI4_
MONDAY EVENING.—This afternoon, shortly after two o'clOcA
a very destructive fire broke out in the recently-erected 1121
sion at Upton Park, near Slough, the property
of Mr. J.
Bedborough, the extensive builder, of New Windsor.
soon as the intelligence of the fire reached Windsor two com-
panics of the Sorts Fusilier Guards, under the conilnalli:i,
Colonel Drummond, left Windsor, with the barrack enginefor the scene of conflagration, followed by the two 51381-d
from the castle, the Windsor and Eton College engines; au
several others from the vicinity;
ancy which the flames had obtained before their arrival, tua,
but such was the aseed.,
,11 t
all attempts (though there was a plentiful supply of water)
to preserve the property were totally ineffectual, and Or_
«ehouses were completely gutted, forming the west-end of Vie'
toria-terrace. re understand the property is insured to t
amount of 3,0001. (about one-half of its value) in the Lond°
Union Fire Office.

FATAL ACCIDENT ON Tilt CROYDON RAILWAYP:
On Sunday afternoon, about three o'clock, an accident (?:
curred on the above line near the Brighton junction, which
terminated fatally to a passenger in a third-class carriaa;
It appeared that the deceased, a country-looking man, took
third-class ticket at Croydon about half-past two. Previa'
to the train leaving he had a pint of ale at the
Tavern, part of which he gave to another passenger. Short after the train had started he lifted himself over the side en
the carriage, which is about breast high, and endeavoured
sit on the corner. Just as he had placed himself there he
overbalanced, and fell backwards under the train, which A
going at a rapid rate; the two carriages which were behlT:
passed over his body and mangled him dreadfully. The trs!'"
was immediately stopped, and a parcel-box detached from,
into which deceased was placed and brought to the terminus
at London-bridge by an engine detached from a Brighton
train.
token
,
train. On his arrival at the terminus he was instantly t 4,10
to Guy's Hospital, where he immediately expired, the top
of his head was smashed in, and his left leg broken ; his na""a
is unknown ; but he was dressed in a beaverteen coat, Ce'
trowsers, and blucher boots full of nails, On his person iva.„,
an old silver watch and 14d. An inquest will be held on PAP
body this day.

CHIC*ET.---USSEX V. KENT.--.The Sun of Satur-
day contained an account of this match up to five o'clock „
Friday evening, when the game stood thus 2—Kent (first
innings); 147 runs; Sussex (first innings), 215 runs. Kentld
commenced their second innings with W. Wynn, Esq., 31
A. Bennett, Esq., who scored upwards of thirty runs befol.o
they were parted. Adams also run the score by his fi,l).,
play, and Mr. A. Wynn was. also very successful, but at till,
Juneture G. Picknell connneneed bowling, and a finer di..play,
we never saw. Pilch and Adams were put hors de Cornbabi:
and compietelx driven over their wickets, and at lerigt,,l
after playing in the most scientific manner at sever
" evera," Pilch tipped the ball into his wicket. Kent, 11
aver, made a very fine innings, which did not terminate
Saturday, between nue and two o'clock, and put their op) a
vents ih upon 14a rnns. But before Sussex went in a sea%
time, therc was a considerable fall cf rain, They cominerr,e4
their second innings about half-past four o'clock, undo
considerable disadvantage, the ground being Very slinlov,h; and by seven o'clock tlw same evening the whole of "'"a
eleven were put out far 99 runs, Kent winning this great ena
interesting match by 9 runs, so that this year these of
counties may cry " quits" with each other.
ALTONA, JULY 16. We. have received fr°ll3
Busum the following notice respecting the bodies brought
i
ashore there front %he Uanchester steamer :—There are,
all, six ; thc4e of Captain Dudley (which was interred on ;1,,
3d instant, in the Churchyard of Wesselbusen), Mrs. Srui,,e.
Ir. Oeorge Smith, two sailors, and of an unknown gent'
man; cm Which there was found a sum of 3,900 marks. Lue
CUXHAVEN, JUL/ li.—Yesterday and to-day
bodies of Miss F.,wily Smith and Mr. P. Rotbury, were foul'
near Bustin), and brought to this place.
Dstoi' Too iVIVCH.----A New York paper state;
oat 4 man named Neville is in custody for taking r.
.Drop to much—namely, for marrying Miss Apo' Drop, whilst he had another wife living.

_..----:,
-------
„, sw
SIX POUNDS of TEA, awl upwards, sent, carriage free. to
Lance, part of the Kingdom, at the Wholesale Pike, on receipt of A r`—
tance, or Post,ofsoe order.
lAlaak, 2s. Bd., 35., 3s. 4d., 3s, Bd., 45., 4s. 4d., 4s. Bd., 58.
kireen, 3s. 4d., 3s. Bd., 4c, 48. 4d., 55., ss. 4d. 68., 7s.
Coffee, 9d„ Is. is, 24„ 15.4 d., Is., 6d., 15. Bd., 18. 10d., 2s,* rl{,
G. T. MANSELIi alid CO., Wholesale Tea Dealers, 2, Du`-'
LERSBITEY, cUtiAPSIDE. Agencies will be given to re
wectP4o
parties-

of
On the 12 BIRTHS.
tb inst., at Grosvenor-square, the Countess
Home, 0 A daingsuhtert..
alb
OA the 2th ,at Hadley, Middlesex, the lady of
Rev. J. E. Kempe, M.A., of a son.
...nr• On the 12th inst., at Wimbledon, the lady of gay-
Oliphant, of a daughter.
On the 13th inst., at Brook-street, Grosvenor-square, the
Gifu of Dr. F. Cumming, of a daughter.
On the lath inst., at Wandsworth, the lady of •A ri —.arge
Tatham, Esq., of a son.
On the 13th inst., at Wellington-street, Southwark, 1411.
John C. W. Lever, of a daughter

MARRIE
On the 9th inst., at Deen-street,D.
Alexander B. 1., Te,
merchant, in Aberdeen, to Eleanor, youngest daughter o
late Alex. More, Esq.
On the 11th inst., at•Trowbridge, Arthur Newell Jon st
Esq. of Bideford, surgeon, to Frances Rishton, you."'
daughter of Elijah Bush, Esq., of Trombridge. v 54,
On the 13th inst., at St. Clement Danes, John„oc.
Ediuburgh, to Elizabeth Sarah, only child of the late Ale
Watson Law, Esq., of the Hon: East India Color"
Civil Service.

lED. fever'
On the 30th of April, at D
Princes Island, of yellow to,
Thomas J. Fead, Esq., commander of the ship Gloucee
aged 25,
~ s the
On the 10th inst., at the Rectory, Appleton, Ber4elle
Rev. Jaines Williams Hoskins, all., Prebendary of
CathAral, aged 84. bliV'3
On the 12th inst., at her house in Wimpole-street,
Pinfold.
1°
E te
On the 12th inst., at Brighton, Thomas Bolding, sti.,
of Great Linford, Buckinghamshire, aged 45. wii? of
On the 9th inst., in Wilton-struet, Plicebe Sarah, .
Christie Falconer, Esq

London and Vublished by MURDO lg
_ No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Su* Office, r")' 0
strand, in the Precinct th(. Savoy, in ti,y CoO
Middlesex, Tuesday, July IC., 1641.