The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-26 00:00:00

FACTORY BILL.

Colonel THOMPSON presented a petition from
Bradford in favour of the Ten Hours' Bill.

Lord G. MANNERS presented eight petitions of a
similar nature from the manufacturing districts.

CHURCH-RATES-.

Mr. KERSHAW presented a petition in favour of the
abolition of church rates
AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS. _

Mr. Collspresented a petition from a parish near
Southampton complaining of agricultural distress, and
praying for relief.
SMALL TENEMENTS RATING BILL.

Captain PELHAM presented a petition praying that
the Small Tenements Rating Bill be made compulsory.
Mr. COBDEN presented petitions in favour of the
Marriage Bill, in favour of county financial boards, in
favour of a system of secular education, against church-
rates, in favour of the extension of county courts, arid
in favour of an effectual Ten Hours' Factory Bill.
Mr. FORBES presented a petition against Sunday
labour in the Post-office.

Sir R. PEEL presented two petitions from Tamworth,
one against Sunday labour in the Post-office, and the
other in favour of county financial boards.
Mr. AGLIONBY presented a petition in favour of the
Factory Bill.
Mr. F. O'CONNOR presented petitions from Glas-
gow Henley in Staffordshire, and other places, praying
for the abolition of the Excise duty on paper, the adver-
tisement duty, and the penny stamp on newspapers. He
also presented a petition from some subscribers to the
National Land Scheme, praying the House not to inter-
fere in the affairs of that company, and stating that they
had much more confidence in him (Mr. O'Connor) than
in her Majesty's Ministers.—(Laughter.)
Mr. P. WOOD presented a petition from Oxford
against the Real Property Conveyance Bill; also w peti-
tion from Dorking in favour of the Affirmation Bill.
Mr. BRIGHT presented a petition from Henley-on-
Thames in favour of international arbitration; also
a petition from Halifax in favour of applying the funds
in possession of the Established Church to national
purposes.
Sir DE LACY EVANS presented a petition from
Westminster against the window tax.
Mr. COWAN presented a petition from Dumfries
against the Marriage Bill.
Mr. W. J. FOX presented four petitions in favour of
an efficient Ten Hours' Bill; also petitions from Derby,
Wolverhampton, Amersham, and other places, in favour
of a system of secular education.
AUSTRALIAN COLONIES BILL.
Sir W. MOLESWORTEI gave notice that, in Com-
mittee on the Australian Colonies Bill, he should move,
as an amendment to clause 1, that the Governments of
Van Diemen's Land and New South Wales should con-
sist of two Legislative Houses, both Houses to be
elective. Perhaps, at the same time, he might be
allowed to ask the Noble Lord at the head of the Go-
vernment how soon after Easter he proposed to bring
on
the Bill ?
Lord J. RUSSELL proposed to fix the same day
which the Irish Registration Bill stood for.

INSURANCE DUTIES.
Colonel SIBTLIORP moved for an account of all sums
paid into the Stamp-office i❑ Great Britain and Ireland
on insurances from fire, for the quarters ending severally
the 25th day of March, the 24th day of June, the 29th
day of September, and the 25th day of December, 1849;
distinguishing amount of allowance made to each office
for collecting the same, in the country, London, Edin-
burgh, and Dublin, respectively, with the dates of such

payments; and returns of sums insured by each ofnne
on farming stock, for the name period (in continuation
of Parliamentary Paper, No. 302, of Session 1849).
Agreed to.

BRICK DUTIES BILL.
Lord R. GROSVENOR reminded the House, that on
Friday, in consequence of his Right Honourable Friend
the Chancellor of the Exchequer not being then able to
attend in his place. he asked the Noble Lord at the
head of the Government to postpone the Brick
Duties Bill until such time as he bad given
the public to understand what the intentions of
Government were with regard to the drawback. Seeing
his Right Hon. Friend the Chancellor now in his place,
he wished to ask him what he had determined in the
matter? Perhaps at the same time the Right Hon.
Gentleman would have the goodness to state when the
bensfit of the repeal of the duty would come into opera-
tion, because at present there was great stagnation in
the trade, the manufacturers fearing that if they entered
upon any new bricks they would be still subject to the
claws of the lion.—(A laugh.) There was another
question which it was important the Right Honourable
Gentleman should answer, and that was whether a clause
would be introduced into the Bill to meet the case of
contracts that had been entered into on the understand-
ing that there would be no change in the duty.—(llear.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it
would be for the public convenience if he should state at
once what his intentions were with respect to the remis-
sion of the duty on bricks. First, with regard to the
drawback. He saw a deputation on that subject three or
four days ago. He had tried to ascertain what had
been the practice of Governments with respect to a
drawback on the repeal of taxes, and he found
that in two cases alone had there been any drawback.
Generally speaking, in such cases, drawbacks had not
been made; and in no case whatever had a full drawback
been allowed. Therefore, the brick-makers, with stocks
in hand, would not be prejudiced to the full extent of the
reduced price of bricks paying no duty. When he
saw the deputation on Thursday last, some of them
said it would not be reasonable to expect any
great amount of drawback; and it was suggested that he
should give time to the Ist of June, in order to enable
parties to dispose of their stock, and then to give them
a drawback on what remained. He (the Chancellor of
the Exchequer) had come to the conclusion that the
extension of time was most undesirable. He thought it
was desirable to do at once whatever he meant to do.—
(Hear, hear.) He proposed therefor* to allow at once
a drawback of 50 per cent. on stock in band ; and he
proposed that with respect to all bricks to be made
henceforward the repeal of the duty should be immediate.
He had caused a survey to be made of all the brick-yards
in the kingdom, to ascertain the quantity of stock in
hand, which was being carried on with the greatest ac-
tivity. Amongst other applications he had received some
from parties who bad just recently built houses with
taxed bricks.—(Laughter)—claiming to have the repeal
of the duty extended to the bricks of which they bad
built their houses. He was afraid it was out of his
power to relieve those parties. With respect to parties
who had entered into contracts for the supply of bricks
at duty paid price just before the announcement of the
repeal of the duty, he would propose such a drawback
as he thought would meet the justice of the case.
Lord DUNCAN begged to ask the Right Hon.
Baronet (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) whether he
would have any objection to remit the window-tax to the
same extent as that of the duty on bricks ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thought
the repeal of the duty on bricks of more importance.
Mr. CARD WELL wished to ask the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman whether it was his intention to bring in any mea-
sure regarding the duty on coffee and chicory ?
Inc CIiANUELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that he did not entertain any idea of the sort.
GREEN PARK—BRIDGEWATER HOUSE.
Lord DUNCAN wished to know what steps had been
taken by the Treasury with regard to the building of the
wall round the garden of Bridgewater House, about
witch a discussion had taken place some time ago.
Since that time not only had the wall not been pulled
down, but a large embankment had been raised, which
was entirely inconsistent with the terms of the lease.
Mr. C. LUSEIINGTON said that before the Secre-
tary fur the Treasury answered that question he wished
to state that the wall was a great grievance to his con-
stituents, who would gladly see it removed.
Mr. HAYTER said that after the discussion which
t already taken place on the subject, he had directed
the architect of the Treasury to make a report on
the subject, which had not yet been presented. He could,
however, state that not only had the wall not been pro-
ceeded with, but a great portion of it had been pulled
down. With regard to the embankment, which was stated
co be inconsistent with the terms of the lease, he could
only say that great detriment would accrue to the
public unless the terms of that lease were greatly mo-
dified.

Lord DUNCAN gave notice that h• should move for
a copy of all the documents on the subject.

PUBLIC SALARIES.

In answer to a question from Colonel SIIITHORP,
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that Lord Seymour had
t4kea ti is office of Chief Commissioner of Woods and
Forests at the same salary as it had been before held at,
viz., 2,0001.; but he took this opportunity of giving no-
tice, that on an early day after Easter, he should move for
a Select Committee to inqure into the salaries of Mem-
bers of Parliament, of public Judges, and of the expenses
of the diplomatic establishments.—(Loud cheers.)
NATIONAL GALLERY AND THE VERNON