The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-14 00:00:00

14, 1850.

UNIVERSI"CIES COMMISSION. --
Mr. HEADLAM wiiihed to ask the Righ; /Tee.
Gentlemsn the Member for the University of Oxford
m,hether it was his ktention to bring before the tif :use
the subject of the propo...ed Commission fir 'Ale Un ver-
sitws on the sidj,urnki debate?

Mr. GLADSTONE said that the debate was adjourned
n the tnoti,,n of the Memb,r for Plymouth, mid he •w as
the person most prolwr to apply to on the subject.
FACTORIES BILL.

The House theu proceeded to consider the smendmients.
to this Bill.

Lord J. MANNERS presented petitions from several
places in Lancashire and Cheshire praying the House' to
pass this Bill in its integrity.
Sir G. GREY then proposed as an additional chute,
after section► 5, to the effect, that every young parson,
and Avvry female abov• the age of 18 years, who shall
be empl,iyed in any factory, or shall be allowed to
remain in any room eihere any manufacturing process
then carried on in any factory during any part of the
times which by the notice then fixed up in such factory
in that behalf are mullioned as the times allowed fit
me&ls shall be,deemed to be employed contrary to the tiro-
viions of ;he sqid recited Acts as amended by this
—Agreed to.

Lt,rd ASHLEY proposed thc following amendment,
—P.2, 1.12, otter the word " Act," to insert " no child.
Same p-ge; 1. 16, utter the worth " provided and,"
insert "110 child."

Sir G. GItEY opposed the amendments. Ho contended
that the prescrt Bill had nothing to do with children.
It was merely a all to carry out the very Bitl
which had been introduced by the Noble Lord hims.ll.
'lle effect of the amendment cf the Noble Lord would
be to place a material restriction on the working of the
muhiccery in factories, because it was impossible to carry
on the usual operations in those establishments withoo,
having recourse to the labour of women and young chil-
dren, and the amendment would limit the hours during
which they were employed, furher than was the case at
present. On these grounds, he should oppose the pro-
position of the Noble Lord.
_ _ _

- Mr. AGLIONBY supported the amendment. IL,
was not only anxious to limit the period during which
women and young persons were engaged in factories.
but also to prevent them beginning labour at too early
an hour in the morning, or leaving off at too late an hour
in the evening.

Mr. S. CRAWFORD considered that any Bill which
celled a child up from its bed at halt-past tour, was a Bill
which ought not to receive the sanction of the H .use.
Mr. BRIGHT wished to place before the House whet
would be the practical effect of this proposition. If the
Noble Lord understood the effects, he thought that he
would be the lest person to propose these amendments.
When an alteration was formerly made in the law re-
garding the hours of working for children the effect had
been that many hundreds of children had been driven
from factory employment. If they pursued that course
as was now proposed, that none should work before six
in the morning and after six at night, the cocsequences
would be that still more would be driven from it. Ir
was not a question which very materially Of cted
the interest of employers so much as the children, and he
thought it desirable that the House should be made aware
of the effect of these amendments.

Mr. ED WARDS said that in his part of the comity,
Halifax, it was unusual there to find a child unemployed,
and many of them were getting as much as sd. a week.
Sir. H. WILLOUGHBY said he would 'be glad to
know what the effect:of this amendment could be on the
adult labour of the Incinulicturing districts?:
Mr. TATTON EGER lON said that the effect of this
amendment would be entirely to restrict the moving
power of adult labour, and he asked the House if they
were prepared to do this ?

Mr. ELLIO I' wss of the same opinion, and he be-
lieved that this amendment was nothing more than a
blow by a side wind at adult labour, which hitherto had
not been sought to be interfered with.

Mr. fIUME asked if the House were in a condition to
limit, as was proposed by this amendment, the working
of the machinery of the,country to eight or nine hour.?
He deprecated any attempt to interfere with the labour
of the working man; under the pretence of removing
a pressure from the people they would divert the capital
of the country, on the employment of which the.
working classes were wholly dependent, since it gave
them the means of employment and subsistence.—(Loud
cries of " Divide.")
Lord EOBERF GROSVENOR denied that this
amendment interfered with th,: labour of the people; it
was only mtant to protect children from being over-
worked.

Mr. W. J. FOX said the great body of the operative-
cf this country would hail this measure as a
great boon, notwithstanding that it was so vehe-
mently opposed by the manufacturing capitalists,
He denied that this Bill meant to prevent
the factory operatives uf this country labouring tor a
longer period than they desired to do. If it was true
that the operatives had b,en misled or overawed,
the Government had power to ascertain the fact, and
to find ovt their real opinions. This had, indeed, been
done, and the result was, that 50 'per cent were in favour
of ten hours, 25 per cent. in favour of 12 hours, and 12 or
13 per cent. in favour of 11. hours. He believed
that the choice had therefore fallen on a Ten Hours Bill.
It was of the greatest possible importance that children
should be protected against excessive labour, and that they
should not be prevented having the advantage of educa-
tion by being kept employed to a late hour in the
evening.

Aft.; a few words from Mr. BROWN and Mr. STANS•
FIED, who wore not heard iu the gallery, owing to the
impatience of the douse to have a division,
The House then divided, when there appeared—.
For Lord Ashley's amendment 159
Against it .. ..• ... 160
Majority against Lord Ashley's amendment - 1
The result was received with loud cheers by the
m.•mbers in favour of the Noble Lord's amendment.
Lard JOHN MANNERS then rose to trove the
amendment of which be had given notice, the object of
which WAS to make the measure really a Ten Hours
B►ll.