The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-11 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

ROUSE OF COMMONS, July 10.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES BILL.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
On the motion for going into Committee on this Bill,
Sir G. PECHELL did not dispute the propriety of
giving additional powers to the inspectors of weights
and measures, but he complained that while that was
the object of the present Bill, several most useful
Acts of Parliament woald be abolished by which"most of
the large towns in the kingdom were governed. He
hoped the Government would arrest the progress of
the Bill, because he believed it was a pieee of legislation
which was wholly uncalled for. So many important
considerations were involved in the measure that even if
the principle were approved of by the House, it
would not be advisable to press it until the subject had
been referred to a Committee of Inquiry. He concluded
by moving that the House should go into Committee
on the Bill this day three months.

Sir JOHN DUbKWORTH said his object had been
to make the Bill as perfect as possible, and fur that
purpose he had taken the advice and received the
assistance of those who were most conversant with
the working of the present law. The working classes
were the parties who would be benefited most by the
measure, because they were more liable to the frauds
practised upon the public by the use of deficient weights
and measures. He trusted that the House would not
accede to the amendment of the Hon. and Gallant
Member. He would not wish to take upon himself the
responsibility of altering the law on this subject unless
he was supported by the opinion of the House. In de-
ference to the opinion of the Hon. Baronet (Sir George
Pechell), he had struck out certain clauses in the Bill
which were objectionable to him.
Sir GEORGE GREY hoped the House would go
into Committee on the Bill. He approved of the princi-
ple of the Bill, which was to assimilate the practice of
examining weights and measures throughout the country,
anti to make that practice as uniform as possible, which
was not the case under the existing law.
Mr. PACKE approved of the principle of the Bill, and
would vote for the House going into Committee up..in it
forthwith.

Mr. BROTHERTON hoped the House would post-
pone the Committee on the Bill.
Mr. E. ELLICE, jun., s..'d this Bill was little known
in England, and still less in Scotland, and he thought
the country should have an opportunity of being better
acquainted with its provisions. He recently presented
a petition from the St. Andrew's district of Burghs,
which he represented, praying that they might be ex-
empted from the operation of the Bill ; and should the
House go into Committee on the Bill, it was his iaten-
tion to propose a clause with the view of exempting the
whole of Scotland from its operation.
Mr. DUNCAN expressed his intention to support
any motion for exempting Scotland from the Bill, and
of voting at all events for the postponing of the Com-
mittee.

Mr. COWAN hoped the House would postpone the
Committee until the next session of Parliament, and
that the Government in the recess would take into their
consideration a Bill for providing a standard measure.
After a few words from Sir DE LACY EVANS and the
ATTORNEY- GENERAL,
Mr. HENLEY said he was by no means satisfied
with this Bill as it stood, because it proposed to place
very extended powers in hands far less responsible than
at present.
Mr. FREWEN hoped that the Hon. Baronet (Sir
George Pechell) would not divide the House on his
amendment.

Sir GEORGE PECHELL consented to withdraw his
amendment, and the House went into Committee on
the Bill.

Os clause 1 being proposed,
Sir G. PECHELL renewed his opposition to the Bill.
He objected to the details of the Bill, and he thought
it was in direct opposition to all farmer enactments.
After a few words from Sir G. GREY,

Some conversation took place, in which Mr. Henley,
Sir John Duckworth, the Attorney-General, Sir George
Pechell, and Mr. BroLherton took part.
Colonel DUNNE asked if the Bill would extend to
Ireland?
Sir GEORGE GREY said it would.

Colonel DUNNE had several amendments to propose
then, but he should postpone them till the bringing up
of the report.
Mr. E. ELLICE, jun., moved that Scotland should
be exempt from the operation of the Bill.
Sir GEORGE GREY thought the Bill ought to be
confined to England only.
Sir G. DUCKWORTH had no desire to force the Bill
upon Scotland.

Mr. HENLEY thought a Bill that was required for
England was equally applicable to the other parts of the
kingdom, and the statement that neither Ireland nor
Scotland ought to be subjected to the operation of the
Bill was a strong inducement for him to oppose the Bill
altogether.
Mr. SADLEIR called upon the Right Hon. Baronet
who bad charge of the Bill to give a distinct pledge that
the Bill should not extend to Ireland.

The ATTORNEY•GENERAL said in the existing
state of the law, and as the Bill now stood, it could not
possibly apply to either Scotland or Ireland.
Mr. E. ELLICE, jun., under those circumstances,
would not pre4s his amendment.
Sir G. GREY now suggested that they should agree
to the fint two clause 3, and then report progress, so as to
give Government an opportunity of considering whether
or no the Bill ought to extend to every part of the
United Kingdom. _ _

Sir G. PIC HELL understood that the original Act,
5 and 6 Will. IV., applird to every part of the kingdom,
but now there appeared to be some doubt as to that.
He should, therefore, move that the Chairman do at once
report progress.
Sir JOHN DUCKWORTH was prepared to accept
the proposal of the Rio-ht Hon. Baronet the Home Se-
cretary, but he must resist the motion of the Hon. and
Gallant Member for Brighton. He only proposed to
take the first two clauses, and to strike out all the others.

Sir GEORGE PECHELL reluctantly consented to
withdraw his amendment.

Clause 1 was then agreed to with amendments.
On clause 2 being proposed,
Sir GEORGE PECHELL proposed the omission of
certain words which compelled local authorities to
transfer their standard weights and mea-
sures to the clerk of the peace, with the view
of inserting certain other words, which would have the
effect of continuing the weights and measures of the town
of Brighton and other places in the same custody that
they are at present.
The Committee then divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment
Against it. 126
Majority
The clause, with some slight amendments, was then
agreed to.
The House then resumed, and the report was or-
dered to be brought up on Friday next.