The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-23 00:00:00

WOODS AND FORESTS.

Lord DUNCAN, seeing the Noble Lord at the head of
the Governmont in his place, he wi.Lei to ask him a
question on tae subject of the Woods and Forests. Ile
wished to know when it was the intention of Govern-
ment to proceed with the Woods and Forests Bill. The
second question he wished to ask the Noble Lord was this.
Lord Carlisle had stutsd in another place that he no
longer presided over the woods and forests, and perhaps,
then fore, the Noble Lord would be good enough to state
who it was that at present executed the important duties
generally entrusted to the Chief Commissioner of Woods
and Forests.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL, in reply to the first ques-
tion, said he should bring the Bill on as early as possible
alter Easter; with regard to the second question, Lord
Carlisle still held the office of Chief Commissioner, and
would continue to hold it until his successor was ap-
pointed, or the office abolished.
ANNUITY TAX.

Mr. COWAN said a good deal of excitement prevailed
in Scotland on the subject of the annuity tax, and from
time to time various proposals bad been made for the
abolition of this odious and obnoxious tax. He wished,
therefore, to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether
it was the intention of her Majesty's Government, during
the present session of Parliament to introduce any mein
sure to alter or repeal the mode of providing for the pay-
ment of the ministers of the Established Church in Edin-
burgh and Montrose, instead of the existing impost,
commonly called the annuity tax or ministers' money.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL was understood to say, in
reply, that in the existing state of public business he
could not promise to introduce such a measure.
Captain HARRIS asked the Noble Lord at the head
of the Government when he meant to proceed with the
navy estimates.
Lord J. RUSSELL could not give a definite answer to
that question until Monday.
MONEY DUE FROM FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS.
Mr. B. OSBORNE asked the President of the Board
of Trade what course the Government meant to pursue
with reference to sums of money being due from foreign
Governments to individuals in this country? A Select
Committee was appointed last session to inquire into
all such cases, but be (Mr. Osborne) could not find out
that they had made any report to the House.
Mr. LABOUCHERE said the Noble Lord the Mem-
ber for Bath was chairman of that Committee, and they
reported that they were satisfied considerab!. sums a
money were due from foreign Governments to persons in
this country, and recommended that the. Committee
should be rc-appoibt,d this session.
Mr. B. OSBURNE asked if the Right Hon. Gentleman
would more the re-appointment of the CuinDlittee after
Easter.

Mr. LABOUMIERE would not give any such pledge,
though he bad no objection to the re-appointment of the
Committee after Easter.
PUBLIC PETITIONS. •
Mr. B. a MANGLES wished to ask a question of the
Speaker with t egard to the forms of the House. On the
13th of March it petition bad been presented, purporting
to be from Guildford, and bad been entered upon the
journals of the House as such. This, he believed,
was the petition to which the Honourable Gtntle-
man the Member for West Surrey had alluded
in a speech of his. On referring to the journals of the
House ho found it was a petition from the landowners
and others in the neighbourhood of Guildford, which
was a very different thing; and on looking still further
at the petition he found that one of the first was the

name of a gentleman who lived twelve miles from Guild-
ford. What he wished to know was whether there was
not some means of altering this wrong designation?
The SPEAKER said that the standing orders of the
House 1-equine! that the description of the petition
should be as short as possible.
Mr. MANGLES said that his object was seriel by
having mentioned the matter.