The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-11 00:00:00

IMPERIAL FARM A SENT

HOUSE OF LORDS.—THis DAY.

Their lordships sat for a short time at noon to-day.
The Scotch Reform Bill was brought up from the Lower
House, and a report was received announcing that the
House of Commons did not insist upon the amendment
they had inserted upon the Lords' amendments.
The Larceny Bill was brought up from the Commons
and read a flu st time.

Their lordship then adjourned at a quarter after twelve
o'clock.

HOUSE OF LORDS-LAST EVENING.

The Lon]) CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH (IRELAND) BILL

COMMISSION.

Lord DUFFERIN inquired when the report of the
Commission of the Eitabfished Church (Ireland) would
he laid before the house?

The Earl of STANHOPE said that he thought that the
question was rather prernatnre, and that it was dictated
by a party spirit rather than otherwise. The report might
or might not be ready in the course of twu or three weeks.
It was a difficult matter to decide when there were per-
sons on the committ)o embued with so many different
opinions on the subject.

Tha matter then dropped.
SIR ROBERT NAPIER.

The Earl of MALMESBURY raised the question that
the Queen's message with regard to Sir Robert Napier be
received, and that a humble ad cress be forwarded to her
Majesty assuring her Majesty that the house would adopt
the suggestion contained in the Royal Message.
The E.trl of LEVEN and MELVILLE regretted that
the vote of £2,000 per annum was not extended to three
lives, as was the usual practice in the case of such distin-
guished officers.
The address to her Majesty, assuring hor of the co-ope-
ration of the house, was then adopted.
THE REGISTRATION OF THE PEOPLE (SCOT-
LAND) BILL.

The Earl of MA.LMESBURY said that it was greatly
to be regretted that an amendment such as had been men-
tioned last night, when he introduced the course of the
business of the house should have been introduced, after

it was generally understood that the matter was defini-
tively settled. He therefore trusted that that amendment
would be rejected by both sides of the house. (Hear, hear.)
Earl RUSSELL said th•it, after reflecting upon the
amendment, he must certainly support the opinion of the
noble earl opposite and the Government in this matter.
After a few remarks from the Lord Chancellor, the
house unanimously disagreed with the amendment made
by the House of Commons.
The Prisons (Scotland) Administrations Act and the
Petroleum Bill were road a third tim 3 and pissed.
NEW ZEALAND LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
ADMIRALTY SUITS BILL.

This bill was read a third time and passed.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT.

This bill was withdrawn.
LODGERS' PROPERTY PROTECTION BILL.

This bill was withdrawn.
The Children Protection bill was also withdrawn.
STATUES IN WESTMINSTER HALL.

Lord HARDINGE asked a question according to notice
with rogard to the statues in Westminster-hall. Ha con-
sidered them vulgarly inferior as far as works of art were
concerned, and did not do aiy credit to the artist who
designed them. He would therefore ask what would be
done with them ?
The Earl of MALMESBURY said that he was in hopes

that the noble lord was about to suggest some place where
they could go to. He must say that thoy were to some
extent wandering statues. (Laughter.) They had been

in the Royal Gallery, but that receptacle was so full that
they could not remain there, and therefore they had been
placed in Westmins:,er Hall.
Lord REDESDALE suggested that they should be
dusted once a week. He had no doubt this would be a
great improvement. (Laughter.)
The subject then di opped, and their lordships adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—LAST EVENING.
The SPEAKER took the chair at two o'clock.
PAYMENT OF RATES.

Mr. WHITE asked the Secretary of State for the Home
Department whether it was the intention of Government
to bring in a bill this or next session to give effect to the
recommendations agreed to by the right honourable
gentleman and a majority of the select committee
on Poor Rate Assessment, viz., that so much of any
public or local act as permits composition for rates in other
than Parliamentary boroughs should be repealed, and that
all local rates should be mergad into one (consolidated)
rate, to be assessed and collected together, so as to make
the future Parliamentary franchise for boroughs dependent
upon the payment of all or any local rate other than the
poor rate, as is now the statutory qualification by the Re-
form Act of 1867.

Mr HARDY said he was hardly in a ppsition to give an
answer to the question at the present time. Personally
he was of opinion that all rates should be merged and
collected by instalments ; what effect that would have on
the franchise he could not say.
LA.ND. DRAINAGE BILL.
This bill passed through committee.
COLONIAL GOVERNORS' PENSION BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
PROMISSORY OATHS BILL.

This bill was also read a third time and passed.
CORRUPT PRACTICES AT ELECTIONS (SA-
LARIES) BILL.
The houso then went into committee, when the pro-
posals of the bill were agreed to.
CORRUPT PRACTICES AT ELECTIONS.

The house went into committee on this bill, resuming
at clause 10, which was struck out on the motion of the
Solicitor-General. The three following claus3s wore
agreed to.

On clause 14 being proposed,
Mr. DISRAELI moved the amendment with respect
to the mode of trial of election petitions, which he ex-
plained last evening, and which it will b 3 recollected was
that one of the judges of each of the superior courts of
common law should be selected at Michaelmas term to try
election petitions standing for trial, and also the appoint-
ment of three new judges, the salaries of £5OO each
having been agreed to in the former bill,
Mr. AYRTON objected that the amendment, which in
fact contained nine separate clauses, should be disposed
of in a lump. Each sub-section, he considered, ought to be
taken separately.

No objection being made to such a proposal, the first
secticn, which was as follows, was then put : —" The trial
of every election petition shall be conducted bof ore a
puisne judge of one of her Majesty's superior cou Its of
c3mmon law at Westminster, to be selected from a rota to
be formed as hereinafter mentioned."
Mr. MONSELL proposed that the words "or Dublin"
be inserted after the word " Westminster."

Mr. DISRAELI said there was no objection to apply the
provisions of the bill to Ireland and Scotland. He did not
think an addition to the judges would be required either
in Inland or Scotland; but if the amendment of the hon.
gentleman opposite were agreed to, it would be necessary
to remodel the whole bill. If the bill passed through
committee he would see whether a clause could not be
introduced at the end to carry out such a proposal.
A discussion ensued, during which Mr. BOUVERIE at-
tacked the provisions of the bill ; and Mr. HUGESSEN said
ho hoped the measure would not be imperilled by the
raising of a Scotch or Irish debate.

Mr. DISRAEL I expressed his opinion that the speech
of the hon. member for Kilmarnock was an attempt to ge t
rid of the bill by a side-wind movement.
Mr. MONSELL said he would rest content with the
proposal of the right hon. gentleman, and withdrew his
amendment.

Mr AYRTON objected to the judges being allowed to
choose the one to try election petitions. He thought they
ought to try election petitions just as they would ordinary
cases on circuit, as they would bo on the spot with the
bar in attendance.

The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said if the whole of the
judges were to be called upon to try election petitions,
they would have to give each, instead of three, the
gratuity of £5OO. lie could see no valid reason why tho
judges should not be allowed to select from themselves
who was to try the election petitions. The objection to
him appeared to be groundless, and therefore ho hoped
it would be withdrawn.

The amendment was ultimately rejected without a
division.

Mr. AYRTON then moved an amendment to the second
section, the effect of which was that all the judges should
be called upon to perform the duty in turn instead of three
being selected for the special purpose. Ho als o further
proposed to amend the section by making it compulsory
that proceedings should be commenced on all petitions
within two months after they had been presentel
The committee divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment 143
Against it
Majority against the amendment —35

On the amendment being put for the appointment of
three additional puisne judges, it contained a proviso that
neither of the additional judges should be eligible to try
election petitions until he had been on the bench two

years.
Mr. AYRTON moved to omit the words relative to
the additional judges having to remain two years
before they were thought eligible to try election
petitions. He thought it would be a reflection on
the judges that were to bo appointed, that they
should be looked upon as incompetent until they had govt
through a purification extending over two years . (Hear
hear.) It was almost as extraordinary as the purificatimi
that was required to turn a Mahomedan into a Brahmin,
which was that the Mahomedan was required to be placed
in a jar of oil for nino days, after Which tirno when ho

came out he was to bo oonsidered a Brahmin. (Loud
laughter.) -

Mr. DISRAELI had no objection to the words objected
to being struck out, which, having been done, the section
was agreed to.
Mr. AYRTON then moved the following as an amend-
ment to Clause 14 :—"Ne court or judge shall call in ques-
tion, or suffer to be called in question, in any proceedings
under this Act, .any resolution or order of the House of
Commons touching the privileges of the House, or of any
member thereof, or the duties of any returning officer, or
of any officer of the House of Commons."
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL opposed it.
The Committee divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment 53
Against it

Majority against the amendment... 132
Oa the question that clause 15 stand part of the bill,
Thu committee again divided, when there appeared—
For the clause 174
Against it
Majority in favour of the clausa —l2o
Chine 16 was agreed t).
Oa clause 17 being proposed,

Mr SANDFOUD 'novel that the following be added to
the el tuse:—"lu every case where a member for a county
or borough may b 3 unseated for corrupt practices, then
and in every such case a commission shall b 3 issued
according to the provisions of the Act of the Session of
the fifteenth and sixteenth years of the reign of her pre-
sent Majesty, intitled ' An Act to provide for more effec-
tive inquiry into the existence of Corrupt Practices at
elections of m inhere to serve in Parliament,' fur the pur-
pose of inquiring into the prevalence of corrupt practices
in such county or borough; and the exponses of such
commission and such inquiry shall be defrayed by the
county or borough to which such commission shall bo
issued."

The house was occupied with the consideration of the
provisions of the bill up to seven o'clock, at which hour
the sitting was suspended until nine o'clock.
At the evening sitting, after a short conversation be-
tween Mr. Blake and Lord Mayo about the dietary in Irish
workhouses, of the insufficiency of which Mr. Blake com-
plained, though the Irish Secretary maintained that it was
more wholesome and nutritious than in English work-

houses,
The Scotch Reform Bill was returned a second time
from the Lords, and Mr. M'Laren not insisting on the
amendment which he inserted on Thursday, and with
which the Lords disagreed, the bill may be considered as
finally settled.
Some other business was disposed of, and
The House adjourned at half-past two o'clocAi

' RI) E DITION •

SUN OFFICE, 6 o'CLocK.