The Sun.
London, England, 1828-03-04 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS, MARCH 3.

The House assembled this afternoon at the usual hour.
Upon the motion of Mr. GRATTAN, Baron Robeek's

Divorce Bill was read a second time, and ordered to lie
committed for Tuesday the 11th of March.
Mr. DUNCOMBE presented a petition from Yorkshire,
in favour of the Wakefield and Ferrybridge Canal.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM moved the second reading of

the Wakefield and Ferrybridge Canal Bill, and in doing so
observed that the principle of the Bill was to prevent mo-
nopoly and save the public from the expences which would
otherwise be inflicted on them by those monopolists who
were opposed to the Bill,
Mr. O'NEILL seconded the motion, and added that this
Bill was supported by the united voices of the northern in-
habitants of England.
Mr. R. COLBORNE opposed the motion on the ground
of the injury it would occasion to the Aire and Calder
Canal Company. He was aware that the Wakefield and
Ferrybridge Canal Company proposed to effect a great
saving to the public, but that was always the case in those
now speculations. Every new stage coach that was started,
similar professions were made and kept up, until the
opposite party were ruined, and then they could
change as they' liked. Even some of those stage coaches
not only carried you the distance, but even gave you
a dinner into -the bargain.—(A laugh.) Thus it would
doubtless be with the Wakefield and Ferrybridge Canal.
He was altogether opposed to the Bill and should move
that it be read a second time this day six months.
Lord WILLIAM POWLETT said, that the Airo and
Calder Canal had already spent 14,000/. upon the im-
provement of their navigation, without charging any
additional toll to the public, and nothing could he
more unfair or unjust than, in the present instance, to injure
that Company, by promoting the interests of its rival. He
should, therefore, support the amendment, that the Bill be
read that day six months.

Mr. VILLIERS spoke in favour of the second reading
of the Bill, but was inaudible in the gallery.
Lord NORMANBY said he should certainly vote for the
second reading " of the Bill, because by doing so he (lid
nothing more than give the parties the opportunity of being
heard before a Committee, and he asked the House whether
there ever was an instance of the House having rejected
the second reading of a Bill upon an ex-parts statement,
made by those who had a direct interest to defiat the Bill.
As some allusions had been made to those individuals
who had originated
,this measure, he felt it necessary
to observe that be knew nothing about them, but he knew
that from one end of Yorkshire to the other, the strongest
interest was felt in favour of this Bill, by the persons most
interested in the commerce of that part of the country,—
He asked the House to let those parties go before a Com-
mittee, and if, before the Committee, Mr. Telford or the
Aire and Calder Company, should he able to establish that
they' have afforded, or were ready to afford, to the public
similar advantages to those held forth by the present Bill,
then let them have the preference, but let not the Bill he
rejected in a summary way.--(Hear.)
Mr. SYKES said although this Bill was, in name, a
Private Bill, there was not during the present Session any
measure before the House of more importance to the
manufacturing, commercial, and agricultural intereata of
the country than this. He wished the House to bear in
mind that the original outlay of the Aire and Calder Cern-
PanY was only 26,0001. and that they had for several years
derived an autlual profit of shout 100,0001,—(Hear.)

He did not say this with any view of contending that
this company ought not to derive the advantages of
the speculation; but he merely alluded to it to
chew the House the opportunity there was for competition.
If he were to consult his own private feelings, he should
oppose the second reLtling of the Bill ; but the interests of
commerce, and every feeling which ought to influence a
Member of Parliament in the discharge of his duty, com-
pelled him, after the most minute investigation, to say that
the Aire and Calder Company did not offer to the public
the same accommodation as that held out by the fill be-
fore the House. Ile should therefore vote for the second
reading of the Bill.
Mr. LASCELLES thought the Aire and Calder Com-
pany had a right to the preference of a hearing, in order
to ascertain whether they could afford the same accommo-
dation as the Ferrybridge Company held out to the public,
and he should therefore support the amendment, and give
them the first opportunity of going before the Committee;
but by doin4 so, he did not pledge himself as to any future
vote he should give, if the Aire and Calder Company
should not satisfy the Committee that they would be able
to aflorsl the necessary accommodation to the public.
Mr. C. WOODS considered that he would have
to oppose the amendment; because if the Aire
and Calder Company before the Committee should
not he able to prove that they could afford the necessary
accommodation, the consequence of rejecting• this Bill

now would be that the public would be deprived for
twelve months of that accommodation held out by the pre-
sent Bill ; but if his Hon. Friend confined his amendment
to six or eight weeks instead of six months, he (Mr. W.
should support it.
Mr. BARING said, he certainly had a pe:sond interest
in the measure, and he should, therefore, abstain from
giving any vote—(hear, hear, bear)—but he thought
the House ought to give all parties an opportunity
of going before a Committee ; and, for his part, he had no
doubt that the result would be, that the present navigation
would prove to be the most defective in the kingdom.—
Ho thought both cases should be submitted to a Commit-
tee, and that at all events the public should not be de-
prived of a sufficient navigation.
111 r. DUNCOMBE said the petitions in favour of the
. .

Aire and Calder Canal were as numerous as those in
favour of the Wakefield and Ferrybridge Canal. The
Aire and Calder Company were not obliged to adhere to the
plan submitted in the year IS2 ii. Ile believed the Aire
and Calder Company were in earnest in the Bill they had
introduced.
After a few words from Mr. PORTMAN, Sir JOSEPH
YORKE, Sig JAMES GRAHAM, and Lord LOWTHER, the
House divided on the amendment, when there appeared—
For the second reading
Against it 179
Majority
SS

During our exclusion from the gallery, we understood
that Mr. C. WOOD moved a second amendment, to alter
the postponement from six months' to eight weeks.
After a few observations from Mr. S. WoRTLEY, Mr. Y.
CoLitoRFE, 1111.. D. W HA rtvix, Mr. W. llort.roN, Sir J.
GRAHAM, and Mr. D SYKES, tile House divided, when
there appeared—
For the Amendment
Against it

105
110

Majority 5
The Bill was then ordered to be 'lead a second time this
day six months, and consequently lost.
A Message was received from the Lords requesting the
Commons to grant permission to R. H. Bradshaw, Esq.,
one of their Members, to attend a Committee of their
Lordships now sitting upon the Game Laws. The House
gave the Hon. Member permission to attend the said Com-
mittee, if he should so think fit.
AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.
Mr. Alderman WOOD presented a petition from certain
inhabitants of Middlesex and Surrey, praying the House to
adopt such measures as would relieve the agricultural dis-
tresses of the country.
On the motion of Mr. 111131 E, accounts were ordered
of the rates levied in the different districts of the parish of
Lambeth, under the authority of the select vestry in 1825,
1826, and 1827, together with an account of the manner
in which they were expended.

Mr. Alderman VAITI3IIA.N presented a petition
froni the Independent Dissenters of Well-street Chapel,
Hackney, praying for the repeal of the Corporation and
Test Acts.

Mr. G. BANKES postponed, till Monday next, the
Committee on the Roman Catholic Land Tax Bill, in order
that he might not catpe any delay to the numerous wit-
nesses who were then in attendance to be examined on the
East Rrtford Disfranchisement Bill.

The City and Borough Pull Bill was also postponed to
Monday next, after a short conversation between Lord Low_
TILER. the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, Colonel MABERLY, Co-
lonel Domes, and Mr. D. SYKYS.
On the motion of Sir J. Nzwroor, various returns were
ordered relating to the operation of the tithes' commuta-
tion Bill in Ireland.