The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-30 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS, July 29.

The SPEAKER took the Chair at Twelve o'clock.
The Willenhall Chapel Estate Bill was read a third
time and passed.
Mr. MACKINNON presented a petition frem the
Corporation and Commissioners of Police in Glasgow,
praying for a Commission to inquire whether or not the
nuisance of smoke could be abolished.
MERCHANT SEAMEN'S BILL.

Mr. S. HERBERT moved that the House resolve it-
self into Committee on the Merchant Seamen's Bill.

Mr. FORSTER objected to the motion. The Bill was.
in his opinion, improperly pressed forward at that period
of the session. It was an attempt to navigate ships by
Act of Parliament—(Laughter)—and an improper in-
terference between masters and men. He hoped the Bill
would not be persevered in during the present session.
Mr. lIODGSON HINDE said he did not feel such
strong objections to the Bill as the Hon. Gentleman op-
posite, bvt he must say he regretted, with him, that it
was brought forward at so late a period.
Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT said he had had many
communications with shipowners in reference to this
Bill •, and out of three alterations, which were all that
had been suggested, two had been adopted. He believed
the measure was a most useful one, and would confer
great benefit both on masters and seamen. Most of the
provisions had been suggested by his Right Hon. Friend
(Sir James Graham) at a former period ; but they were
not proposed, because at that time the greatest preju-
dice existed against any interference.—(Hear, hear.)
The Government felt it their duty to proceed with the
bill this session.
Mr. HUTT certainly wished that the Bill had been
brought forward at an earlier period of the session, but
he would rather it was proceeded with this session than
postponed until the next.
Sir C. NAPIER said that the Bill was a most im•
portant measure both for masters and seamen, and he
thought the country at large was greatly indebted to the
Government for bringing it forward. The Hon. Member
then described the impositions which were practised by
crimps upon sailors, and said he believed this Bill would
do much to put an end to the system.
After a few words from Mr. IVAWN,

Mr. HUME said the Government had no doubt full
power to pass any measure they pleased, but the ques-
tion was whether it was prudent to interfere in this
manner at the present time. In his opinion it was not.
Sir J. GRAHAM said there was nothing new in the
provisions of this Bill. All its leading provisions had
formed the subject of discussion for months between the
Admiralty and the shipowners, and he believed the latter
were generally in favonr of the measure before the House.
The House then went into Committee on the Bill.

• Mr. MORE O'FERRALL supported the Bill. H.
described the beneficial effects of sailors' hoines, and. re-
commended their establishment in all sea-port towns. aq I
threw it for the consideration of the Governtnen.
whether they could not establish a system between th
masters of vessels and the sailors' homes for the surip:/
of the sailors with good clothing, in order topreventtheit
being robbed and defrauded by the personS called crisaps.
Clause 1 was agreed to.
On clause 2 being proposed,
Mr..BOUVERIE objected to a stipulation which is
. contained to prevent a sailor from working his way out
to any foreign port. He could not understand why they
should wish this unless they feared that the regi,trallion
system would cause seamen to go into foreign sJrvice,
and had introduced this stipulation to prevent it.—( ear.)
Mr. S. HERBERT said it was done more fur the
benefit of the seamen than any one else ; for it was
sometimes found that sailors who worked their way out
to foreign ports, get involved in distress, and required to
be brought back at the public expense.
Clause 2 was then agreed to.
Clause 3 was agreed to without amendment.
Clause 4 was agreed to with some verbal ameed-
ments.

Clause 5 was agreed to.
Clauses 6 and 7. were agreed to with sm.) vcrbal
amendments.

Clause 9 was agreed to.
On clause 9 being proposed, which enacts VI t ir case
of desertion, a seaman shall forfeit the whole (I" his
wages to the owner.

Sir CHARLES NAPIER thought that if Lc-were to
forfeit half his wages it would be sufficient p Ailment.
He had known several cages in which sailors Lad been
very ill-treated to induce them to desert.
The clause was then agreed to.
Clauses up to 13 were agreed to.
On clause 14 being proposed.
Mr. SYDNEY HERBERT explained, in answer to a
question from an Hon. Member, that Oa I revisions of
the Act were not intended to extend to Indian or colo-
nial shipping.
The clause was then agreed to.
Clauses up to 18 were then agreed to.
Clause 18 was alsoagreed to with a few verbal ..unend-
ments; as were also clauses 19 up to 32.
The remaining clauses of the Bill were then agreed
to, the House resumed, and the report was ordered to be
brought up to-morrow.
ROYAL COMMISSION.

The Deputy Usher of the - Black Rod summoned the
House to attend the Lords to hear the royal assent given
by Commission to various Bills (for which see Lords'
report), the names of which were communicated to the
House by the Speaker on his return.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE (MIDDLESEX) BILL.
On the motion of Sir J. GRAHAM the Order of the
Pay for the third reading of the Criminal Justice (Mid-
dlesex) Bill was read.

Mr.-MACKINNON postponed some objections he had
o the Bill till the next stage, and the Bill was read a
;hird time.

Sir J. GRAHAM proposed an additional clause, the
object of which was to give the magistrate the power
of trying appeals eight times a year.
Mr. BODKIN approved of the clause, the object of
which was merely-to restore to the magistrates thepower
of trying appeals, which they possessed till a recent deci-
sion of the Court of Queen's Bench, which decided that
the exercise of that power was illegal.
After a short discussion the clause was agreed:to, and
the Bill passed__