The Sun.
London, England, 1828-03-19 00:00:00

LICENSING SYSTEM IN SCOTLAND.

Mr. HOME DRUMMONDn;;Tedfo; leavetnbrin,r in
a Bill for regulating the licensing of Alehouses and Inns in
Scotland. He proposed to follow the example of the lion.
Member (mi.. Estcourt) who introduced a similar measure
with respect to England, and that the Bill should he read
a first time and printed,, and
,the principle discussed at a
;future period.—Leave was given to bring in the Bill.
Mr. Alderman WA ITHMAINI presented a petition from
the protestant Dissenters of Tunbridge, praying for a re-
peal of Ole Test and Corporation Acts. He took that Op-
portunity of stating his concurrence in the prayer of the
petition, and of expressing a hope that no new Test would
be imposed upon the Dissenters.
Lord EDWARD IOIIERSET presented two petitions
from the Clergy of the Diocese of Gloucester against the
repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts, and against the
Unitarian Marriage Act,
Lord E. SOMERSET presented a petition from the
Rural Dean of Gloucester against the repeal of the Roman
Catholic disabilities.
An lion. Member, whose tame we could not learn,
presented a similar petition from the Clergy of Winchester.
Mr. W. SMITH' presented twenty-seven petitions from
"Protestant Dissenting- Congregations in different parts nt

the country, praying for a repeal of the Test and Corpo-
ration Acts.
Sir H. PARNELL presented a petition from the Roman
Catholic inhabitants of Ballinakill, in thle Queen's county,
in favour of the Roman Catholic Claims.
Lord HOWICK presented a petition from the Dissen-
ters of Northumberland, praying for a repeal of the Test
and Corporation Acts.
Mr. Alderman WOOD moved that there be laid before
' the House a return of the number of persons committed
to prison under ~execution from the Courts of Request in
Middlesex, London, and Southwark, from January, 1826,
to January, 1828, stating the amount of each debt, the
number of days each person was imprisoned during each
year, and the number of times each prisoner was com-
mitted.
Mr. HUME moved for a return of the amount of duty
paid upon Fire Insurances by the different Insurance
Offices in London and the country for the quarter ending
Dec. 1827, distinguishing the amount paid by each office
in town and country respectively.
Mr. MARSHALL presented two petitions from the
Protestant Dissenters of Barnsfield and Halifax, praying
for a repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts.
Mr. WM. SMITH presented a similar petition from
the Protestant Dissenters of Brickley.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL, in presenting a petition of a
similar nature from the inhabitants of Uxbridge, took oc-
casion to correct an error into which an Lion. Baronet
(Sir John. Shelley) had fallen on a former evening. The
Hon. Baronet had been mistaken iu stating that no petition
from Lewes had been presented to the House ; there had
been a petition signed by 400 of the inhabitants of that
town, praying for the repeal of the Test and Corporation
Acts.

I Sir JOHN SHELLEY explained ; but the purport of
. his explanation was not understood in the gallery.
The petitions were laid upon the table.
Sir. F. BURDETT put a question to the Right Hon.
Secretary of the Home Department, relative to the Com-
mission appointed to inquire into the Supply of Water for
the Metropolis; but the Hon. Baronet spoke in so low a
tone of voice, that the precise import of the question was
inaudible irtithe gallery.
Mr. Secretary PEEL said the same question was put to
him the other night by the other Honourable Member for
Westminster, in the absence of the Hon. Bart. and the
answer, which he then gave, he could not object to give
again. He stated then, that when he came into office he
found that a commission had been appointed by his pre-
decessor, to inquire into the supply of water for the Metro.
polis, and that a question had arisen as to the extent of the
powers of the Commissioners. Upon reference to his predeces-
sor he found that the powers given to the Commissioners
were ample, and went the extent of authorizing them to ex-
amine witnesses upon oath, and to make other enquiries,
with the view to ascertain the quantity and quality of the
water supplied in the metropolis. Another question
arose as to the power of the Commissioners to make
surveys and levels, and to appoint engineers for, that pur-
pose. It appeared to him that Parliament did not contem-
plate to give such powers to the Commissioners, or at
least to defray the expence of taking such levels. He was
also asked whether an analysis of the water was to take
place, and his answer was that he thought that necessary,
and that the expense attending the making of such ana-
lysis of water taken from different parts of the river
would be defrayed by Government. The persons named
in the Commission were, Mr. Telford, the engineer; Dr.
Roget, and Mr. Brandt, and when he mentioned those names
lie had no doubt the House would agree with him that no
men better calculated to perform such duty could be ap-
pointed. He believed the report of the Commissioners
would be ready in six weeks, and it would then be for
Parliament to consider whether it would be necessary to
extend the powers of the Commissioners; but he (Mr. P.)
much doubted the policy of having the expense of taking
those levels defrayed by Government.
After a few words from Mr. S. BOURNE, in confir-
mation of what was stated by the Right Hon. Gent.,
Sir F. BURDETT said he did not think it necessary that
a commission without any other powers than these of ana-
lysing the water should he appointed, for the water was so
bad, as to be apparent without submitting it to any chemical
process.