The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-08 00:00:00

PUBLIC PETITIONS.

The SPEAKER called on the notices of motion-
Mr. DUNCOMBE said that private business now took
so much time that it was almost impossible to present
public petitions within the time prescribed by the House.
He thought, therefore, that the public business had better
be postponed for half an hour to admit of the public
petitions being presented.
The House acquiesced in this suggestion.
Mr. EVANS presented petitions against the May-
nooth grant.
Lord DALMENY presented two petitions, one from
Stirling and another from Inverness, against the May-
nooth grant.
Mr. TURNER presented a petition from a place in
Cornwall to the same effect.
Mr. H. F. BERKELEY presented a petition from
tradesmen in Tewkesbury against the Insolvent Debtors'
Bill of last year.
Captain BERKELEY presented a petition from
Gloucester, against the Insolvent Act passed last ses-
sion, and praying that it might be altered and
amended ; also a petition from Nottingham against the
Maynooth grant.
Mr. SHAW presented petitions against Maynooth.
Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD presented a petition
from the medical practitioners of Rochdale in favour of
the Medical Reform Bill.
Mr. DUNCOMBE presented several petitions against
the grant to the College of Maynooth ; also a petition,
signed by 10,400 inhabitants of Lancashire, praying the
House to institute an inquiry into the regulation of
coal pits. The Honourable Member also presented a
petition from a female named Price, complaining
of the conduct of a Worcestershire magistrate, named
Briscoe, who refused to grant her a summons
against a common informer, who had assaulted
her, and who afterwards obtained a warrant
against her, signed by Mr. Briscoe, under which
she was sent to prison, and otherwise ill-treated,
although she was far advanced in pregnancy. ; and that
upon the case coming before two other magistrates and
Mr. Briscoe, although the latter gave evidence against
her, the two other magistrates dismissed the case.
It was his intention to-morrow to move that the petition
be printed with the Votes, and afterwards to found a
motion upon it.
Mr. COMPTON presented petitions against the grant
to Maynooth and railway travelling on Sundays.
Lord DUNCAN presented a petition from the sur-
geons of Bath, praying the House to institute an in-
quiry into the manner in which the Royal College of
Surgeons was governed.
Colonel T. WOOD presented a similar petition from the
county of Brecknock. The petitioners, the surgeons of
this country, ought to have power to elect
their own governing body, and prayed the
House to inquire into the effect and operation of
the last charter !granted to the College of Surgeons.
Mr. ROEBUCK presented a petition from a medical

practitioner residing in Bath, praying for inquiry into
the management of the Royal College of Surgeons.
Mr. WAKLEY presented petitions from the surgeons
of Wellingborough ; also from the surgeons residing in
some place in Northamptonshire ; and from the surgeons
residing in some place in Glamorganshire, praying for
an inquiry into the effects produced by the last charter
granted to the College of Surgeons.
Mr. HUME presented a petition from an individual
named Johnson, who was at present a prisoner
in the Queen's Bench prison, for penalties incurred
by him for smuggling. He had been examined
before a Committee of the House of Commons, and a re-
solution had been come to that whatever acts of smuggling
persons might have been guilty of, if they gave evidence
before that Committee they should be held harmless.
This witness had been examined, and had given evi-
dence, but notwithstanding that he had been attached
for acts of smuggling of which he had been guilty. Ile
knew that the Chancellor of the Exchequer would say
that he was not attached for alts of smuggling which he
had detailed to the Committee, but for acts of smuggling
of which he had previously been guilty. Still the case
was a hard one, and was well worthy the attention of the
House. The petition prayed for inquiry into his ca e.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER rose, but
was met with loud cries of " Order, order," in the midst
of which he sat down.
Mr. HUME gave notice that he would on an early
day draw the attention of the House to the subject, in
order to give the Right Hon. Gentleman an opportu-
nity of giving some explanation of the matter.
The HONOURABLE GENTLEMAN then presented
petitions from the shipowners of Durham against
certain clauses in a Bill for regulating the
shipping of the port of Newcastle-upon-Tyne ;
also a petition from J. A. Wilson, M.D., praying for an
inquiry into the state of the law regulating the practice
of medicine.