The Sun.
London, England, 1828-02-22 00:00:00

TREATY OF LIMERICK.

Sir 11. PARNELL postponed his motion for the pro-
ductiop of the treaty of Limerick to the Gth'of March.—
The non. Baronet then presented a petition from the Roman
Catholics of Ratheorney, praying for Catholic Emancipation.
ithior PEEL presented a petition from the tnaltsters of
Norwich, praying for a repealnf the Malt Act:
Similar petitions were-presented by Mr. ABERCIOMUY,
from Chester ; by Mr. W. SMITH', from Newport Pagriel
(two), Olney (two), Raveston, Chalfont St. Peter's,
Atnershanr,..Swanhonme,
_Quairiton, Great. Missenden,
Long Crendon, lekford, Stoney. Stratford, Harrofd, Bow
Brickhill, Sherrington, Stoke Goldington, High Wycomb;
Winslow, Fenny Stratford, Great Horwood, North Craiv-
ley, Great Linford, Chesbam, Yardley Hasting, and Laren:
don ; by Mr. RICE, from nine places in England; and by
Mr. Mutiny, from Worksop and another place.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL moved for various re-
turns 'connected with the court of Chaneeiy.—Ordered.
Colonel DAVIES presented a petition froM some malt-
sfers of WorceSter, praying for the repeal of the Malt. Tax.
ELECTION POLLS.

Colonel DAVIES moved for leave to bring in a Bill-to
regulate the Merle of to ring the Polls in Cities and Boroughs
in. England. The Hon. Member stated that the' object of
the Bill would be to extend the number of•places of taking
the poll, and to abridge the time at present, allowed for
polling.
Mx. ROBINSON was disposed to agree with his Hon.
Colleague, that some measure was necessary to correct the
evils of the present system of polling.
Lord LOWTHER observed, that if the duration of the
poll were abridged, the freemen of boroughs residing in
London might be precluded from voting. _ •
Mr. BATLEY was of opinion that all the evils Com-
plained of under the present system, arosefrom the too long
duration of the time of
Mr. W. SMITH felt no jealousy of abridging the freedom
of election by shortening the duration of the polls.
Mr. FYLER disapproved of the proposal to increase
the number of the polling booths.
Mr. BARING said, that six days, the term which he
understood was to be proposed in the Bill for the duration
of the poll, was insufficient time. tle thought, likewise,
that if the Object was to curtail expense, the having a num-
ber of polling places was not the way to effect it.---(Hear.)
• Mr. L. MABERLV said a few words which were in-
audible. -

Mr. PEEL suggested to the Hon. Mover, that the best
argument he could bring in aid of his Bill would be to in-
stance the'benefit which had resulted from.the abridgment
of the poll in particular places. In Norwich he believed
the duration of the poll had been considerably shortened,
—with what: effect he did not know. He threw out this
suggestion to the Hon. Member, because one praCtiCal
inistnce would have greater weight than innumerable at,
gurneets a priori.
The ATTORNEY•GENERAL said that the shortening
of the duration of the poll would „either deprive out voters
of their franchise, or compel candidates to bring them up
numerically, ,and bodily, on the first or -second day of the
election, at an enormous expense.
After a few words from Mr. Mowcx, leave was given to
bring in the Bill.
Mr. MOORE (of Dublin) moved for leave to bring in
a Bill " for repealing and amending" certain Acts relating
to bills of exchange and promissory notes in Ireland; and
consolidating the statute law relating thereto.
The SPEAKER, on reading the motion, suggested to
the Hon. Member, that if the. Acts were repealed, they
could not be amended. _ _

Mr. mooRE, therefore, put his motion, in the follow.
ing form :—" For leaiie to bring in a Bill to repeal certain
Acts and to amend the law relating to bills of exchange
and promissory notes," &e.—The motion, thus amended,
was agreed to.

FRIENT)IA* SOCIETIES. • '
Mr. COURTENAY moved for leave to bring in a Bill to
consolidate and amend the laws relating to friendly societies.
Mr. MIME said, that great anxiety existed as to the
object which the lion. Gentleman had in view. Art idea
prevailed, that it was the intention of the lion. Member
to take away from friendly soeieties the
power
rn
°tit:ea opinionpPnt.
ing their treasurers, and other officers,
of persons connected with those societies, wotild destroy
the system altogether. He was satisfied that the Hon.
Member had no such intention ; but hoped that, to allay
the apprehensions of othets, he would take this opportunity
of stating what his object was.
Mr. COITBSENAY said, it. might be a sufficient answer
to what had fallen from the Hon. Member, to State that the
Rill which he proposed to bring in, did not in any degree
affect the societies formed otherwise than under the Act
which he had the honour to introduce in 1819. Except,
in the particular matter of securities, the societies framed
under his Act bad more direct management of their affairs
than those framed under Mr. Rose's Act. The Act lie
introduced was intended to obviate the numerous evils
which resulted frOm miscalculation ; for which purpose it
provided that justices should not allow any society to he
formed whose tables of payments and benefits should not
have been approved by two competent actuaries. In the
execution of this provision, however„ a difficulty arose,—it
was not eas to know who were competent actuaries. To

get rid of this obstacle be would propose, in the Bill he was
about to introduce, that the rules- and tables exhibited at
the sessions should be, by the clerk of the peace, transmit-,
ted to the only Government-office in London which l
cessed a professional actuary,—namely, the office of the
commissioners for reducing the national debt. That office
had declared its willingness to accept the reference, for they
had no other business to perform.—(A laugh.)
Mr. HUME expressed himself satisfied with the expla-
nation which the Honourable Member had given, and,
said that the actuary he had alluded to was perfectly com-
petent to the task which he had undertaken.

Leave was then given to bring in the Bill.
PAROCHIAL SETTLEMENTS.

Mr. MACQUEEN, after a speech tbat from the low
tone in which it was delivered was quite inaudible in the
gallery, moved for a Select Committee to inquire into the
law of Parochial Settlement.

Colonel WOOD observed, that there were other parts
of the Poor Laws which he thought must force themselves
on the attention of the Committee, and particularly their
operation on the agricultural poor of some counties, where
the rate of wages was so low that even single men could
nt,t support themselves on it.
The motion having beer. agreed to, and the Committee
appointed, including the Attorney-General, amongst other
n antes,
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said, he could not pro-
mise to give his general attendance to the Committee, in
consequence of his professional avocations. What assist-
ance he could afford short of general attendance, lie was
very willing to contribute.
Mr. MACQUEEN, as we understood, declared himself
satisfied with the occasional assistance of the Honourable
and Learned Gentleman.