The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-28 00:00:00

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LONDON, SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 1845.

The House of Lords met at Five o'clock.
The report of the Committee on Railway Bills was
adopted, on the motion of Lord BROUGHAM. The
Noble and Learned Lord also gave notice that he would
bring forward his railway resolutions on Thursday.
The Turnpike Tolls Bill was read a third time, and
passed.
The Duke of RICHMOND brought in the Drainage of
Entailed Estates Bill, which wus read a first time.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY brought up the report on
the Ecclesiastical Courts Consolidation Bill. The mea-
sure was opposed by the Bishops of LONDON and SALTS-

BURY, and supported by the LORD CHANCELLOR, Lord

COTTENHAX, Lord BROUGHAM, and Lord CAMPBELL.
The report was received, and their Lordships adjourned•
The Commons met at Four.
A new writ was ordered for Dartmouth in the room
of Mr. SOMES, deceased.

Captai❑ BERKELEY rose, pursuant to notice, to call
;he attention of the House to the hardship and injustice
,f permitting thc, promoters of railway schemes, propos-

[ng to cross or interfere with any tidal rivers, arms o

the sea, and creeks, over which the Board cf Admiralty
have control, appearing before Committees of the House
on Private Bills, without having first obtained the writ-
ten sanction of that Board, according to the provision of
the Act 8 Victoria, c. 20. He concluded by moving that
the question be referred to the Committee on Standing
ders.

A short conversation ensued ; but on Sir G. CLERK
observing that the Admiralty already possessed the
power of interfering, not only before the commence-
ment of any project, but even after its completion, by
pulling down any works which alight interfere with the
navigation of tidal rivers, the Gallant Officer withdrew
his motion.

In the course of the discussion, Mr. FITZROY stated
that no consent had been given by the Admiralty fur the
Formation of a tunnel under the Severn.
The Small Debts Bill was read a first time.

On the motion of Mr. HAwEs, seconded by Captain
BOLDERO, the petition of the South-Eastern Railway
Company, relative to the alleged irregular proceedings
of certain persons connected with the Board of Ord-
nance, in regard to railway shares, was referred to a
Select Committee.

In answer to Mr. ROEBUCK, it was stated by the Earl
of LINCOLN, that Members of Parliament would be ad-
mitted to the Fine Arts Exhibition, Westminster Hall,
without tickets.

On the motion that the order of the day for going
into a Committee of Supply be read,
Mr. T. S. DUNCOMBE moved " That Returns Nos. 72
and 248, made by the General Post-office, be referred
to a Select Committee, with a view of inquiring into
the accuracy of those Returr.s ; also into the present
mode of remunerating by fees and perquisites certain
officers of the General Post-office, and how far the duties
of that establishment may be rendered more satisfactory
to the public and less unequal and oppressive to the
persons engaged therein"—in consequence of a motion
which be kid made for the name of every person em-
ployed by the Pest-office, the nature of his duties,
and the amount of h s salary. He was not satisfied
as to the accuracy of those returns, and therefore be
wished they should be referred to a Committee. The in•
accuracy in them he believed to have been intentional.
Ile cbjeeted to the system of paying the letter-carriers
by fees, as one calculated to lead to gross corruption,
and stigmatised the system pursued in the early deli-
very of letters as cne of gross fraud. He objected
to what was called window-money, and contended that
the Pus'-office had no right to receive any money beyond
the amount of postage. The Hon. Gentleman then com-
plained of the manner in which the "Post- office Directory"
was cendueted, and asked if it was a private speculation
or an official work. Having related several instances
in which the fee system had led to gross abuse, the
Hon. Gentleman proposed to abolish it altogether, and
to pay the letter-carriers proper salaries.
Captain PECHELL,
in supporting the motion, com-
plained of the great abuses which prevailed in the
management of the Post-office with regard to the trans-
mission of mails to the Scilly Islands.

Mr. HUME thought a searching inqiliry into the ma-
na m ~f the P..st-office sias 41)1utely rcgilircd.
I. e
As t
DwELL denied the existence of the *theses'
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