The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-15 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN ROADS.

Mr. P. BORTHIVICK rose•to bring forward the Bill
of which he hail given notice, "for enforcing the Better
Lighting the Metropolitan Roads by the respective Pa-
rishes through which they pass." The roads in the
neighbourhood of the , Metropolis had been formerly
lighted by the Turnpike Commissioners ; but on the
24th May last the Commissioners had given notice to the
respective'parishes, that they would Pot continue light-
ing the roads after the 29th Sept. Application had been
made by many of the parishes to the Secretary of State
for the Home Department. The Right Hon. Gentleman
had recommended that meetings should be called of the
rate-payers of the different parishes, in canformity with
the provisions of the Act of Parliament, to en-
deavour to o'Jtain the consent of two-thirds of

the rate-payers to the imposition of a rate. for the
purpose of lighting the roads. In several parishes
the rates had been obtained, bat in many of them
they had been refused, and in consequence the roads had
been left in darkness. This had been productive of
much inconvenience, and of many accidents ; and in a
recent case of murder, which was now occupying much
of the public attention, and the details of which had been
given with more fullness than good taste in the public
prints, the escape of the supposed murderer had, in all
probability, been facilitated by the roads not having been
lighted. The parties, who ought to bear the expense of
lighting these roads, were doubtless the inhabitants of
the parishes through which the roads passed, and not the
passengers, inasmuch as the parties, residing in the
neighbourhood of a great public road, derived a very
great advantage from the situation. He did not antici-
pate any opposition whatever to the introduction of this
measure. The plan by which he proposed to effect his
abject, was by applying the provisions of the Act of the
3d and 4th Wi!l. IV., chapter 90, to the parishes
included in the Bill, making it compulsory upon them
to light the road according to those provisions.
He proposed that inspectors should be empow-
ered to call upon the overseers' of the poor to levy
a rate for the purpose, and, in case the rate was refused,
the parish should be indicted for having violated the
law. The Hon. Member concluded by moving for
leave to bring in a Bill for the better and more effectual
lighting of turnpike roads in, the neighbourhood of the
Di etropolis.
The SPEAKER inquired whether the Hon. Member
had given notice in the public papers of his intention to
bring in the Bill ?
Mr. BORTHWICK said he had given nothing more
than the usual notice on the Journals of the House.

The SPEAKER said Vthat, as the Bill was a public
one, the Hon. Member ought to have given notice of it
in the Gazette and in the public prints, otherwise the
public could not be aware of his intention.
Mr. BORTIIWICK said if the House would permit
him, he would withdraw his motion for the :purpose of
giving the proper notice.
The motion was then withdrawn.
CORONERS.
Captain POLHILL moved, pursuant to notice, for
loave to bring in a Bill to empower county and all other
Coroners to admit of bail in cases of manslaughter.
The I-ton. and Gallant Member mentioned as a proof'
of the propriety of vesting in Coroners the power which
he had asked for, the case of a man who had suffered
an imprisonment of seven months on a charge of man-
slaughter against his brother ; and another individual

who had been .imprisoned fur a space of thirty-two
weeks on a siMilar charge, and had been sentenced to a
said he was not disposed on
finseirofj:_ezlyrEosne SGRMAllizg.
AM.
the whole to resist the motion. But he would-remind
the House that the crime, to.which the motion related
was one which might in many cases be of the greatest
magnitude. He did not wish to disparage the office of
Coroner, but heAhought it would not be an advantage
if they had the power of acting on a first impression in
cases of manslaughter, which impression might be erro-
neous. At the same time he did not think lie should
have done his duty if he had not called the attention of
the House to the subject,
Mr. WAKLEY wished the Bight Hon. Gentleman to
understand that this was not a power that Coroners
themselves • were anxious to possess, as it would rather
be an inconvenience to them than otherwise. It might.
however, be of some advantage to the public, if they had
the power to commit in cases of manslaughter in the
same manner as Magistrates. Coroners had the power
formerly, but by a law passed in 1824 the power was
inadvertently lost.
Leave was given to bring in the Bill.
GILBERT UNIONS.

Captain PECIIELL said, from the determined silence
of the Government, not-only with respect to the Poor-
law, but the Gilbert Unions, he must move for certain
documents, that whenever the measure came have Par-
liament. he should be enabled to show the Government that
the uniformity of practice said to exist in the Poor-law
Unions, was not carried out, Ile thought that the
Government might to show them some inducement for
throwing themselves into the arms of the Poor-law
Commissioners. He proved, from a case of ill-trett.nent
of a pauper named Smith, who had been brought to the
last stage of ill-health by being kept to bone-breaking in
the bone. house of a Poor-law Union in Suffolk, that the
treatment of the poor was harsh. The immediate matter
of complaint was that Mr. Brooker made observations on
the case, and charged those'who worked the Poor-law
of being guilty of moral and constructive murder. An
Honourable Member had said, in answer, that the charge
of Mr. Brooker was a libel, but that Gentleman in-
structed him (Captain Pechell) to say that he was ready
to meet the charge that was made against him. He
state that the charge of a " gross libel" made against
him was uncalled for, and that he would stake
his character for respectability upon the fact. The
Honourable Member who said . the pamphlet was
a gross libel, was not in the House, and he would
not enter upon the statement he made, but he believed
the agricultural labourers would not again draW him to
the hustings. He (Mr. Brooker) statod that he would
again renew the charge of moral and constructive mur-
der; and that he would be ready to meet the charge
made against him. He begged to be understood he did
not make those statements on his own authority ; but
he hoped an inquiry would be instituted. He wished to
know when it was probable the Right Hon. Baronet
would introduce the Poor-law Bill, becatise it was de-
sirabk the country should know,
,aufk also that Hon.
Gentlemen may have an opportunity of recording their
votes agreeably to the promises they made their con-
stituents. • The Hon. Gentleman concluded by moving
for "A Return of the Poor-law Unions, -distinguishing
those in which there were no orders of the Commis-
sioners prohibiting out-door relief."
Mr. CURTEIS said that he had a conversation with
the Chairman of the Board of Guardians of the East--
bourne Union, who requested him, on behalf of the
Board and himself, to state that they desired an inquiry.
He begged to be understood that he did not pronounce
any opinion on the pamphlet of \'[r. Brooker, as he
had not read it.

The motion having been put,
Sir J. GRAHAM said he did not wish to offer any
opposition to the motion of the Hon. and Gallant Officer,
and though at present he could not name any time for
the inquiry, he could assure the Hon. and Gallant
Officer that there should be no delay. He begged to
move, as an addition to the motion, for " a similar re-
turn of unions in which such orders have been issued by
the Commissioners."

After a few words from Capt. PECHELL, the return,
with the addition, was ordered to be made.
CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.

Mr. ALEXANDER CAMPBELL said, as he under-
stood that the motion which he was about to make would
not be opposed, be would not trespass on the patience of
the House until the second reading. He would content
himself with moving for leave to bring in a Bill to re-
gulate the exercise of Church patronage in Scotland.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM said he would not allow
a Bill of so much importance to be introduced
with silence. He wished to guard her Majesty's Go-
vernment, in giving their consent to the introduction of
the Bill, against the supposition that they were prepared to
legislate on that important subject. Considering the
attention which the Hon. Member had given to the sub-
ject, they could not refuse their consent to the" introduc-
tion of the Bill.

Sir A. LEITH HAY said it was a matter of great
importance that legislation should take-place as speedily
as possible ; and he trusted that the House would give
their best attention to the, subject.
Mr. PLUMPTII,E said, having some acquaintance
with the Bill, he was enabled to state that, in his opi-
pion, it was calculated to settle the differences which
existed in reference to the disputed question of Church
patronage.
Leave was given to bring in the Bill.
COLONIAL PASSENGERS' BILL.

Lord STANLEY moved that the House go into Co-
mmittee on this Bill, and hoped the Hon. Member for
Lambeth would permit the clause respecting the intro-
duction of Hill coolies for the Mauritius. to go through,
pro forma, and he could object to it as effectually on the
bringing up of the Report.
Mr..HAIVES assented.
Clauses-to 5, inclusive, were agreed tn.
Clauses 6 to 13, inclusive, were agreed to.
The other clauses of the Bill tiere then agreed to, and
the House resumed.

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BILL.
On the Order of the Day for the second reading of
this Bill beinc, read,
Mr. W. S.DO'BRIEN made a few remarks on the
subject. It appeared, from the Hon. Gentleman's ob-
servations, that some apprehensions had been expressed
by an Australian Company in the City, that the regula-
tions of the Bill would diminish the land fund, and have
the effect of preventing capitalists from embarking their
capital
inundertakings
emigration, and that some re-
gulations with respect to the Catholic
emigrants, who formed a large portion of the whole body
v required of
were
emigrating.
Lord STANLEY, in reply, cave some details of the
quantity of land in the Cape colony, showing, from the
immense quantity Of waste land-.---destitute of water and
totally unfit for cultivation, and the low price, not above
9d. or Is. an acre that it would fetch—that it would he
impossible to apply the same system of emigration to the
Cape as was pursued with regard to Australia. He could
give no encouragement to those great projects which he
had heard of, of' raising two or three millions as a
land-fund, and thus absorbing the amount that
might be employed during two or three years
to be applied to the purpose of pouring into the colony
a stream of emigration. As to the Catholic eini•
grants, he repudiated any intention of drawing any
distinction between them and . those of other creeds.
He thought the Governor of New Zealand had
exercised a sound discretion n endeavouring to consoli-
date the elements of emigration in the northern island,
than that they should be scattered over the other
islands. The Government intended to bring in a Bill
for regulating the civil administration of South Aus-
tralia, and he trusted that Gentlemen would not think it
necessary to put questions on those particular items that
were under consideration.

The Bill was then read,a second time.,
EXCISE DUTIES (COMPOUNDS AND WASTED
MALT) BILL.
On the motion of Sir G. CLERK, this Bill passed
through Committee. ----Report to-morrow (this day).
The House then adjourned, at Ten o'Clock.

ELECTION COMMITTEES.
IPSWICH.

The Committee met again yesterday at eleven o'clock.
The room was immediately cleared, and the Committee
came to a resolution to hear a statement from Mr. May, who
had been on Wednesday under examination.
The witness merely said, in reference to a point touched upon
in his former evidence, that he had forgot to mention that a few
months previous to the general election lie had received 1001.
from Mr. Wason, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of
the municipal election in Ipswich. Witness had appropriated
the money to the purpose.
Thomas Walker was then called, and his examination which
was commenced on Wednesday, was ccntinsed. The evidence
of the witness was taken for the purpose of showing
that the • roams in which the Mends of the sitting
Members were in the habit of meeting, were used as the
Committee rooms. The witness stated that he had gone
occasionally to the Standard public-house, Ipswich, where the
leading members of the Whig party used to assemble. There
was no chairman at the Standard, but Mr. Ensor was very
active there, Witness had gone to the Standard on the nomi-
nation day; but he declined to state the business on which hewent,
went, on the ground that it might criminate himself. The
witness was afterwards asked whether he had not seen Mr.
Ensor pass money to somebody at the Standard : this question
he also declined to answer,
on the ground that it might tend to
criminate himself.
After some discussion it was decided that the question should
not be put.
The witness then declined to answer, on the same grounds,
a series of questions. He declined to say whether he had
seen Smith, of the Suffolk Hotel, pay a man of the name of
Bartfield 25/. for his vote. He had received 100/. from Smith, '
of the Suffolk Hotel, during the election, but he would not
say how he had disposed of the money. He had received an
1.0. U. for 100/. from Mr. May on the day of the election ;
but he would not say what he had done with it. He had gone
to the King's Head during the election day; but lie declined
to state on what business. He declined to say whether or not
he had seen a number of cheques in the hands of Mr. Walter.
ton, and whether he knew what had been done with them.
He declined to say whether Mr. John May had cashed any
cheques since the election, to his knowledge. He declined
to say whether he had received any money from John
Millions on the day of the election. He declined
to say whether he had handed a sum of 5/. to Mr.
Ensor on the day of the election. He declined to say whether
he had shown a handful of gold to a man of the name of
Tibliet, saying that th,.t was the third let be had used that day.
Witness had upon one occasion accompanied Messrs. Wason
and Rennie to the house of avoter whom they canvassed. Wit-
ness had canvassed a voter of the name of Isaac Win. Smith,
but he declined to say whether he had told the voter that he
had plenty of money
at his disposal. Smith, of the Saffolk Hotel,
' had left Ipswich the Sunday. after the election ; and witness
believed he had not since returned. Witness declined to
answer how, much money of his own he had spent at the elec-
tion and what use he had Made of it. He was a loser out of
his own 'pocket at the election, but he would not say to what
amount.
Thiwitneas being cross-examined by Mr. C. Phillips, stated
that the rooms at the King's 'Head and et the Standard,
were places where the friends of Messrs. Wasun and Rennie
met indiscriminately, ; and Witness saw. no chairman in either
place. Witness had received no order from either Mr. Wason
or Mr. Rennie to disburse money* the election on their ac-
count. The voter, Isaac William Brydges, whom witness had
canvassed, had voted for the Tories. 13rydges Was a very poor