The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-16 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 18, '1842.

of ice from Norway, and the whole Customs
were in commotion as to what denomination it should
come under, and then what duty it should pay. The
question was referred to the Treasury, and by it to
the Board of Trade, who decided that ice was goods.—
(Laughter.)
Lord CAMPBELL said the ice was dissolved before
the question was solved.—(Laughter.)
The Earl of RIPON then proceeded to censure the
manner in which the Noble Earl had alluded to the
efforts the Government had made, on former occasions,
to relieve the distressed.
Lord BEAUMONT referred to the new mode of
taking the averages, and said he much feared the factors
would influence the new markets as they did the old.
The. only way to ascertain the truth on this subject was
to take it from the grower. The scale which they had
heard proposed elsewhere was too great a sacrifice for
the farmer to make, unless ,an alteration was made in
taking the averages. •
Lord BROUGHAM thought the Noble Lord would
admit, that the nearer the averages were taken to the
place where the corn was grown, the less distance they
would have to go to find a market; and corn was likely
to be higher in the more distant parts.
The subject then dropped.
Lord BROUGHAM then presented petitions from the
west of Scotland, complaining of the price of food, and
praying for an alteration of the Corn-laws.
Messengers from the House of Commons brought up
the Loan Societies Amendment Bill, which was read a
first time.

Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition from the
Presbyterians of Belfast, praying that some remedy
might be had for the present defective state of the law
relative to Dissenters' marriages. Another object of
the petition was, that the system of registration of
births, marriages, and deaths in Ireland, as the law at
present stood, was extremely defective and inconvenient.
Many families in Ireland of different persuasions, were
at times anxious to ascertain their pedigrees. A new system
had been introduced in England which had been attended
with very great success. At firstit encountered great proju-
dice,and people were averse to register their children under
it, but the prejudice had gradually died away. Her Royal
Highness the Princess Royal ,together with his Royal
Highness the Prince of \Vales, were registered along with
the other subjects of the realm. He (Lord Campbell)
thought that all objections to the system had disappeared,
and it was now attended with great benefit to the com-
munity. Why should not the Irish people have the be-
nefits of this system as well as the other parts of the em-
pire. The Poor-laws had been established in Ireland,
and he (Lord Campbell respectfully submitted to the
Noble Duke opposite that the system of registration
might be introduced through the district officers in Ireland.
Lord REDESDALE said that, so far from the system
having given satisfaction, he knew that in many parts it
had given great dissatisfaction.

LOrd CAMPBELL said that he was aware that the
system had been met with considerable prejudice, and
that indictments were issued against many persons re-
fuiingqo comply with the Acti, but he hoped that the law
would now be obeyed.
Lord MELBOURNE presented petitions from Oak-
hampton and other places in Devonshire, for the repeal
of all duties on corn and provisions, except for purposes
of revenue.

Lord ENNISKILLEN presented a petition from the
Presbyterians of Sligo, praying for a Bill to settle the
marriage question now agitating the Presbyterian com-
munity.

Lord DITCIE presented a number of petitions praying
for a repeal of the Corn-laws. The Noble Lord pre-
sented several petitions from Gloucestershire to the same
effect.