Star.
London, England, 1830-11-16 00:00:00

NEW POLICE.

Lord =RNA M, pursuant to a notice which he bad given on a
previous day, rose to present a petition from the churchwardens, pa.
riahioners, and inhabitant householders of St. Mary, Newington,
,praying their lordships to institute sonic enquiry with respect to the
New Police. The petitioners stated, that by the 10th George IV. they
were subject to the operatioo of the New Police Act, that since that pe-
riod their property has not been so well protected, but their expenses
had increased. They considered the system a faulty oneZ and prayed
that either the act might be altered, or the police withdrawn in toto
from their parish. He (Lord Durham). on making inquiries, had found
that the parochial watch-rate under the old system did not exceed
3,01101. but that now it exceeded 4,3001; and though it appeared that
the parish were rated only at eightpence in the pound, yet In conse-
quence of the rate including uninhabited houses, it amounted to full a
shilling. The peitionets also complained of there being too many
men on duty by day, and too few by night ; and that upon any
extraordinary occasion—such, for instance, as that which occurred
on Tuesday last, when the greater part of the police were with-
drawn from that neighbourhood for the purpose of protecting Mi-
nisters in this, on that 0C4A•ICIII the petitioners were left wholly
without protection. The petitioners thought there ought to be
some contracting lank between the inhabitants of the parish and the
police, and proposed that there should be police chosen who should-re.
side within the parish. With regard to the propriety of this alteration,
he (Lord Durham) intended to give no opinion. tar did he mean to say
one word on the sufficiency or non-sufficiency of the police; he felt gra-
tified at not having been in a situation which called on hint to judge
upon that subject. He must, however, say, that the police, in that
part of the town where he resithsl, had conducted themselves with the
greatest propriety. Noble lords would recollect, that when the police
bill was first introduced into the hoine, he (Lord Durham) complained
of the lateness of its introduction, observing that it would be totally hp- I
possible for noble lords to give it that attention which it deserved. The
parish of St. George, Hanover-square, was likewise subject to the seine
observations which he had made with reference to the parish of 'it.
Mary, Newington. The rates there had increased from five to seven-
teen thousand pounds. Serious objections had been raised by persons
to the police, and he wished to know from the noble earl opposite
(Rosslyn) whether the announcement, to which he intended presently to
refer, was valid or not. In the month of August last, the following
announcement appeared :—" On Friday last an order was read to the
new police, ordering all those who had votes for Norwich to give in
their names to their Superintendent." He (Lord D.) also wished to
observe, that the present member for Norwich had given notice of a mo.
tion to extend the right of voting to those persons who resided in the
city as well as in the county. He did not know whether what he Lad
alluded to above was the fact or not, but he wished to ascertain it. ' It
was not his intention at the present moment to bring torward any mo-
tion on the subject of the new police, nor was it his wish to join in the
foolish cry that had been raised against them. lie trusted, however,
that their lordships would appoint a committee to inquire into circum-
stances alluded to by the petitioners.
Lord SUFFIELD thought the establishment of the Police ought
to be looked to as a whole, and he, like the noble lord (Durham,)
had no wish to raise his voice in the outcry that had been raised
against than.
The Earl of ROSSLYN denied moat positively the sending of any
such order as that to which the noble lord had referred. Every man in
the employ of the Police was permitted to vote at the election referred to,
without any question whatever being put to them, as to whom they in.
tended to vote for. The New Police had only been introduced into
Newington in February last, wnere they had not as yet had a fair
trial. With reference to St. George's Hanover-square, it was per-
fectly true that the rates had been raised from 6,0001. to 17.0001. but it
was equally as true that the parish had increased twofold. He believed,
generally speaking, that since the establishment of the New Police,
the expenses of parishes had lessened instead of increased. The die-
like that now raged against them had been excited by the jealousy
of parish authorities, fearing that they should lose power by their
introduction. He had no doubt that the establishment of the New Po.
lice would be most beneficiaL
Lord SUFFIELD observed, the establishment of the New Pollee,
in London and ha environs, cost no less than 100,0001. per annum
watch.rates. Since the establishment of the New Police the expendi.'
cure bad been 608,0001. but this expense included the protection of
maw districts in the neighbourhood of the metropolis, wholly un.
protected before.
Lad TENTERDEN bore testimony to the good conduct of the
Police, and observed there were many more apprehensions now than
formerly.
The petition was laid on the table.
IZOZNCY DILL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR rose for the purpose of moving the
first reading of a Bill which his Majesty's Ministers recommended to
the attention of that house, in pursuance of his Majesty's pleasure ex.
pressed in the speech from the throne. The object of the bill was to pro.
vide for the due administration of the government of the country in the
event of the demise of his present Majesty without issue. It was not his
intention to go into a detailed consideration of the subject on that occa-
sion; he should confine himself to a statement of the principles as
which his Majesty's Ministers entertained their view of the subject.
His Majesty's government had not thought it necessary in this bill
to provide for every possible contingency, but had been guided by the
knowledge that legislation might take place when the remote moth,-
gency should arise. They did not anticipate the period when future le-
gislation might be necessary. His Majesty's ministers in framing the
provisions of this bill had considered it. expedient to legislate as little
as possible, leaving the law to operate in its regular course. It must be
obvious to their lordships that the principal person contemplated in this
measure was the Princess Victoria, heiress presumptive, daughter of his
Majesty's late brother, the Duke of Kent. The bill, on the demise of
his late Majesty, without issue, would provide a guardian• and regent
for the illustrious princess& Victoria until she attains the age of eighteen
years. In order to provide for the government during the Interval occa-
sioned by the infancy of the princess, it was the duty of ministers to in.
troduce this bill. The noble and learned lord said, he was certain he
was speaking in unison with tile feeling of every noble lord in that
house, when he conscientiously prayed that the valuable life of his
present 3lajesty might be spired to a remote period. He was sure the
people of this country would feel deep regret on the demise of the crown ;
but it was the duty of Parliament, however painful it might be. to pro-
vide for that event. When the protisions of this bill cane to be the soh-

ject of inquiry, their lordships would naturally ask who was to be
the guardian of the princess I (Hear.) Every noble lord would say
it was impossible for them to recommend any other than the illustrious
Princess. the mother of the Princess Victoria. The manner hi which
the illustrious lady had hitherto performed those dudes which her
daughter required would be the best security for the future. The
Noble and Learned Lord was assured that their Loidships would be of
opinion there could not be a better guardian. With respect to the Re-
gency, he was of opinion the Regency and Guardianship could not be
separated. His recommendation was, that the guardianship and eitr.
ercise of royal authority as Regent should be vested in her Royal High.
ness the Duchess of Kent, until the illustrious Princess arrived at the
age of eighteen years. Another subject of Importance called for
the consideration of Parliament. It might happen that a child
might be barn to his, present Majesty, and it was necessary to provide
for the event, not in the present instonee, but when the event hap-
pened. It would be competent for the Legislature to make provision
for '' . .