Star.
London, England, 1817-03-20 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Mr. HUSKISSUN btuusbt la the Crown Lands Revenue MU,
which was reads hut omit, and ordered to be read a second
tune to morrow.
Lord BINNING brought in a Bill for the esta-
blishment ot District Lunatic Asylums throughout
Scotland. He had long felt considerable regret at
the want of attention pod by the Legislature to the
convenience and care of this description of unhappy
persons, labouring under an infirmity, which, from
the latest experiiutats, had been proved to be in most
institutes capable
.ot
great alleviation, and often of
complete cure. The state 4 the Lunatic Institu-
tions t! roughout Sc, timid were, in general, i
ex-
tremely detective n conitoti, convenience, classifica-
tion, or scientific medical treatment, with the excep-
tion of those at Glasgow and Abeidten. In the tor-
Met there were, by 'the latest accounts, but twenty-
seven patients—in the latter twenty-tour; yet even
in these, there was not that attention paid to the
classification or assortment ot the cl:Plerent description
rf Itio..tacs, which had been proved to be so enii.
cuiducive to their restoration to unity. In

the County of Mid-Lothian, a small County, there
were at present exiseing twenty-five private Mad-
houses, in some of which three, four, or five persons
were provided for, in several not more than one ;
the consequence necessarily was, that they fell into
improper hands, as a mere trading speculation, and
a matter of profit, rather than subjects of cure. In
framing this Bill, he had copied the excellent regu-
lations of the Bill upon the same subject, brought in
by the Treasurer of the Navy (Mr. Rose), that of
Mr. Wynn's being inapplicable to Scotland, as it
applied to County Asylums, and the Counties in
Scotland were far too small to admit of one in each.
The Bill had in view the erection of six Asylums,
corresponding with the number of Districts into
which it was proposed to divide the whole of Scotland,
with respect to the operation of the Bill. A Board
of Commissioners were to be appointed to superin-
tend the conduct of these Establishments generally,
and a Commissioner corresponding with the General
Board was to be appointed to each Institution, to
whom, as soon as these Institutions were completed,
were to be transferted the immediate regulation and
superintendanee of these several District Asylums.
The charges brought thus upon the country, it Was
proposed, and this was, at the present moment, the
most delicate part of the subject in this arrange-
ment, to raise through the several Districts at the
rate and proportion cf the rases already assessed on
individuals, as the most equitable arrangement.—
Convinced, as he was, of the numerous advantages
resulting from scientifical treatment of this disorder,
is proper and convenient receptacles, both to the
afflicted and the country at large, he felt little doubt
that the Bill would be congenial to most persons'
wishes in that House.
The Bill was then read a first time, and ordered
to be read a second time to-morrow.
ZA.,:MPTION OV WANEHOUbES FROM WINDOW TAX.

In reply to a question tr General G.V.COYNE,
The CHANCELLOR if' the EXCHEQUER
said, he wished to explain the intention of Govern-
ment, with respect to the Bill at present in progress
through the House, relating to the Tax on Windows
iq'houses used as warehouses ordepositaries of goods
or wares. By this Bill it was intended to exempt
such' dwelling-houses as had been subsequently con-
verted en the purposes of warehouses. The Bill wa►
.►bout to be printed, and no doubt would prove sa-
tisfactory to the trading piptt of the community.