Star.
London, England, 1803-04-28 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Mr. Born ALINANoaa coved for leave to bring in a Bill
for the Improvement of the Port of Greenock.
Mr. MACDOWAL moved for leave to bring In a Bill to em•
Me the Magi Crates of Glafgow to raife, by a tax on the lobs-
bitants,a certain futri, to cover the expence of money advanced
ID the purchafe of provinces in the years titan and sBot, being
the twn years of fcarcity. Leave was granted; and in a Ibort
thne after the Bill was brought in and read a brit time.

Mr. W. Du NDAII gate notice, that on an early day next week
he Ewald bring in a Bill for ameliorating the condition of the
parochial Schoolmalters of Scotland.
Mr. Lea moved, that the Petitions of the Officers of the
Court of Exchequer In Ireland, ffiould be referred to a Com-
mittee, which was agreed to, and a Committee appointed ac-
cordingly.

Mr. Lea prefented a Petidon from the Tanners of Water-
ford, againft certain proviikes of the Leather Tax BilL—Or-
dered to Ue on the Table.

On the Motion of Sir WILLIAM °SART, the Sheernefa Tier
Sill was read a fecond time, and ord. red to be committed.
Mr. Acczaliola brought up the Report of the BiU for pro-
viding for the familia of Militia men.—Ordered to be taken
into further confideratios on Monday next.
_ _ _

The Sim/a a informed tie Node, that as a Ballot flood
for to-morrow, there wat an order in force for taking down
the names of abfeat members, and alto a call of the Houk.

COROSIIti BILL.

Mr. Dice Ens moved the order of the day for
going into the Bill for granting Additional Allow-
ances to Coroners.

On the motion being put from the Chair,
Sir ROBERT BUXTON made fame very ftrong
objeClions againft ch.? Bill. He did not fee that
any additional allowance ought to be granted.—
The office of Coroner was one which was already
attended with confiderable emoluments. It was
one which was courted with great alacrity ; and
there were numerous inftances of large foists hav-
ing been expended in conceits for the appointment.
The Houfe were to confider themfelves as the
guardians of the public purfe, and they ought to
paufe before they agreed to double the allowance
for travelling expencts, when this augmentation
would, in many inftances, be oppreffive.
A good deal of converfation enfued on the ge-
neral principle of the Bill, in which Mr. Duman-
son, Jun. argued zealoufly againft the propofed
augmentation. He dilated on the general inexpe.
diem of agreeing to augmentations without a
very ftrong ground of their necellity. He referred
to the origin of the office of Coroner, as being one
which was (erred without emolument. He (hewed
that offices of a fimilar nature were ferved without
reward, particularly the office of Sheriff. He was
no enemy to the principle, that the labourer was
worthy of his hire. This principle might, how-
ever, be carried to an unjullifiable length. The
Hon. Member alluded with tome humour to the
duties incumbent on Members of that Houfe.—
But, was the Houfe now to be told, that as la-
bourers they were worthy of their hire t
Mr. HURST, in a thou but very able and perfpi-
ennui fpeech, Rated his reafons for fupporting the
Bill. The office of a Coroner was of a judicial
nature, and one which was coofeffedly of the
greateft public utility. It was an office to which
none ought to he dotted who were not poffeffed of
dittinguithed knowledge, and tried integrity.—
Polefling fuch qualifications, and having an ar• i
duous duty to perform, in a variety of nflames,
they were fairly intitled to a fair remuneration for
their trouble. The (Upend at prefent was only
twenty 'billings for each inquifition, and the ex-
pence of travelling was only nine-pence a mile,
however remote the diftance. This allowance had
been fixed fifty years ago, and he appealed to the
candour of the Houle, whether the augmentation
of expence of all kinds did not afford to the Houfe
the denten grounds of the neceffity of an encreafed
remuneration It was a matter of general noto.
rtety and experience, that every neceffary of life
was fince that period doubled. The Coroners,
therefore, came forward with a fair and equitable
requeft. Their general charaiter was fuch as en-
titled their requell to be heard with attention.—
From the knowledge he had of the charatter of
Coroner,he mutt (peak of them in terms of refpell
and approbation. This remark he particularly
applied to the Coroners of the county of Suffix,
with which he was con:witted. Whether aBing

for the genettl littera. of the country at large, or
employing themfelves in their exclufive jurifdic.l
lion, their condo& was refpeaable and praifewor.
thy. They were eftimable at once for their know.
ledge, their integrity, and their public fervices.
With the knowledge that this was the cafe, he bad
no reafon to fuppofe that the Coroners were not
equally refpeaable in other parts of the kingdom.
In whatever point of view he confidered the Bill,
he could not but hope that the Bill might paf..—
It was nothing more than what the Coroners had
a right to obtain, as a juft recompence for the
faithful execution of their office. _ _

After this cnnverfatien was confiderably pro-
trailed, the queftion was loudly called for, and the
gallery was cleared for a divition. The Houfe
accordingly divided, when the numbers were
for the Speaker leaving the Chair - 62
44

Majority 18
On our return into the Gallery we found the
Houfe in a Committee on the Bill—

Mr. JODDRELL was addreffing the Houfe in (up.
port of an Amendment, leaving the rate of allow-
ance for travelling to (land nominally as it now is,
but giving power to Jai ices of the Peace to en-
create it to eighteen pence at the quarter lemons,
in all cafes where the augmentation was judged
expedient.
After a good deal of more converfation betwixt
Mr. DICKENS, Mr.Dicesason,un. Mr. HUILST,
and Sir Rosser BUXTON, the Gallery was again
cleared. On the divifion the numbers were—For
the amendment 69—Againft it 55—Majority