Star.
London, England, 1816-06-11 00:00:00

STAGE COACHES.

The ATTORNEY•GENERAL moved for leave
to bring in a Bill, the object of which was the pro-
tection of the lives and limbs of his Majesty's sub.
jects, by correcting the enormous 'abuses of Stage.
coach drivers. Within these few days it would be
hardly credible what a number of applications he had
received on this subject. Some accounts were enough
to freeze one with horror. A gentleman of veracity.
whose name he should not mention, lest he should
let loose ophim a hornet's nest of stage-coach drivers,
Ind informed him that'on Tuesday; at half past five,
the Trafalgar and Regulation coaches set off from
Manohmtars and got to Liverpool 20 minutes after

.

eight, doing this journey in two hours and fifty mi.
notes, at the rate of 12 miles an hour. The coach.
men flagged their horses all the way down a hill of 7I
mile, at the entrance to Liverpool, and in getting into
the town one of them ran for a considerable time on
only two of its wheels : luckily no accident happened.
At present the Magistrates could impose a fine of
£lO, but the proprietors generally attended, paid the -
money, and told the coachman that, as he had
beaten the oppositi:n, he might do so again. Cases
of desperate driving had occurred, when a paesenger
refused tobe driven at such a dangerousrate, and insisted
on getting out, and being accommodated with a post.
chaise : but the answer was, you can have no chaise,
as the contract is to carry you to such a place within
a certain time. The weight placed on the tops of
coaches was an important consideration, and it was
useless to trust this to the driver's discretion. He
should not now include that subject in his Bill; but
was ready to assist in any measure for the purpose of
correcting evils of this kind. He wished to give the
Magistrates the power of imprisoning for three, and
not less than one month in atrocious cases, leaving to
his discretion the imprisoning or fining.
Mr. GRENFELL observed, that the regulatios of
the number of outsides was evaded daily.
The ATTORNEY•GENERAL admitted the
propriety of some further strictness on this subjects.
Perhaps the turnpike-keeper ought to be fined for let.
ring such overloaded coaches pass.
After a few words from Sir C. MONK and Mr.
BENNET, leave was given to bring in the Bill.
Mr. ROBINSON brought up a Bill to regulate
the carriage of passengers betv:een Newfoundland
and Labrador. Read a first time; second time to-
morrow.
Mr. LUSHINGTON brought up a similar B►fl
respecting passengers to America. Read a first time;
second time to.niorrow.
Mr. W. SMITH presented a Petition from Mr.
Gill, of Soho, praying against a monopoly being
given to persons making hydrometers.
A short conversation passed between Mr. Bttova.
HAM and the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER on the
subject of giving an exclusive employ Arent to parti.
cular hydrometer-makers; and Mr. 13. expressed
himself satisfied with the ChancellOr of the Excise.
quer's explanation.
ADJOURNED DEBATE ON THE CONFERENCE WITH THE
LORDS.
The Lords' Resolutions heipg read, the question
on the amendment previntnly proposed for extending
the classification of the statutes to Scotland and Ire-
land, as well' as England, was put.
Mr. HORNER asked whether it waa proposed to
make a new arrangement of all the statutes, and re.
enact the whole iu one statute next Session ? Or was
it only an index that was intended ? The first mode
appeared extremely inconvenient, as it would require
'all the wisdom of the lan.► to overcome all the di&
cultiee of such an arrangement. There shotild be a
publication by parliamentary authority of all the sta-
tutes, preliminary to orderiv of a classification, di-
gest, or index.
Mr. B. LIATHURST observed, that the proceed.
ing came from the Lords, and he apprehended the
object was to procure, by some convetrient arrange.
meet, a consolidation of various statutes but he did
not understand that any one believed that the whole
of the statutes could be systematized and reduced
under certain particular heads. He had always
thought that the statutes, in some branches of the
law, might he reduced into a body, much to the ge.
neral convenience. All that was said was, that it tip-
, peered expedient to make some arrangement.
Mr. BANKES thought the plan would occasion
much expense, without immediate utility. It might
be better to adopt it at some future time; and our stn..
totes were not at present in it sufficiently perfect state,
When the text was corrected, then we might make a
proper index, and that might be all that would be
necessary. A commission would probably last a
long time. But suppose one branch was taken in the
first instance, such as the criminal law ? He Moved
that the further consideration of the report be post.
polled to that day three months.
TheA rro INEY-GENE R AL thought it would
not be treating the other House very respectfully to
decide without sending them any answer.
Mr. C. WYNN observed the great difficulties at-
tending the consideration of so many statutes, with
all their bearings and references, which must be most
carefully looked through. He could not tell what
plan was proposed ; but he thought it ought to be
set before the House in detail, before they could pro.
teed in the measure.
Sir J. NEWPORT said a few words.
Mr. B. BATHLia.:.;"O explained.
Mr. ABE RCRO:aeIY said, that the explanations
appeared to render the proposition more objectionable.
They could not yet understand what the .plan was to
be; only that it was one which would involve great
expense, and the evil to be remedied seemed capable
of some cure in an ordinary way. He hoped the Ho-
nourable Member would take the sense of the House.
Mr. BROUGHAM remarked that the plan of ar.
ranging the statutes had been already taken up, and
was so far proceeded in by a gentleman highly qua.
iified for the task (Mr. Evans, of Manchester), that
some part of the publication might be ready before
Michaelmas.
Mr. D. BATHURST was not uninformed of that
work, which contained various notes and treatises on
different branches of law ; therefore the proposed pltm
would not interfere with if. What was intended, he
believed to be only an index or arrangement. At the
same time lie thought that nobody was better quali-
fied than the Gentleman alluded to, to be employed
in c irrying into effect the arrangement proposed.
Mr. PONSONBY could not understand what it
was that the other House wished them to do. He
begged for some explanation of what was meant.—
To concur in what they could not understand would
not be very creditable. He wished a full esplanatien,
or a further adjournment.

--•lsr. W. DUNDAS. said, the plan would be hene-
ficial to Scotland.
After a few remarks from Mr. Homan, the House
divided on the amendment—Noes 60—Ayes :26.
Majority 54.
On reopening the Gallery, the SPEAKER was
ntating the cpsestion on the original proposition of Mr.
B. BATIWW.

M►. BANKES observed, that his object was, that
the meagne Ithoold net be immediately pressed, as he
desired to avoid any immediate large expense which
did not appear necessary
Mr. HORNED wished to know whether the plan
was to be immediately proceeded in. It was an ob-
ject that it should lie over. What would be the ex-
pense could not be ascertained, when they did not
even know what was the plan.
PONSONBY wished to understand what they
were doing.
The original resolution was then agreed to; and,
on the motion of Mr. 1%. BATHURST, a message was
ordered to the Lords on the subject matter of the last
conference.