Star.
London, England, 1828-06-06 00:00:00

Mr. MOORE said he should not have attempted to
say a word on this occasion, were it not that he had a
srebillir Petition-to present. He fully concurred in the
view taken of the subject by his Hon. and Learned
Friend (Mr.S. Foster). What had been said by his
Hoe. Friend below (Mr. Dawson) as to the increased
-Pwaile" ry-
'of Ireland might be correct, but he feared
the increase of population had far outrun the increase
of prosperity. He did not think there was in Europe
a 'country which presented such a spectacle of the
miseries arising from an unemployed population. He
agreed that any immediate attempt at relief by an
dirge.%ise r
application of the public money would be u
but it might be of the greatest use to assist indivil
dual enterprise by small advances freers the public
purse. Much had been already advanced to individuals
on good security, for carrying on various operations.
No advance, however, was yet made for the reclamation
of waste lands. What he should propose was, that the
Commissioners should be further empowered to advance
money for this purpose. There was in Ireland a redun-
dant population without employthent, and it was most,
fit to call upon the Legislature to afford some facilities
for their employment. The great object the House had
to consider was, whether they would raise the labouring
population of Ireland to the level of that of England,
or degrade the English to that of Ireland? He was glad-
to see that this question had been gone into without any
manifestation of political differences, and that all aspe-
rity of feeling was forgotten upon the occasion.
Mr. O'BRIEN supported the Petition. He trusted
the objects it proposed would meet with the most serious
attention. He recommended that the duty on coals
imported into Ireland should be repealed.
After a few words from Mr. lisowatow, who thanked his
Right Hon. Frirnd (Mr. Secretary Peel), for the encouragement,
held out by him to the Petitioners, the Petition was read, and
ordered to be printed.
CATTLE MARKETS.
Mr. GORDON said, he held in his hand a Petition,
1 sirsed by 1,400 persons, Merchants, Bankers, and other
Illnlabitants of the City of London, who complained of
various inconveniences in the present mode of con-
ducting the Cattle Markets and Slaughtering Houses.
I The first.grievance was, the manner in which cattle
were driven through the streets, greatly to the incon-
venience and disgust of the passengers. The second
'grievance was, the manner in which the cattle were
kept penned in from Sunday to Monday morning in
Smithfield, githout food or water. The Market did
not exceed rour acres, where in the course of a year
so many thousand head of cattle were sold. The
misery and suffering of the animals were much increased
by the manner io which they were slaughtered. In
Whitechapel market the sheep were let fall through
trap doors for the purpose of being slaughtered, in places
'is which they were up to their knees in filth. It was
farther stated that food to the amount of 60,0001. or
70,0001. annually was lost to the public by the ill-treat-
ment of cattle. Ail the petitioners desired was, that a
Committee should be appointed to inquire into the sub-
ject. They asked for no grant of public money; but
they were prepared, if Parliament should, think. fit, to
establish better markets and slaeghter houses, on the
principle of those of Paris. In Paris every part of the
animal was converted to some use. A coarse oil was
made from the blood, which here was totally lost. He
meant to propose that the Petition should he immedi-
ately refetred to a Committee.
Alderman THOMPSON, although constantly trans-
acting business in the city of London during six days
of the week, had never, until that night, heard of the
Honourable Gentleman's Petition, which, he said, was
signed by one thousand four hundred persons. He
could not, therefore, avoid expressing his surprise
that no notice had been given of an intention to pre-
sent it, when it was known, that it attested the rights
of the Corporation of London, who were the owners
of the Market, as well as the private rights of a vast
number of persons in its immediate vicinity. Had such
notice been given, the Members for the City would
have been able to receive some instructions from their
constituents. At present he could only say that the
Corporation had done every thing in their power to im-
prove
Smithfield. They had actually expended 1.50,0001.
for the purpose of removing Fleet-market, in order to
enlarge and improve the approaches to Smithfield. The
Worthy Alderman denied that cattle were brought to
Smithfield on a Sunday evening, at least he had never
beard of it ;'and concluded by expressing an opinion
that, as the objects of the Petitioners were for private.
and not public advantage, the House ought not to grant
the Committee.
Sir H. PARNELL had heard of the Petition long
since, and he knew of no objection to its prayer, unless
that the Sessiob was too far.advanced. After observing
that he had inspected the Abbatoirs in Paris, and found
they answered all the purposes for which they were in-
tended, the Hon. Baronet concluded by expressing a,'
hope that the application of the Petitioners would prove
successful.
Mr. MARTIN had frequently seen thirty droves of
cattle on a Sunday evening between Lombard-street
and Ludgate-hill ; but that was not the worst part of a
system which might be considered a disgrace to this
great city. On Monday the streets in the vicinity of
the market were actually almost blocked up with droves
of sheep and cattle, while the carriages and carts were
quite unable' to make their way throagb them. He
hoped that no considerations on the subjece of the rights
of individuals in a few public-boeses would prevent the,
immediate Abatement of the nuisance.
Mr. ROBINSON admitted the extent of the evil, and
therefore objected to the frittering away of the time of
the Committee in inquiries, lie thought the Honour-
able Member ought at once to bring in a Bill for the
removal of Smithfield market, and then the question
might be discussed with propriety.
Mr. Secretary PEEL objected to the appointment of
a Committee, as it was impossible to carry any of their
recommendations into elect during the present Sep
sioo. He thought. too, it was quite evident that suffi-
cient notice bad not been given, as there was only one
Meanbes of the city of London present to speak upon
the Petition; at least be .took. it for granted there was
only one. from not having heard any observations from
the others. The Righttien.Gent. then made souse obser-
rations upon the nicety of the calculation, which placed
the loss trim bruises on the part of the Petitioners at a
fifteenth of the velsole value, end on the part of the master
butchers at a twentieth. Foe
,hit part, be thought the
subject worth consideration, and be. hoped that if the
saisances actually existed, some remedy might be found
without injuring the rights of indiyiduals. It was a pity
deat Smithfield Market could not be removed, but the
rights of individualsnught net to be taken away without
compensatioa.He saw no objection to this ;peculation be-
cause it was the plan of individuals for private profit. In
spotic countries, public improvements were frequently
undertaken by the:Government, and regulated in a much
'better manner than they could be by individuals; but
that was not the policy of the Government m this coun-
try, where individuals undertook for priv.ate gain. woi ks
,the ain't important and the Moot beneficial tothe public.
The petitioners being ietetested in the .iemoval of the
market formed no objection, in his opinion, to the ap-