The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-02-07 00:00:00

INTERCOURSE BETWEEN THE COLONIES.

Mr. V. Swill rose for leave to bring in a bill to extend
to the British colonies in the. West Indies the act of the sth
and Gth of William IV., for regulating the carriage of pas-
sengers in merchant vessels. In doing so, the hon. member
briefly stated the objects of the bill.
Mr. HUME hoped, if there was any new matter to be in-
troduced into that bill, that the house would have it fully
before theinefor discussion.
Lord J. RUSSELL said there was a subject somewhat con-
nected with this matter, on which, as it was of very great im-
portance, he wished to state to the house his opinions, as it
might be necessary to take into consideration the question of
the bill coolies. He did not mean then to give any notice of
a motion on this subject, but merely to state what he con-
sidered from the knowledge he had acquired relative to their
condition. With respect to those who had been transferred
to the British colonies, although considering that in some
states they had not materially suffered, yet the result of the
experiment having been unsuccessful, and considering the
great distance of the voyage they had to undertake, and the
chances of their being without any knowledge of the country
to which they were'going, and the chances of their not bring-
ing sufficient provisions for their journey, it had not been
deemed advisable, with regard totbe intentions of the House
of Commons, that permission should be given for people to
depart from India to Demerara, or the West India Islands.
However, with regard to another part of the same subject,
namely, the emigration of the natives from India to the
Mauritius, the reports from the latter place led him
(Lord John Russell) to form a different conclusion. There
had been introduced into that colony about twenty thousand
individuals from India, and it did not appear, by any-
thing which he could learn, that they had- been by any
means sufferers ; on the contrary, they had receives good
the conditions on which they bad gone there,
n
wages, had been well treated, and had been, moreover, per-
f of
o enforce their conditions against such of
taleicedt enabledirlyma t
e a.astte. masters os had attempted to break through them.
The intercourse, too, between Calcutta and the Mauritius
was such as enabled them with great facility to communi-
cate their . condition and prospects to their connexions at
home.. Many of thein had engaged themselves for five
expirat on of that time to
years, and- at the
more, but that 't •
engage themselves for five 1 eels prole-
were 7 Willing
bitecl to do so. As the case then stood, many of these
wished to go to India for a while and see their friends, and
then return to the Mauritius- to engage again in labour, as
they were there able to earn good wages. It had been
Russell)c to allow them to go for
proposed to him (Lord J.
of _
_ five years; but (as
an apprenticeship, as it was calle ,
tight again be
the noble lord was understood) he had objected to tha. t,
considering that after one year a contract n .
made, and there was no reason, as apprenticeship meaned
the leanliag of a trade, why so long a•term of service as that
of five years should be undertaken. If the period or term of
,
one year was eanctioned, it seemed to him that by sending
out inspectors or regulators or whatever they might
be called,
to India, with strict orders to see proper measures pursued
towards those people, they might be enabled to earn better
wages than they otherwise could ; and if he did not think
that he bettered their condition, he should not feel himself
justified in acceding to that ; or, at least, that no injury
would accrue to the labourers. He did not then mean to
propose. any measure on this subject ; but as it was his inten-
bon to propose some relaxation of the actual prohibition then
intention and opinions, as
in operation in India, against the transfer sitrhoafdththosoeuginhdtiivtidruigalhst
t7iinnfotlrimat. cthouenptaryaitaonateh; IVlo.fauhiisitiis
discussion, or upon a
well as the grounds of forming them.
Mr. Httete said it would be scarcely fair to introduce a
i description,l I su t proper
to
have the matter gone
mere statement
no • •
notice.
Mr. without further
measure oftbat
understood to say. that no new matter
Mr. V. Shf ITH
was
his bill, as Mr. Hume feared.
of kind
thatw
was to be introduced into
not
then sufficiently acquainted with
the subject before the house
Mr. G"LButeN was to give any decided opinion
etpon it, but he would reserve to himself the right of here.
after discussing it upon proper data.


After a few words in reply from Lord 3, ittiasrLio ti4e
leave to bring in the bill, sought ibr by Mr. Smitb, was
grunted.

COPYRIGHT LAW

Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD tnnvedfor leave to bring. in a
bill " to amend the law of copyright ;"—a motion that le4
to considerable discussion.

Mr. WAtualric moved, as an amendment, that a select com-
mittee be appointed to inquire into the operation of the ex-
isting laws of copyright, and to report thereon to the house.
Mr. Sergeant TALFO URD said, seeing that the hostility to
his motion was unmitigated, and that no inquiry was likely
to abate it, he should-press the. motion to a divii.ion.
The house divided, and the numbers were—ayes, 75 ;
noes, 53; majority in favour of the motion, 22.
Mr. GILLON moved for leave to bring in'a bill to enable
persons holding licenses to sell beer, spirits, and other ex-
ciseable liquors, to obtain a'renewail of their licenses from the
excise of Scotland.

After remarks from Mr. Pringle, Mr. Oswald, Air. Lock-
hart, and• Mr. Goulburn,
The CuANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER satd he would not
object tai' the introduction'of.tike: bill,, although he, was not
preparedto concur in all its provisions. ~•
Leave was then given to bring in the bill.
Mr. LABOUCHERE then moved for, and obtained leave to
brimg in a bill for establishing " inland bonded warehouses;"
it was precisely the same bill as previously introduced.
Lord J. RUSSELL moved the appointnient of a select com-
mittee " on the publication of printed papers by order of the
house." Agreed to, and committee nominated.
The remaining buAness being disposed of, the house ad-
journed. •

HOUSE. OF LORDS.---WEDNESDAY.
PRINCE ALBERT'S ANNUITY BILL.

Prince Albert's Annuity Bill was brought from the Com-
mons, and read a first time. It was to be read- a second time
yesterday (Thursday), and would then probably be passed
through all its other stages, Lord Melbourne having obtained
a suspension of the standing orders for that pitrpose.
There was no other business of importance.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.--WEDNEFMAY.
THE CONVICTED CHARTISTS.

Mr. LEADER, Mr. HUME, Mr. T. DUNCOMBE, and Col.
SALwEr, presented petitions from Frost, Williams, and
Jones, for free pardon," founding. the prayer on the lan-
guage of the judges at the trials, on the argument regarding
the service of the list of witnesses, &c. • There were also pe-
titions on the subject from various parts of London; and ex-
tensively signed.
Mr. LEADER proposed the motion he had intended to
found on the petitions, at the suggestion of Mr. Kelly.
Lord J. Russlim, said that the government was not pre-
pared to lay any further information before the house upon
the subject than was already before it.
Mr. EWART presented a petition from Birmingham, in
favour of the prisoners. He stated that he should call atten-
tion to it on Tuesday next.

IRISH CORPORATIONS.

Mr. Sergeant JACKSON gave notice that, on the second
reading of the municipal corporations (Ireland) bill, he should
call attention to the petition from Clomnel, praying for ex-
emption from the bill.
Mr. BARNABY gave notice of his intention, on Tuesday,
to move a resolution respecting the clause proposed to he
inserted in all future canal or railway hills, relative to bridges
over, or tunnels under, turnpike roads.
Prince Albert's Annuity Bill was read a third time. The
bill was then sent to the House cf Lords.

After the presentation of petitions on the subject,

Mr. E. TEIVNENT movedthe second reading of, the De-
.signs Copyright Bill. After some conversation, the bill was
read a second time.

The. second reading of the Replevin (Ireland) Bill was,
after some discussion, deferred.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in committee of
" ways and means," moved that £2,500,000 be granted by
transfer of aids for the service of her Majesty.
conversation thereon arose respecting the funding of ex-
chequer bills last year, and of the withdrawal for such pur-
pose of savings bank deposits; the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer promising to make inquiries in consequence of ob-
servations from Mr. Berries, and hereafter to state the re-
sult to the house. _ _

The resolution for the grant was then agreed to, and the
report ordered to be received on Thursday.
Mr AGLIONBY'S motion for returns regarding Chancery
fees, &c., having been adopted, the house adjourned.