The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-02-10 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MONDAY

ly to a one.t‘.n from Mr. T. Duncombe,
intended to bring in a measure to
amend the existing militia acts, and under that bill the
militia might be called out for the purposes of training,
but it was not the intention to embody them. As to
whether they would be called out for other purposes, must
depend upon circumstances, but he hoped the public would
not inconvenience themselfes -by taking, precautions until
they saw the measure in contemplation, for the govern-
ment expected to attain its object by a less onerous pro-
cess than that of the ballot. _ _ _ _

In rep 4 ques.
HERBERT said it was

Mr. S

In reply to a question from Mr. P. M. Stewart, the
CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, there was no in-
tention to alter the duties on colonial spirits, nor did the
government intend to relax the prohibitions against the
use of sugar and molasses in breweries.
Ihe Drainage of Lands (Ireland) Bill gave rise to a

short discussion, but it was eventuality read a second time.
Sir T. FREMANTLE obtained leave to bring in a bill to
encourage the fisheries in Ireland, by the erection of piers
and harbours on the coast.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—TUESDAY.
The LORD CHANCELLOR laid upon the table a bill to

now attached to t

—Read a first time

Lord CAMPBELL begged to ask his noble friend whe-
ther the bill presented was in accordance with the last re-
port of the Criminal Law Commissioners?
The LORD CHANCELLOR said the bill did not correspond
exactly with the bill of the commissioners, because he had
thought it better to divide their bill into two. The other
part of the bill related to the oath of allegiance, supre-
macy, and abjuration. It was a question of much import-
anee, and he thought required further consideration.
The bill was then read a first time

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TUESDAY.
Sir R. FEEL said it was not the intention of the govern-

ment.to being forward, this session, any measure for the
reformation of the ecclesiastical courts. The right hon.
baronet then entered into an explanation of the views of
the government on the timber duties. It was in contem-

255. to 15s. ; but, this was to be effected gradually,—first,
by reducing ss. of the duty on the sth of April, 1847, and
then by reducing another ss. on the sth of April, 1848.
Upon sawn timber he would propose to reduce the duty
by the amount of 6s. on the sth of April, 1816. Upon
the smaller descriptions of timber, such as oars, spars,
&c., there would be a proportionate reduction ; but he

duty on this kind of timber should not be immediate.
In reply to a question from Mr. Moffat,
Sir R PEEL said, the sugar duties were annually voted,
and he would not propose anything relative to them until
the commercial measures which he already announced
were disposed of by the house.
Mr. MILES wished to know if a rumour which prevailed
were true, that a noble lord and an hon. member, both of
whom had resigned their scats, had accepted office under
the crown.
Si- They Lad accepted the

R. PEEL said it was true
Chiltern Hundreds. (A Laugh.)
The Public Works (Ireland) Bill was read a third time
and passed

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—WEDNEsDAY

PECHELL moved for " a copy of any letters
and general rules issued by the Poor-law Commissioners
relative to the employment of paupers in grinding and
crushing bones, or in preparing bone dust, together with
copies of any answers from the several Boards of Guar-
dians, remonstrating against such general rule." The
gallant officer prefaced his observation by alluding to the
case of a lab }ming man who had been brought to thath's
door several years ago in the Eastbourne Union, owing to
the system of grinding and crushing bones then adopted in
that workhouse. He had brought that case at the time
under the notice of the House, and had elicited from Sir
J. Graham a strong expression of his disapprobation of the
practice of putting paupers to such degrading and disgusting
work either as employment or punishment. The Poor-
law Commissioners had, nevertheless, permitted the con-
tinuance of the practice ; and from returns which he had
obtained last session it now appeared that it was still in
force from nearly 200 unions in the country. The gross
and grievous case of the Andover Union had at last com-
pelled Sir J. Graham again to interfere; and he had un-
derstood that an order had been at last issued by the Poor-
law Commissioners directing an end to be put to this prac-
tice of pounding and grinding bones. It was rumoured
that several Boardsof Guardians had remonstrated against
that order, and had by some means obtained a suspension
of that order. He trusted that Sir James Graham would
persist in the course upon which he had entered, and
would, by insisting on the suspension of the suspending
order, complete the humane work which he had under-
taken.

Sir JAMES GRAHAM would not offer any opposition to
the motion. He had always been averse to this mode of
employment, from feeling that it was of a degrading cha-
racter, and that it partook more of a penal character than
became a :workhouse. Having found upon investigation
that the Poor-law Commissioners had the power of regu-
lating labour in workhouses by a general order, he had
pressed upon them the expediency of issuing such a ge-
neral order as would prohibit that particular mode of em-
ployment, of which Captain Pechell so justly complained.
The Poor-law Commissioners had acted upon his sugges-
tion ; and the result was, that the existing provisions for
employing paupers had been much deranged. Though
this pr +ctice had been adopted in 200 out of 500 union
workhouses in England and Wales, there were only nine
in which it had been found necessary to allow some short
interval to enable the Guardians to adapt their mills to
some other occupation. In those nine cases he had upon
his own responsibility consented to a suspension of the
general order of the Poor-law Commissioners for three
months from the Ist of January last. On the Ist of April
through England and Wales this particular employment
would no longer be legal.
Sir J. GRAHAM stated, that in the course of the present
session he should ask the House to consent to a supple-
mental Bill for regulating the procedure, and for extend-
ing the jurisdiction, of Courts; of Requests in all parts of
England in cases of debt not exceeding £2O.

46.
HOUSE OF LORDS.-THURSDAY

The Earl of DALHOUSIE reported from their Lord-
ships' Committee on railways the following resolutions :
"That such portion of the standing order, No. 224, as
requires from the promoters of railway bills a deposit of
one-tenth of the whole capital subscribed should be sus-
pended, as regards all bills commencing in the House of
Lords, during the present session. That no railway bill
be read a first time unless a deposit of one-twentieth of
the subscribed capital be paid before the Gth of February,
and that no such bill be read a third time until a further
deposit of one-twentieth be paid."
" That no petition for a railway bill be received after
Monday, the 23rd February instant."
The noble earl gave notice, that on that day he would
call the attention of their lordships to the proposed altera-
tion on the standing orders.
The Earl of CLANCARTY, conformably with notice,
moved for the appointment of a select committee, to in-
quire into the state of the pow in Ireland ; also to inquire
into the various mod s of medical relief in that country.
Lord BROUGHAM expressed a hope that the recom-
mendation in her Majesty's speech, with regard to mea-
sures for the improvement of the condition of Ireland
might be brought forward without delay.
The Duke of WELLINGTON said he would attend to the
suggestion.
The committee was then appointed.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-7TnuasDAY

Sir. R:PEEI' in answer to a question from Dr. Bow-
ring, said that the government had not received any in-
formation of any retaliatory measures contemplated by
Spain with the view to obtain the introduction of the su-
gars of Cuba on the same terms with those of Manilla,
Venezuela, and the United States, nor did be believe any
such measures .vere contemplated.
Lord Jong RussELL wished to know whether the go-
vernment had bad any further correspondence with the
Spanish' government relative to the sugar of Cuba.
Sir R. PEEL said•that a further correspondence had ta-
ken place, which he would take care should be laid before
the house previous to any discussion taking place.
Sir R. PEEL in answer to a question from Mr. Pattison,
said that, generally speaking, it was intended that the re-
duction of duties in the tariff should take place immedi-
ately upon the passing of the resolutions to that effect.
The Right Hon. Baronet also stated, in answer to a
question from Lord John Russell, that he broposed that
after the resolutions had passed and been reported, that
the reduction of duty on corn should take place immedi-
ately.

Mr. WATSON moved for leave to bring in a bill for the
further repeal of pains and penalties upon Roman Catho-

Lord JOHN MANNET

bill, he

bon. friend
feel it his i

should
as injuri

s to the

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