The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-03-17 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MONDAY.

In answer to a question from Mr. MACKINNON,
Lord STANLEY said the accounts received from Antigua by
the Government were very imperfect, but he feared the news-
paper accounts were not exaggerated as to the extent of the
damage from the recent earthquake. It might become his
duty hereafter to call upon the house to aid the colon) with
a loan, which was the only shape in which they could afford
relief.

Mr. FERRAND, in moving for. papers containing a list of
the guardians, &c., of the Halifax union, said that the mill
erected in the workhouse of the Halifax union, described by
Sir James Graham as a hand corn-mill. was, in fact, a rag-
mill, used for crushing rags collected on the Continent, and
impregnated with all manner of diseases.
Sir J. GRAHAM said that Mr. Ferrand was sometimes led
astray by inaccurate information, arid had originally de-
scribed this mill as a tread-mill. He had himself, in this in-
stance, been so far misled as to call the rag-mill a corn-mill,
yet, upon the whole, his statements on a former evening
were substantially correct, and he should therefore oppose
the motion.

Mr. C. WOOD defended Mr. Clements from the imputa-
tions thrown out against him by Mr. Ferrand.
Mr. WALLACE regretted the refusal of the papers, because
he wished to see every complaint made on the part of the
poor fully gone into.

After some discussion, during part of which strangers were
excluded, Mr, Ferrand withdrew his motion.
On the motion for going into committee on the Registra-
tion of Voters Bill, in reply to a question from Mr. Lin-
DELL,

Sir JAMES GRAIIAM said that clauses had been prepared
with a view to provide against the fraudulent personation of
voters.

Mr. HUME said that unless more ample practice were
given to voters, he anticipated but little benefit from the
------

measure

The house then went into committee.
On the filth clause,
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE moved an amendment with a view to
compel overseers to state the grounds of objection to a voter
in addition to saying that he was objected to.
On a division, the amendment was negatived by a majority
of 57 to 47.

Mr. TUFNELL moved as an amendment, that when an
overseer objected to vote he should be compelled to have
notice of such objection given to the party objected to.
Sir J. GRAHAM opposed the amendment, which, on a di-
vision, was negatived by a majority of 91 to 38.
On the 11th clause being proposed,
Mr. ELPHINSTONE objected to the continuance of the tax-
paying clauses as necessary to the qualification of a voter.
He thought the payment of the taxed should have nothing to
do with the exercise of the franchise. He moved the omis-
sion of the clause.
Sir J. GRAHAM could not assent to the abolition of the

payment of taxes and rates as a qualification, reinernbering.
as he did that at the time the Reform Bill passed it was said
that had it not been for the tax-paying clauses a higher quali-
fication would have been demanded. The clause now
before the committee was an amelioration of the existing
law.

After a short discussion, in which Mr. BROTHERTON, Mr.
HOME, and Mr. EWART took part, the committee divided,
and the clause was retained by a majority of 118 to 58.
On the clause imposing costs to the amount of 20s. against
parties making frivolous claims to vote or frivolous objec-
tionsagainst a voter,

Colonel StuTtioni. moved that the costs be three pounds
instead of twenty shillings.
After some discussion on this point the committee divided,
and the amendment of Culonel Sibthorp was negatived by a
majority of 154 to 34.

The
T committee having got through 48 clauses soon after
midnight,

The CHAIRMAN, OD the motion of Mr. BROTHERTON,
reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again.
Lord J. RUSSELL moved for leave to bring in a bill for
dissolving certain corporations and regulating certain muni-
cipal corporations in England.
The motion was agreed to, and the remaining business
being disposed of the house adjourned.