The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-07-02 00:00:00

plaint, that the committee had sat during the whole of the ses-
sion, and his right hon. friend was himself a member of it, and
had then an ample opportunity of adverting and directing evi-
dence to the facts alleged in the petition. If the house had
thought proper, during the present session, to have re-appointed
the committee, that might easily have been done, -but he did
nut think such a course necessary. It was also to be observed,
that some of the directors of the very company from whom the
petition came had been examined before the committee. He
would snore fully state his views to the house this evening when
the subject came under discussion.
Mr. M. Primes supported the petition.
Sir H. PARN ELL then said he had a petition of very consi-
derable importance to present from the newsvenders, agents,
and dealers in newspapers residing in London and its vicinity,
signed by upwards of '290 of that respectable class of traders.
The petitioners complained very much of the interference of the
Postoffice clerks, clerks of the roads, and postmasters with their
trade in newspapers. ( Hear, hear.) They said that those
clerks exercised their official influence greatly to their injury,
by becoming traders in newspapers. '1 hey possessed this in-
fluence, unlike the officers of any other department under go- I
vernment, and contrary to every sound principle of trade, for '
every body must perceive that the filling of an official situation
must give that particular class of officers a great superiority in
carrying on the trade over others who were not connected with
the Postoffice. They further complained that by the privileges al-
lowed to clerks of the Postoffice, foreign newspapers were charged
double their prime cost abroad, and that this increased price
went into the pockets of those officers, to the great detriment of
the public revenue. They particularly complained that this
practice was also allowed in the foreign Post-office, and that the
circulation, therefore, of English newspapers was very much
curtailed beyond what it would otherwise amount to, in conse-
quence of which the petitioners suffered very considerably.
They expressed great regret at finding that the offers on the
part of the French Post-office to do away with the impediments
affecting the transmission and circulating of newspapers be-'
tween the two countries, had not met with that readiness on the
part of our Government which they had expected, and which
• was most desirable. The right hon. gentleman said there would
Ibe great advantage derived from putting an end entirely to those
restrictions 'on newspapers, not only in extending intoru!ation
generally, but in point of revenue to the country. He himself
had had an opportunity of consulting the Postmaster in France,
and he was ready to bear his testimony to the truth of the alle-
gation in the petition, that individual having stated to hina that
they were quite ready to co-perate with the Government of this
country in avoiding all difficulty at present in the way of carry-
ing on correspondence by means of newspapers between the
two countries. The petitioners also complained that the clerks
of the Post-office, in addition to other advantages which they
possessed, were allowed to put newspapers addressed to their
agents.or customers into the mail-bags up to the moment of
their delivery to the mail, while they (the petitioners) were ob-
liged, upon each paper posted after 6 o'clock, to pay the charge
of one halfpenny, and were also subject to total exclusion after
half-past 7 o'clock. The petitioners submitted they were en-
titled to the consideration of the house, from the monies which
hey paid to the support of the various establishments in the
etropolis, and in contributing extensively to the revenue of

the country.
Lord ALTHORP said, that as the right hon baronet, on pre
senting this petition, had made allusion to the negotiations that
had been concluded by France with the government of this
country, it might be right for him to say a few words on that
subject. In those negotiations his Majesty's ministers had not
been able to comply with all the propositions of the French go-
vernment. He was not competent to enter into many of the
circumstances connected with the negotiation, but it was thought
impossible to agree to all the propositions. With respect to
the particular point involved in the petition as to newspapers,
he agreed with his hon. friend that that species of commuilica-
tion'-should be as free as possible, and not subject to restric-
tions, if restrictions existed. The plan, however, upon which
this department of the Post-office was conducted, enabled the
government to carry on the business at a considerably less ex-
pense than it otherwise would be subject to. With respect to
the complaint of the petitioners that the clerks of the Post-office
were dealers in newspapers, he wished the house to understand
that these clerks were not paid by a fixed salary, but by a re-
muneration made up partly of fees, and partly by salary ; if,
therefore, the fees of the clerks with respect to newspapers were
abolished, it would be necessary for the government to increase
the salaries of the persons employed in the newspaper-office.
The question, in his opinion, must be looked upon as a balanced
question, and not quite so clear in favour of the view of the pe-
titioners as his right hon. friend thought it to be. He concurred
in the opinion, that everything ought to be done to facilitate the
communication between this country and France, but the diffi-
cult), was, on which side of the channel the postage ought to be
paid. It was the intention of his Majesty's ministers to pro-
mote the circulation of newspapers between the two countries
in' every possible way, and he was enabled to state that there
Alkild be, in future, a daily communication, instead of four times
a-week. (Hear.) But they had hitherto been unable to come
to any arrangement with the French government for the regu-
lation of the payment of postage, and it was thought that such
a complication of accounts would ensue from overcharges and
other circumstances, that he feared it would be hardly possible
to come to an understanding on the subject. It was, however,
the anxious wish of his Majesty's ministers to effect an arrange •
merit consistent with the safety of the public revenue.
Mr. EWART presented a petition from the sugar refiners of
Liverpool, praying for an equalization of the duty on East and
West India and other sugar imported into this country from the
colonies.
Mr. M. PHILIPS presented a petition from the medical prac-
titioners of Manchester against the Apothecaries' Act.
Mr. SHAW presented a petition from the sons and sons-in-
law of freemen of the borough of Carrickfergus,, against their
disfranchisement, and praying that their ancient privileges
might be respected.
Lord MOLYNEUX presented petitions from parishes in the
neighbourhood of Liverpool, against the bill far the' rating. of
small tenements, and the bill for the consolidation of the laws
of highways; also a petition from Ashton-under-live, express-
ing their approbation of issuing a commission to inquire into
the regulation of factories.
The Speaker then vacated the chair, it being past three
o'clock.
The SPEAKER took the chair at five o'clock, when the House
was summoned to the House of Lords to hear the Royal assent
given to certain bills.

IRISII TITHES.
Mr. O'CONNELL wished to bring to the recollection of the
noble lord the Chancellor of the Exchequer the fact, that when
he introduced the resolutions for the payment of the arrears of
tithes due for 1831, 18.32, and 1833, to ecclesiastical persons, he
stated at the time that government had it under consideration to
include lay impropriators also in those resolutions. As great
anxiety existed in Ireland to know the determination of the go-
vernment on the subject, he begged to know whether such was
now the intention of the noble lord?
Lord At.rnoiu' said, that after the best consideration, it was
his intention to include the lay impropriators in the resolu-

tion in question.
Lord ALTHOILP moved that the order of the day for the house
resolving itself into a committee of the whole house on the
Bank charter acts should be now read.
Colonel DAVIES took that opportunity to inquire whether the
bill which the noble lord had promised early in the session that
he would bring forward with regard to superannuations was in
preparation, and if there was any chance of its being introduced
this session ?
Lord ALTlroar, in a very low tone of voice, was understood
to say that the bill in question was prepared, and that he trusted
he should be able on an early day to bring it before the house.
Lord ASHLEY begged to remind the noble lord, that. on the
second reading of the Factories' Regulation Bill, which stood
for committee that evening, the noble lord had made him a dis-
tinct promise that he would offer no obstruction to the bill going
into committee. He (Lord Ashley) had, after the second read-
ing- of the bill, appointed Monday last for the committee, and,
at the desire of government, he had fixed it for this evening.
He would not press it now, knowing the important business
that stood for that evening, if noble lord would give him the
assurance that no obstruction would be offered to the going into
committee on it on Monday next.
Lord ALTHOUP said that he had certainly stated that he would
offer no obstruction to the going into committee on this bill, but
he never intended that it should have the precedence of the
other orders of the day. He believed that the report of the
factory commissioners would be presented that night. It was
of considerable length, and it was therefore of importance that
the question to which it related should uot be brought on so
early as the noble lord had intimated. lie could assure the
noble lord that he was most anxious that the measure should
receive the fullest and fairest consideration.
Lord ASHLEY was willing to fix another day, if the noble
lord would ensure him the precedence for it upon that day.
Lord ALTHOIII. named Friday next, for which day accord-
ingly the committee on the bill was fixed.

BANK CHARTER BILL.
The order of the (lay was then read, and the house went into
committee on the Bank charter acts.
The Chairman having put the first resolution, " That it was
the opinion of the committee that it was expedient to continue
to the Bank of England for a limited period the enjoyment of
certain
.privileges now vested by law in that corporation, subject
to provisions hereafter to be made,"
Colonel TonEENs moved that the consideration of the ques-
thin of the renewal of the Bank of England charter should be
postponed until next session of Parliament.
Mr. PouLETT SCROPE seconded the motion proposed by the
hon. and gallant member for Bolton.
On this motion the house divided, when the numbers appeared,
For the motion B3
Against it
Majority against the postponement -233
On our readmission into the gallery we found
Lord ALTIiORP addressing the house, but from the noise of
members returning to the house, and the intlux of strangers
into the gallery, not a single word reached the gallery.
The Chairman then put the original question, when
Mr. P. SRROPE rose amidst loud and general cries of "Di.
vide" and "Adjourn," which prevailed during the entire time
the hon. member spoke. The hon. member was, however, un-
derstood to repeat his objections to the longer continuance of
what he conceived a prejudicial monopoly. The hon. member
was interrupted by renewed and general cries of " Divide,"
and the noise and uproar, in particular the imitation of the
crowing of a cock, which prevailed, baffles description, and at
length
An hon. Member was understood to move the adjournment
of the debate.
Mr. O'DWYER rose amidst continued confusion. The hon.
member said that the proceedings of political unions had re-
cently been much stigmatized, but he must protest. that he
never had witnessed at any political union to which he belonged
so disgraceful an uproar as that he had seen that night. It was
monstrous for honourable members to come down to the house
to disturb, by their ignorant uproar, the deliberations of the
house. (The crowing of the cock repeated.) The question
was one of vast importance, and at least ought to be debated
with decency, and he therefore seconded the motion of adjourn-

went.
Lord ALTBORP thought that the debate should not be ad-
journed until at least the first resolution was agreed to. No
man felt more strongly than he did that the question was one
which ought to be debated with attention; but he could not feel
surprised that at the present advanced hour, after a debate on a
question whickfrom its detail must be dull, a certain degree of
impatience should be manifested. He hoped, however, that the
first resolution would be allowed to pass.
Mr. M. ATrwoon inquired of the noble lord what was the
meaning of the resolution so far as it referred to the piivileges
of the bank?
Lord ALTIIORP was understood to reply that the only privi-
leges intended to be continued to the bank were the exclusive
power of issuing notes in the metropolis, and within 60 miles
round, during the continuance of their charter, and the restric-
tion upon joint-stock banks of drawing bills on London for less
than £5O.
Mr. GISBORNE asked if it was intended to make any altera-
tion in the law relating to banks of issue.
Lord Autumn, said it was not contemplated to make any al-
teration..
After a few words from Mr. HEitnies (amidst continued cries
of" Divide!") Mr. GISBORNE and Mr. WARBURTON, which
did not reach us, the motion for adjournment was withdrawn,
and the original questiOn (the first resolution) was put and
agreed to without a division.
The house then resumed, the Chairman reported progress,
and obtained leave to sit again.