The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-06-10 00:00:00

vision, but none took place, and the amendment was with-
drawn. The rest of this schedule was agreed to.
Adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—TUESDAY.
Lord KINNAIRD again asked to whom the distribution of
the moneys was to be entrusted, to be collected in conse-
quence of the Queen's letter?
The Duke of WELLINGTON said it was to be distributed
by the manufacturing distress relief committee, which was
appointed in, and bad been in existence since, the year 1825.
The money already subscribed by her Majesty, and by her
Majesty's servants, had been transferred to the committee,
and the money sent to relieve the distress in Burnley was
sent by that committee.
The Earl of RADNOR moved for a return of all sums ad-
vanced by government for the relief of distress since 1826,
and commented on the itnpolicy of the government in thus
advancing money without the controul of parliament.
Lord MONTEAGLE said the money was advanced from the
civil contingencies, which were not appropriated when voted,
their expenditure being left at the discretion of the treasury.
In the following session, however, all sums thus advanced
came before parliament, not as estimates, but as accounts of
sums actually expended.
The motion was agreed to.
The report of the committee on the copyright bill was
postponed until Tuesday.—Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TUESDAY.
Lord ASHLEY moved for leave to bring in a bill to make
regulations respecting the age and sex of persons admitted
to work in mines and collieries. He grounded his bill upon
a report made by a commission of inquiry moved by himself,
and granted by her Majesty's late government, to whom he
felt the warmest acknowledgements for so doing. The noble
lord then entered at considerable length into the details of
the evidence contained in the report, respecting the ages and
sex of the persons employed, the terrible nature of their em-
ployment, the want of ventilation and drainage in the mines,
and the revolting indecency and cruelties practised therein.
He also dwelt forcibly on those portions of the evidence
which displayed the injurious consequences this species
of employment produced on the constitutions and cha-
racters of the female portion of the children employed,
who were brought up in utter ignorance of all notions of
morality and religion. It was melancholy enough that the
male portion of those classes should be so degraded and de-
moralised, but thus to degrade and demoralis females was to
poison the waters at their very source. I'lliblic reason, pub-
lic honour, public character, and, he rejoiced to say. public
sympathy, called aloud for a remedy for such a state of
things. He proposed to cut off at once some of the evils,
and to leave the rest to future legislation. He proposed to ex-
clude females altogether from working in collieries. This
plan had been adopted by Mr. Hulton, of Hulton, most ad-
-vantageously. He should next.propose to exclude all boys
under 13 years of age, by which means they would enable
the cotton manufactories to have a sufficient number of chil-
dren under 13 years of age to work at six hours' time, there
being a great demand for the labour of young boys in the
' manufacturing districts. The system of inspection could
not be adopted in the collieries as in cotton factories ; at
least he would not like to go down as inspector, if the object
of his visit should happen to be disagreeable to the gentle-
men below. He should next propose that none but males
21 years of age should be employed as engineers, or in the
shaft-room of the engine-house. This he thought an indis-
pensable regulation to prevent accidents, it being at present
the practice to employ children of nine or ten as engineers,
who sometimes had to let down and draw up six persons at a
time. The accidents arising from this system of employing
children as engineers led to frequent and most appalling ac-
cidents. His fourth and last proposition related to ap-
prentices in these mines, who were sometimes bound for 12
years. In fact, no slavery in the West Indies was comparable
to slavery such as that of these apprentices, who never had
even Sunday as a holiday. He should not only propose that
apprenticeships should be abolished, but that all existing ap-
prenticeship deeds should be cancelled. To justify a measure
so strong as this, the noble lord stated some cases calculated
to make one shudder at the cruelty to which those apprentices
were sometimes exposed. The noble lord concluded an
eloquent and impressive speech by moving for leave to bring
in his bill.
Mr. F. MAULE seconded the motion.
Mr. LAMBTON thought the noble lord had done himself
infinite creidt by his exertions to rescue this miserable class
of individuals from their present miserable condition. He
was happy to say that in the counties of Durham and North-
umberland no females were ever employed in those mines.
Those counties were entirely free from all the more serious
accusations which the noble lord had stated as applicable to
mines in general. There were things, however, in these
counties which required investigation, for it was, in fact, ne-
cessary to protect children against the cupidity of their pa-
rents, who took them at an age much too early to work in

the mines.
Lord F. EGERTON believed that some exaggeration pre-
vailed in the descriptions of the work in some of these collie-
ries, and quoted the opinion of a medical gentleman, to the
effect that it was necessary to commence the requisite train-
ing at twelve years of age, in order to become able-bodied
colliers. It was, however, necessary for the legislature to
interfere with respect to the employment of females, and also
with respect to the morals of those classes.
Sir J. GRAHAM said that Lord Ashley deserved the great-
est praise for the labour he had given to this subject, and
gave his unqualified approbation to the proposal to exclude
females from working in those mines, He should, how-
ever, reserve his opinion as the age at which boys should be
employed.
After some further discussion, leave was given to bring in
the bill.
The house then resolved itself into committee on the new
tariff.
On arriving at the part of the schedule relating to the duty
on foreign shoes,
Mr. G. PALMER moved that a duty of 20s be substituted
for 12s on every dozen pairs of foreign shoes imported.
After some discussion, in the course of which it was con-
tended that the reduction of duty from 2s 6d to is a pair
would be injurious to working shoemakers, who could not in
this country live as cheap as their foreign competitors could
abroad, the house divided, and Mr. Palmer's motion was
negatived by a majority of 148 to 36.
A discussion of some length took place on the proposition
of a duty of 10 per cent. on cotton manufactures, in the
course of which Mr. MANGLES moved that the proposed 5
per cent. on blast India musline should be reduced to 34 per

cent.
Some observations of Mr. COBDEN, on the effect of the
corn laws on our manufactures, led to a discussion on the
principles of free trade generally, and gave rise to an ani-
mated personal attack by Mr. Ferrand on Dr. Bowring, al-
leging that when sent to the Continent by the late govern-
ment, to make inquiries respecting the working of free trade
in Switzerland, he would only take evidence which suited his
own opinions. This caused an angry altercation, which Lord
Stanley attempted vainly to check as most unprofitable, and
calculated to interfere most materially with the progress of
public business.
Mr. BROTHERTON next tried to stop this angry discussion
by moving the adjournment of the debate.
Mr. WALLACE seconded the motion, and, being much in-
terrupted, complained that there was no one present with
authority sufficient to control the house. (Sir R. Peel was
absent.) He also complained that the greater rtion of the
interruption proceeded from the nearest relatpivoe of Sir R.
Peel ; but he :(Mr. Wallace) was not to be bullied by any

one.
This expression renewed the uproar, and
Mr. WALL ACE forthwith apologised for its use to the
house. He was not conscious that he used the word; but,
though he apologised to the house, he would not do so to any
individual.
Colonel PEEL said there was no member of the house for
whose opinion of his (Mr. Peel's) conduct he cared less than
be did for that of the hon. member.
Mr. C. BULLER said it was evident when the cat was out
the mice would play, and thus it was that they were unable
to make any progress with the tariff that evening.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER also tried to put a
stop to the personal discussions which were taking place, and
ultimately Mr. Brotherton agreed to withdraw his motion
for the adjournment, provided they at once proceeded to di-
vide upon the proposition of Mr. Mangles.
Mr. COBDEN said he should move tbat the Chairman
should report progress, for he did not think the house was in
a tone or temper to discuss anything.
The committee divided on the question, which was nega-
tived by a majority of 156 to 36.
Mr. HUME then moved that the Chairman should leave
the chair.
Lord STANLEY charged the opposition with a wish to ob-
struct the tariff by thus moving adjournments, and expressed
a hope that the country would perceive to whom the blame
was to be attributed.
Mr. W. S. O'BRIEN said the whole blame was attributable
to Mr. Ferrand.
Mr. HUME said the fault was in some measure attributa-
ble to the chairman, who should have put a stop to those ir-
regular discussions.
Again a scene of excitement ensued. Ultimately it was
arranged that Mr. Hume's motion should be negatived, and
that the chairman should report progress.
Thus no progress was made with the tariff from the com-
mencement of the discussion, (if such it could be called,) on
cotton goods.
The orders of the day were then disposed of, and the house
adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—WEDNESDAY.
Some discussion and a division took place on the Salmon
Fisheries (Scotland) Bill, which was afterwards considered
in committee.
Mr. REDINGTON moved the second reading of the Sudbury
Disfranchisement Bill, which was agreed to.
The house then went into committee on the Customs Act.

when
Mr. MANGLES proposed an amendment to the effect that
the duty on India cottons be reduced to three and a half per
cent., which was lost by a majority of 56 to 42.
Mr. S. WORTLEY contended that the proposed duties on
damasks and diapers would, in his opinion, be injurious to
the hand-loom weavers, but after a short discussion they
were agreed to.
Dr. BowitiNG proposed that cotton wool be imported at
ld per pound.
Mr. M. PHILIPS supported the amendment.
M. GLADSTON E admitted the force of the arguments of
the two hon. gentlemen who had sat down, but resisted the
amendment, on the ground that unless her Majesty's Go-
vernment were prepared with new financial measures they
could not lose a sum of £600,000 by voting a reduction on
this important item.
the amendment was lost by a
After some discussion,
majority of 97 to 44.
Mr. C. WOOD moved as an amendment, that the duty on
the import of sheep and lambs' wool be reduced to ls.. per
cwt., and contended that the only remedy for the decl of
the woollen manufactures would be a reduction of the duty
on the raw material.
Mr. BECKETT confirmed the statements made by Mr. C.
Wood, and said be should support the amendment.
Mr. GLADSTONE said that in the absence of the right hon.
be
baronet at the head of her Majesty's government he could
assure the house that the duties mentioned had received the
oilsad
greatest attention possible, and that as soon as the state. of
the,,i finances would allow it they considered that a reduction
Afterl22 to of great benefit. But, however, the woollen manu-
facturerhad not been forgotten, as the reduction on vegetable
(17e-stuffs would be of great benefit to him.
thereof, be r'elrutebtrng
crime further discussion, the amendment was lost by
The amendment was
o one laraMbrs.7G,;(3\4olr• Woon moved that the import of sheep and
disposedouse having
of,tafdas negatived
ethsheivlaiolugepoefr ocnwet.shilling the pound
weTreheh
96 to 47. after a short discussion by
r.?s:med, the other orders of the day
to house adjourned.

FATAL ACCIDENT AT K
gentleman at Kilbirnie on Wednesday last, tst, which has been attended
—An accident occurred
wßiotbhetrbteDloosbsieo,fatwyoouliivlgesg.
The particulars are as follows :
of 13 or 14 years of age,
youngest son of James Dobie, Esn
nied by a servant named Anderson, writer'
Iliad been attending the
Beith, accompa-
nied
way hg the
of Kilbirnie, and left that tow'
wards, between six and seven o'cloei %I
evening, both
mounted on one horse. To save a little distance and time in
cross the river
going round by a bridge, they resolved totaa"
then somewhat swollen, at Kirkland
hGaadr ndoocuke,
in
the morning. In crossing,
the
horse,
as they
way or other, missed its footing and stumbled, N,;iel some
riders were thrown off, swept away by the current, andb°th
rished. The body of Anderson was subsequently found,
a mile down the stream from the fatal spot, but that -o'f
Mr. Dobie has not yet, we believe, been recovered. The
horse was got out in safety. Paisley Advertiser.