House Of Lords, Thursday,...
The Times, 1824-05-07T00:00:00

PARAMENTJARY JNTELLIGBNCL Mr. IIOLYES, Loril Spr.s?rzY, andothers, brought up theUnlt. ed Gas Light Compiny bill, and -several other private bills, wlisch were reld aiEnt time.- The Earl of SI*AFTESBURy presenited a petition from Salis. bttrySpraying fora lgw'for the recovery ot'sm.aIl debts. 1 hcE:xchseqier butz pstblic'works bi}ilethe sugar bouides Saill' the Erish crowtn debmts reco,very bill, anidsonsye other bills, were' read ia second time. The Earlof ]AUDERDALE presented a petition from'silksnaa nufacturers of Dablin against restrictions on the trade, and the re- gulations of the Dublin Society. On the motion oi'the Eatrl dfDAtr.LEY, cettain accouDts on the table relative to Ireland were ordered to be printed. Lord HOLLAND hid a petition to present from a class of per- sons who suffered rery considerably in eonge9uence of their consci- entious scruples relstnve to oathL The petitioners were the people callcd" Separatists," resident iaor nearLondon. gncouragedby the eircumstance of their lordships having been humanely engaged in granting relief to ottier sects, they humbly approached the house in the hope that consideratton *oul be given to theircase. It wasnot his intention to propose an7 measure on the petition at that time, but he begged t leir lordshlips to bear in mind, that though it was signed but by a few persons, tbQse persons were verv respectable, and that the sincerity-ofbtheir convictien was evinced by tfie severe losses which several among them had sustained. Lord HOLLAND then presentted a petition signed by WrCobbett against the Kensington taunpike bill, then under the censide;atioh of thehiouse. Hevaslri3sefafriend toltheabjectofthe bill ag?inst the preambleof whichthispetition wasdirectetl.Thegentlemawbosigned the petition states that the preamble centains several false aUegatton3 and prayed to be heard at the bar against the blll..-The petition was referred to the committee on the bill. Lord CLIFDEN presented a petition from the parish of St. Pa. trick, in the ity of Xilkcnny, praying for some alteration In the tithe laws. NEWFOUNDLAND JUDICATURE BILL, Earl BATIfURST stated that he had adopted the suggestion of the noble lord (Holland) opposite, as to tividing the bill into two parts. HIe agreed that it would be proper to consider that part which related to the celebration of marriage separately. He then moved that it be an instruction to the comni*tee on the bill to di, vide it into two. The house then resolved itself into the committee. Earl BA'THURST proceeded to state the ameudments he pro- posed to make in the bil relative to the judicature I'he Circuit Courts were to have jurisdiction in criminal and in civil cases. In cri- minal cases, when no jury could be found, the judge and three assessors were to try the parties accused; but no perSon to be found guilty unless the judg and two of the assessors agree in a verdlet to that effet- I civil cases it was thought proper that thejudge should tyiwithout any assessor. An appeal would lie from the Circuit Coas to the Soprenie Court at St. John's. In cases where there had been a 3ury, the appeal would be confined merely to questions of laS. In eases in which there had been no jury, the appeal might embrace both thelaw and the fi,ct. Jord HOI4bAND thiln4ed the noble lord for having sdopted his suggestion. As to the amendments, they appeared to be founded upon the best principles. He thought however, that it would be better to make the assessors lperform tde duty of a jury, and return a verdict totally independent of the judgment of the Judge. In civil cases they miglhtbe employed to decile upon facts. In his oyinion it was desirable that Nevroundland should have a constution similar to the other colonies as soon as possible. Earl BATHURS'T cqnsidered Newrfoundland by no means pre- pared for receiving a constitution with houses of assemrbly, and should oppose any proposition to this effect. IVith regard. to the poters itc noble lord proposed to give to the assessors, if their lordships were to advance further tban the amendnment, it would be difficult to know where tp stop. To adopt the alteration the noble lord had suggested, would be to introduce quite a new principle; and if men were to act as jurors, thsy could not be caDed assessors. Lord HOLLAND tbought that ifthe office was ofutility in itself, a little ingenuity might enable their lordships to find a name for the persons wlho exereised it; so that they need neither be called jurors nor assessors. The amendments were then agre:d to. and the part of the bill in which they were incluted received the title of " An Act for the better Administration of Justice in Newfoundland." Earl BATHURST aext moved sercral amendments (which were not read) on the other part of the bill now entitled " an Act for the so- lemnization of Marriage in Newfoundland." The noble earl inti- mated that the bill would be printed, which would give their lord- ships an opportunitybf considering the amendments, and he would call their attention to them dn Tuesday next.-Adjourned. HOUSP irV r[nliq O .Mt l