Parliamentary Intelligenc...
The Times, 1824-05-22T00:00:00

The Earl of ErESTAUORLAN'D presented petitions from the inhabitants of Mileen-Od and Bethnal-gren, atainst the silkbill. T1he Earl of KINGSTON presented aL Petitioln from the Irish 'Mason Lodge,No.66,prayingthatFreemnasons might berelievedfrora the operation of thc act against secret societies. The Earl of DARNLEY mboved for several returns relative to Irish affairs, which were ortdered. Thc noble earl also congratulated the house on the vote recently conme to for thc appointmentof a corn. mittee to inquire into the disturbed districts in Ireland. The Earl of ROSSLYN presented pedtions from the lWorcester Gas Company and the Wolverhampton Gas Company, against the General Gas Comrany's bill. Tlle Earlof LAUDERDALE presented a petition fromn members of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, now in London, praying for a revision of the laws relative to the silk trade. On the nmotion of the E:rl of AAE4]DEEN, the ScOtS entailed estates bill was read a second tiine. GENERA14 GAS COMIPANY BILL. TheEarlof LAUDERDALE, on the order of thedaybeingMovcd, rose and said, that he intended to move that this bill be read that day six months, Among other grostnds for his oDposition to the rme-. sure, the noble carl observed tlat throughout ibe wholecountrytherq was no place which had heard of the bill which had failed to pae- tition against it. He objected to the general principle of giving such powers to any corporate body as this bill purported to convey. The grantingof a monopoly of this kind would taka away all the check which arose from competition. The most advanta eous mote of sup- plying gas to towns would be, to allow those who1had ant interest Pin their bemig well lighted to become the conirractors. The EarlofLIMERICK supported.the second reading. The bill had been introdstcedin Febriary inst into the House of Com- mons,-and had cxpnrienctdnoopposition tiere. It wasnot untiladay wasfixedforitssecond readingin tieirlordships' house, thatanypets. don had beenpresentedagainstthe bill. Theoppo.sition toit appeared, therefore, to havebeernrecentlexeited, andhe did notbdlievethatthers bill contained any clauses which could operate to the injury of othet t comnpanies. The noble earl st..ted, that hc was informed by the persons interested tn the biU, that they '-erc wiilingK to ainend the clauses irn a commiutee; and bc described the modifications which would be prop Osed but what his lordship said on this subject was not distinctly heard below the bar. We understood him to say, that if any towns were agrieved by the bill, the parties were willing: to have them put out of its operation. The Earl ot ROSSLYN objected to the principle of the bilL He could not see the prudence of establishing joint-stock companies, which completely altered the general state of commeral Proceedinep according to which aU persons ought to adventure in trade at therk of their whole property. The Earl of lItIE:RICK said a few words in explanation, inti. matinlg that he had no intercst whatever in the bill. Tl'he LORD CHIANCAELLORL thought that if their lordships understood the true state of the case with respect to this bill, it would be impossible for them to pass it. He was agabist the powers given to companies of this description, more especially whera they were not incorporatei by charter. There was a practice with re- spect to speculations of this kind which seemed to caU tor sonie le. gislative prohibition. Persons formed schemes for the establishmert of a company, and while they speculated on obtaining a charter went into the mar3;et with shares, which were sold ala given price, though they might in the result prove to be of no value whatevy. This was a tub"ect not undeserving of their lordships' attention; it was IrthyoftItirconsideraltion whetheritwould notbeproper tot annul by a legislative act all such contracts. The bill -was for the purpose of lighting all towns with gas, except London and ten muiles round it. This ueasure, it seemed, had passed the House of Com. iuons without opp6oition, which wts very extraordinaqv- hut that was no arguient in its favour, for the moment the public attention was called to it nihierous petitions *eie presented ngainstit. The noble and learnedlordalluded to thetircui-stance which he had fbr- (SE-i SUPPLEJEArnT) merly ml!rly IlDcicil respecting the capital o tihe comiplany. It was pro vaded that it should not exceed 1,000,0001., but how much it really was tWe did-notappear.. In such cases persons subscribed certain. sums; there was a name in one column of half a sheet ofpaper, and -a certain Earm in -another, but tihe amount of the subscription dlid not show the state ofthe funds-of the company, for their lordships were r:ell aware that subscribing and paying were now-a-days two very duisrent things. -In goifig over the clauses of the bill, he saw Tlor?e which ailTrde(d anvy efficient remnedy against the companv. Theraiar-as one byz iicfi creditors miight proceed tolevy by distress, bntthe proceedimgwas one whichwould probably producemost'distress to the creditor, for he wouldfiridnothingto earry away but a Vw6me. ter and inflamnable air. (Laughter.) Itwas said the parthers were to bemade liable to the full extent of their subscription t btit how 'wa the creditor to get at the parties ? In these incorporating bills a clausewas introiluced, providing that the company might sue and be suedl by their treasurer. This was very welt for the interest of the company; but of whlat advantage was it to any bod.V to get a verdict a2ninst the tresqurer if be had no funds ? lc had, on afor- Sner occasion, proposed with respect to these bills, that a. clause should beiriserteld, cnablingthe person whoobtained a verdiet against the treasurer to levy the amountbydistress on any individual part- n-, leavingit to that individual to seek his remedy'against the conm- pany-. He repeated hisobjection to the incorporation of any com- pany except by a charter from the Crown. In that case, ff the com- pany acted improperly, the Crown could at once put them down, by withdrawing the charter bitt when they were established by aet of Patliament, it required the passing of another act to repeal the former, before any remedy could be applied to the evil. He di& not mean to say that there might not be cases in which it -ould be proper to pass measures similar to the present bill, but their lordships ought to be extremely cautious how they established companies with ponwers which might prove s,eriously injurious to the antereste of individuals. ARter : few words from I,ord DAnXLiEY, which were nnt heard belour the bar, Lord Lauderdale's motion was carried without a] THE SILK BILL. The Earl of LAUDELDALE, in moving the third reading of thlis bill, observed that the uoble lord opposite had charged him with bringing in this bill at a timre wben aU was peace and quietness in SPitalfields, in consequence of the subsisting regulations. Sow the -fact Was, that one half of the work in Spitalfields was not regulated. The Barl of HARROWBY said, that some alteration bad been Tnade in the regulations respecting the narrow work, but there had been none as to the broad. The Earl of DARNLEY could not object to the principle of the 'bilL He, however, thqught that it was not prudent to press the mecasure at the present time, and therefore'would not vote either way. The LORD CHANCE:,L9L'R, UpOn the best consideration he could give to this subject, was of opinion that those who felt them- selv most injured the bil did notrightly understand it. He was also of' pn, t,sat the measure was premature, and that the arrangrement wWch hail beenrecently entcred into-ought not to be disturbed TL?. Earl of LAUDERDALE, from what the noble and learned lord hadl said, expected that he would follow the example of his noble friend LLord Darnlev) andrefrain from voting. The LORD CHANCELLOR said a few words in reply, which were not heard. Their lordships divided on the question, thatthe billbe now read a third time_ Precent Proxies Content . . . 39 . 22 . . . 61 Not content . 36 . 19 . . . 5-Majority, 6. The bill was read a third time, and passed. The Newfoundlard iudicature was reald a third time, and passed. The Newfoundland marriage bill was 'committed, and ordered to be printed wite the amendments-Adjourned. PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE. HOUSRR OR T,ORD.q V-rn, lf.x- 01