The Sun. — 1862-05-20 (London, England)

HOMICIDE JURISDICTION BILL. Sir G. LEWIS, in moving for leave to br ng in a bill for the more speedy trial of persons who committed homicides, and were amenable to the provisions of the Mutiny Act,  M. GREGORY strongly objected to the enormous expenditure, utterly disproporlioned, be said, to the object in view ; and to the plan itself, which had been disapproved by every man of science who bad been examined before the committee, except Professor Owen. He analysed the proposed plan, pointing out what he considered its objectionable features, and dwelt upon the vices of the existing system and mammernent, continued by the bill, which sat aside and contravened the decisions of the coserniitee. He moved to defer the second reading for six months. Mr. M. MILNES did not consider the subject of economy was involved in the bill. The question was whether the Museum shuuid be a scientific institution or a mere exhibition. If the former, it cuglA to be dealt with liberally. He ;;lippott,‘d the second reading.  Loyd H. LENNOX objected to the prospect of expense which the Lill offered, and especially to a radical defect in it, in the proposal to transfer ;o South Kensington the body of iruitees, whose nrauag-ment was so generally con,!ernned.  Mr. 11. SEYMOUR condemned the removal of the collection from the present site. Professor Owen did not desire its removal ; he wanted only additional space. Mr. S. BOOTH objected that the bill proposed division instead of concentration, and a divided administration,which would occasion great public inconvenience.  Mr. PULLER, observing that the real difficulty was as to the disposal of the an.iquities. suggested a more economical arrangement than that proposed by the bill, ;‘Tr. WALPOLE, in supporting the bill, acknowledged that he had been in favour of keeping the collection together : but, for reasons he stated, this, he observed, was no longer a matter of choice, but of necessity. Ten years ago the Museum might have been extended, and the present difficulty got rid of; but the refusal of the Government and the action of the house had prevented the adoption of the proposal of the trustees.  Mr. COX opposed the bill on financial grounds. Sir G. LEWIS said this question had been referred by the Executive Government to the trustees of the Museum, including persons of various opinions, who agreed that some separation of the collection was a matter of necessity. Land in the immediate vicinity of the Mast um being more expensive than in the suburbs, it was proposed to remove a part of the collection to Kensington. Another reason was that by maintaining the collection in one building efficiency of management was prevented. Mr. OSBORNE observed that the Chancellor of the Exchequer's modest estimate of the expense of the removal was £OBO,OOO, but the question was where the money was to come from. The house had been twitted with its extravagance; let it then test the Government whether they were sincere in their aspirations after economy. After a few words from Col. SYKES,  Lord PALMERSTON observed that it was agreed by all that an extension of space was required, and the only question was whether land should be purchased in the neighbourhood of the Museum at £50,000 an acre, or, as proposed by the bill, at Kensington for £lO,OOO an acre, and, strange to say, the advocates of economy preferred the most expensive plan. Mr. HENLEY said he objected to the bill on this simple ground—that it proposed to give power to the trustees of the Museum to do something that would cost the country between £600,000 and £700,000. Upon a division, the amendment was carried by 163 to to 71, a majority of 92 against the Government; so the Bill is lost. On the order for the third reading of the Peace Preservation (Ireland) Bill, a e Colonel DICKSON called attention to the recent murders in Ireland, observing that the Government was bound to take some steps to grapple with crimes which, he believed, were connected with the land. Sir R. PEEL said there had been no neglect part of the authorities ; prompt measures had been. taken most t on the by them to arrest the criminals, and in therecentcase the murderer had been immediately seized d identified,r e sof He deprecated a departure from the ordinary u law, A administered.sys;,:.no fsome length followed upon the subject, in the course of which the Government were strongly urged to reorganize the constabulary: so as to give them less of a military and more of a police character. The Bill was read a third time end passed. The remaining orders having been disposed of, the House adjourned at 25 minutes past 2 o'clock.