24 MAY 1845, Page 11

POSTSCRIPT

SATURDAY NIGHT.

The Maynooth College Bill began its career in the House of Lords last night. On the motion of the Duke of WELLINGTON, it was read a first time; and he fixed the 2d June for the second reading. The Earl of CHARLEVILLE requested that the second reading might be deferred to a later period, to allow time for the presentation of petitions. The Duke of WELLINGTON said, that the bill had already been two months before the country since its first introduction into the House of Commons; ten days more were allowed before the second reading; and petitions might be pre- sented at any subsequent stage: he therefore adhered to his notice.

Earl FITZWILLLAAI moved-

" That a Select Committee be appointed to take into consideration the practi- cability and expediency of establishing some principle of compensation to the owners of real property whose lands shall be compulsorily taken for the construc- tion of public railways, and the question of severance and injuries."

He recapitulated some of the obvious defects of the present system, especially not the mere inadequacy but the inequality of prices paid for land; and threw out two suggestions for the basis of the desired principle,— either to calculate the price by some fixed multiple of the previous price of the laud to be bought, or to calculate it on the receipts of the railway. Lord STANLEY adhered to his opinion, that it would be impossible to lay down a rule for all cases; but he could not deprive Lord Fitzwilliam of the opportunity of making any proposition to a Committee: and, after a short discussion, the Committee was appointed.

In the House of Commons, the second readings of the Irish Colleges WM and the Scotch Poor-law Bill were postponed, till Friday next, by the desire respectively of Sir ROBERT Name and Mr. HUME; and matters of less interest filled up the time.

Mr. Jonst STUART WORTLEY brought forward a resolution, which he proposed should be made a standing order of the House, requiring the in- sertion of a specific clause in all railway bills, by which they will be sub- mitted to the provisions of any general railway act which may hereafter be passed. Lord HONVICH suggested an addition to the resolution, which *Mild authorize a revision of the rates and tolls. The debate on this point, however, was adjourned to Monday. Motion was made to go into Committee of Supply; and the remainder of the evening was occupied by a discussion on the Navy, steam marine, &c., begun by Sir CHARLES NAPIER, and so precisely resembling past discus-. mons on the same subjects, that Sir GEORGE Cocarturcx apologized for repeating all that he had already said five or six times. The novelty of his speech was the statement, which he made "with particular pleasure," that after the alterations recently made in the Queen's yacht it is now the most perfect vessel of its class in the world. Having gone into Com- mittee, the House proceeded with the Naval Estimates.