&bairn and rortrhingn in Varlinuttut

PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OF THE WEEK.

House OF LORDS. Monday, June 2. Chancery Reform; Conversation raised by Lord Lyndhurst—Registration of Assurances Bill, postponed till the first day after Whitsuntide—Absconding Debtor's Bill, read a second time—Public Works in India; Returns granted to Lord Wharncliffe—Cleopatra's Needle. Tuesday, June 3. Marriages (India) Bill, passed through Committee pro forma— County Courts Extension (No. 2) Bill, read a second time pro forma. Thursday, June 5. County Courts Extension (No. 2) Bill, passed through Com- mittee—Law of Evidence Amendment Bill, referred to a Select Committee. Friday, June 6, Conversations on the delay of the Common Law Commissions Report, on the Marriage Law in Australia, and on the Transportation of Convicts to Australia—Adjournment over Whitsuntide, till Monday the 16th instant.

Hoven or COMMONS. Monday, June 2. New Forest Deer Removal Bill, read a second time—Income and Property Tax; Mr. Hume's Motion for a Select Committee controverted, and opposed by 94 votes to 193; Nomination postponed to Friday- Ecclesiatical Titles Bill, further considered in Committee; Amendments on second clause disposed of; Progress reported,

Tuesday, June 3. No House; only twenty-eight Members present at four o'clock.

Wednesday, June 4. Cape of Good Hope ; Petitions presented by Mr. Adderley —The "No House" of Tuesday—National Education in Scotland; Lord Melgund's School Establishment Bill, thrown out on second reading, by 137 to 124. Thursday, June 5. A Morning Sitting—St. Albans Bribery Commission Bill, considered in Committee—Afternoon Sitting—Metropolis Water Bill; Motion to throw out the Bill, negatived, by 95 to 79; Bill read a second time—Mixing of Cof- fee and Chicory; Mr. Baring's Motion against adulteration, negatived by 94 to

89—Advertising Vans and Barrel Organs; leave for a Bill against, to Colonel Sib- thorp.

Friday, June 6. Order of Public Business—Education Statement—Income-tax Committee; adjourned debate again adjourned to Friday next—Ecclesiastical Titles Bill, further considered in Committee—Home-made Spirits in Bond; Motion to get rid of Lord Naas's Resolutions, by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, negatived by 140 to 123—Adjournment over Whitsuntide, till Thursday next.

TIME-TABLE.

The Commons.

HOD/ of Roar of Meeting. Adjournment.

Monday th .... 12h 45m Tuesday No House. Wednesday Noon 5h 30m Thursday Noon 2h 6m 6h .. (n) lh 15m

Friday 4h .. (m) 2h 30m Sittings this Week, 5; Time, 35h 5m this Session. 73 ; — 512k tSm

SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE INCOME-TAX.

Mr. HUME moved, on Monday, the nomination of a Committee on the Income and Property Tax.

His task of selection, Mr. Hume said, has been difficult; and the difficulties he has met with in forming the Committee have been the cause of delay. He

The Lords.

Hour of Hour of Meeting. Adjournment.

le'onday 5h 711 45m Tuesday Oh 6h Om Wednesday No sitting. Thursday 5h .... sh Om

Friday 5h . .. Th 15m Sittings this 'Week, 4 ; Time. 7h Om 61 ; — 108k Om — this Session,

does not care who are members of it swell he wishes for is that they should be willing to enter into a full and fair inquiry upsm the subject : whoever is appointed, he will assist, in order that a much better system than the present be instituted, After the Committee has ascertained the working of the pre- sent system, which is pervaded by fraud, he wishes to inquire whether a more fair and equal mode cannot be adopted. He proposed the following list—Mr. Hume, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Hemmen, Mr. Herries, Mr. Labouchere, Lord Harry Vane, Mr. Disraeli, Mr. T. Baring, Mr. Henley, Mr. Cobden, Mr. F. Peel, Mr. Roebuck, Mr. Ricardo, Mr. Yesey, and Mr. B. Denison.

Mr. REBATES begged to say, that though he might not on the late oc- casion have opposed the nomination of the Committee, he never assented to it.

Indeed, he would have thought it a good reason for not entering into in- quiry, that the tax was limited to one year only ; his expectation being that that would have been a bon& fide limitation of the term itself. His pro- position is, "Either amend the tax or abolish it "; but Mr. Hume's pro- position is, "Amend it if you can ; but if not, keep it as it is." He must de- cline to serve ; and having declined, he felt at liberty to object that the con- stitution of the Committee is unfair, as there are ten who vote for perpetuity and only four who vote on the other aide ; while also the landed interest is not properly represented. Mr. VERNON &arra questioned whether the Committee should be ap- pointed at all : he noted that there are only six County Members in it ; of whom two are the two Members for the West Riding of Yorkshire. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER commented on the difficulty in which the House was now placed by the union of two extreme parties to carry a vote. He acknowledged that the landed interest was not properly repre- sented, and suggested that Mr. Hume should withdraw his list and amend it.

Mr. Fansn:Frera) moved that the order of the day for the Committee be read and discharged.

Mr. DISRAELI, in reference to allusions by Sir Charles Wood, explained that he had acceded to the motion made by Mr. Hume in deference to the feeling of the House : he had not supported the motion under the idea that a Select Committee should follow : still, if Mr. Hume went to the vote, he must support him. Mr. AGLIONBY protested against the discreditable unfairness to the country of attempting to abandon the Select Committee ; and gave notice, that if it is abandoned he will move that the tax be renewed for three years.

Mr. HUME explained, that he put down four Members from his own aide of the House, and four recommended by Mr. Disraeli ; and he had endeavoured in vain to induce Sir James Graham and Mr. Goulburn to serve. He had done his duty, and he now left the matter to the House. Lord JOHN RUSSELL pursued the strain of remark opened by Sir Charles Wood.

It is more than ever plain that 230 Members voted for Mr. Hume's motion on very different grounds ; " and, considering those grounds, it is no wonder that there should now be such misunderstandings." The difficulty has arisen out of Mr. Hume's disregard of Mr. Cobden's advice to put before the House a plain motion for a modification of the tax ; in voting on which, the House would have known what it was about. Lord John should decidedly object to the Chancellor of the Exchequer going into the Committee along with two or three of his friends, to contend with a large majority pledged against his views.

Mr. HENLEY would vote for the amendment " to stop inquiry," from which he anticipated no benefit Mr. COBDEN never expected good from the Committee, but did expect that gentlemen opposite would have at least acted with good faith up to the time the Committee reported. On a division, the amendment was negatived by 193 to 94. Mr. HUMS then agreed to postpone the nomination till Friday.

Eectimosneti. Truma Bum.

In the Committee, on Monday ;Mr. WALPOLE explained the exact course he will take with reference to further amendments.

He felt some embarrassment, for he wishes to support Ministers as far as possible in passing the bill, and also to make the bill as effectual as possible. Almost all he wants is given in the declaratory clause, and friends of the bill ought not to add to the delays and impedimenta which beset it : he will therefore propose nothing which is not absolutely or clearly essential to the proper working of the bill. There are three of these essential points. The ambiguities said to exist in the declaratory clause exist more in the minds of the opponents of the bill than in the clause itself, " and there will be no ambiguities in the clause if the clause be referred back to the preamble in such a manner as that the preamble do lay a proper foundation for the clause" : when they come to the preamble, therefore, he will feel it his duty to press considerable alterations in it. The second essential point refers to the absolute necessity for guarding against occasion for future 1%.-islation. As they have declared the brief of 1850 to be illegal and void, he will propose to prohibit the bringing into England, or the use of, any similar briefs by any person, under a penalty the same as that for assuming the titles. Lastly, he will take care that the law when passed shall be enforced ; and for that purpose he thinks the amendment suggested by Sir Frederick Meager will meet the requirements of the case. Mr. Walpole then pressed his second point, and proposed to introduce in the second clause words imposing the same penalty as that which is imposed on assuming the titles, on the act of publishing or putting in use any brief, rescript, &o., for the purpose of constituting "within the kingdom of Eng- land" any hierarchy of bishops with titles derived from places belonging to the Crown of England.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL opposed the amendment, as imposing cumu- lative penalties on what is practically the same offence. To place a penalty on accepting the brief, and a penalty on assuming the title, will be building two penalties upon one transaction, which ought to consti- tute but one offence. Mr. STUART WORTLEY, however, who has hitherto abstained from discussing the measure, thinking he should aid it best by leaving the Government to manage it, now declared himself convinced by Mr. Walpole, that the amendment, instead of placing two penalties on one offence, makes two-clear offences, for each of which there is a single penalty. Seizing this discrepancy between two lawyers, the Irish Mem- bers insisted on a demand made by Mr. ROCHE immediately after Mr. Walpole had launched his amendment, that the amendment ought to be printed. Sir ROBERT INGLIS explained, that it is not according to the rule of the House that any part of the proceedings of the House in Com- mittee should be printed : so that no demand could be made for the print- ing. Mr. M'Cou“ton objected to the principle of speaking exclusively of the " kingdom of Fingland,"—a phrase now unknown to the law. Sir Faxnuiticx Taxmen argued, that if there were anything that would add to the difficulties of the Judges in declaring the law in Ireland, it would be this declaratory enactment applying only to England. Lord JOHN Russous Mr. Namur, and other Members, successively urged Mr. Walpole not to press his clause. After two or three hours of discussion, Mr. 'Watroto yielded, and the amendment was withdrawn. Mr. lizoGg improved the incident on behalf of the stigmatized Irish Brigade—" Irish Members are not the only ones who unnecessarily occupy the time of the House."

Mr. M'Cuu.aou then moved the insertion of words whose object was the recognition as legal, of the acknowledgments made from time to time by the Irish court* of the titular dignity of the Irish Roman Catholic Prelates, &c. He went minutely over the various instances of this ac- knowledgment which have been touched en lightly in past debates_ Mr. Nam= combated the amendment with cases and arguments to prove that the acknowledgments have been adventitious and of no practical moment : they have only been 'made in judicial °biter dicta or in unauthor- ized proceedings by inferior officers. There is a work by a Roman Ca- tholic barrister in reference to the Catholic Bequests Act, which lays down that that act did not change the legal status of Roman Catholic prelates, or acknowledge them as bishops of dioceses, though a right to the bequests is admitted for all the purposes of the act. Mr. JOHN O'Corminst and Mr. M. J. O'Coaauaa supported the amendment; the latter warning Go- vernment against the danger of denying its principle. The amendment was negatived by 291 to 46. Mr. MOORE moved to insert after the words "England and Ireland," the words "so long as the said Church shall continue to be the United Church of England and Ireland." "There is a section in the House," argued Mr. Moore, "among whom I include the noble Lord at the head of the Government, who do not wish this union should continue." Lord John Russell has often declared, that unless a very large reform take place in the Established Church of Ireland, the Irish people have a right to demand a repeal of the Union. Mr. HENRY DRUMMOND would leave the Government, and those who choose to meddle, to bring to perfection, or destruction, as they can, their own child. He suggested that till the third reading, gentlemen should reserve themselves ; for he thought they might be called upon to take a particular course, in order not to deceive the country on a false measure. The amendment was negatived by 240 to 36.

On the motion of Mr. Rosmouis resisted for a short time by Lord Joao Rosso's, the Chairman soon efterwards reported progress.

NATIONAL EDUCATION IN SCOTLAND.

The second reading of the School Establishment (Scotland) Bill, was moved by Lord Moronism with explanations of the principle of the mea- sure, and statements in its support.

The people of Scotland feel very strongly that the present means of educa- tion in that country are far from being equal to the wants of the nation. The object of the bill is to maintain two principles inviolate,—first, to esta- blish the principle of local taxation, with a certain amount of local manage- ment ; next, to place on the same school-benches children of all religious denominations, and to unite them in the same studies, which may be done without danger to their religious principles. The religious teaching in the old schools of Scotland, whether of parishes or under other systems, con- sisted solely of reading a portion of the Bible as a school-lesson, and teach- ing the children the Shorter Catechism. Do what you will, it is impossible to conduct the business of the schools on any other assumption than that prac- tical secular and religious education must be separate. And in fact this sepa- ration has been universally praetised in Scotland : Sir John Sinclair's reports prove that the school examinations referred to the secular parts of education, and seldom took any notice of religion. The National Education Associa- tion, a body of pious and religious men, hold that secular education is the only way of meeting the difficulties of the question ; and the schools esta- blished in Elgin by Mr. Milne have been attended with great success.

In 1803, when the last act on this subject passed, the population of Scot- land was about 1,500,000; in 1841 it was upwards of 2,600,000; and now it may be estimated fairly at 3,000,000: it is plain that the provision made when the population was only the first number cannot be adequate for the last number, which is double. According to the population, 600,000 children ought to be receiving education; whereas, at the outside, there are but 300,000 in the schools of the Established Church, the Free Church, and all the other denominations ; leaving 300,000, or one half, unprovided for. The parochial schoolmasters are wretchedly paid; some of them receive but 51. a year, and that is sometimes paid in turf. The tests exacted are complained of as unjust : many members of the Church are willing to abrogate tests so far as concerns the University ; why retain them for schoolmasters ?

Mr. MACKENZIE opposed the motion, on the ground that the bill would subvert a system which has long worked successfully, and introduce the very principle which caused the House to reject the proposition recently brought forward by Mr. Fox, and which is especially objectionable to the people of Scotland—the separation of secular from religious education. As to tests, the Free Church maintains them itself. Mr. Mackenzie ad- mitted with regret that the means of education have not kept pace with the increase of population in Scotland. He moved that the bill be read a second time that day six months. Mr. HUME, from a recollection going back sixty or seventy years, could confidently state that the working population in Scotland has greatly changed.

When he first entered life, the marked difference between the peasantry of Scotland and the peasantry of England and Ireland was notorious. The peasantry of Scotland then received a superior training, not merely in read- ing and writing, but in morals and religion. The fact that this is not the case at present shows that there is a fault lying somewhere. He thankfully received, and would support this bill.

The LORD-ADVOCATE marked the admission on both sides of the House, that there is great necessity for an increase in the means of education in Scotland.

The destitution has been long admitted ; but we have gone on from one year to another, and from one ten years to another, without doing anything to meet it; and if this goes on for twenty-five years more, the result will be that half of the grown population will have had no education whatever. He would find difficulty in voting for all the details of the measure, but would support the second reading of it, as a meritorious and important contribu- tion, tending towards the solution of a ouestion daily assuming greater and greater importance and difficulty. As those who founded the existing sys- tem—which still continues to produce salutary impressions on the character of the people of Scotland, after three hundred years—as they, like earnest, manly, practical men, looked the real difficulties of the case in the face, and set themselves to remove them, so now the real lesson to be learned from their example is that we should throw aside all minor difficulties, and set ourselves to reestablish a system which would afford a reasonable hope of beneficial results to future generations. The question of the parochial schools is, after all, but a small portion of the whole question ; for if these were placed as they should be, there would still be an enormous mass of des- titution to provide for which the parochial system does not meet ; and if you consider a national scheme there is no reason why you should not re- view the parochial system at the seine time. Without disparaging the Es- tablished Church of Scotland, you cannot shut your eyes to the fact that the Establishment in Scotland does not include more than half of the orthodox Presbyterians of Scotland : such being the case, ought you to exclude those who will not adhere to the Established Church, though they will sign all her formularies ? As far as is required by good faith, the Act of Security must be maintained ; but there is nothing in the state of the law which can possibly prevent Parliament from doing what it has done before on many occasions—regulating the parish schools.

Sir ROBERT looms grieved to find from Lord John Russell's cheers that he agreed with Lord Melgund ; and concluded a speech of general oppo- sition to the measure with an eulogium on the parochial system of school education in Scotland, as a system which has raised the national character of Scotland beyond that of any other portion of Europe. Lord Joao RUSSELL took exception to the parallel between this bill and the proposition of Mr. Fox, which the Government voted against on the 22d of May. There could be no two proposals more distinct : for Mr. Fox said "secular education," in order expressly to exclude religious education ; whereas the education of this bill Lord John understands to imply " religious instruction." Mr. Gordon reports, that taking 790 parishes in Scotland, there are 329 with- out any schools of any description. The House is unanimously agreed that some further means are required ; but if Government were to propose to in- crease the parochial system alone, it would be objected that the Established Church of Scotland is no longer in a position to undertake the duty of edu- cating the whole people of Scotland, for both the Free Church and the United Presbyterian Church, have as many congregations as the Established Church. Let the House then extend education, not upon a basis that has become narrowed, but upon the opinions, the wants, and the agreement of the three religious bodies that form the mass of the people. The bill ought to pass : its machinery might be improved in Committee, or by a Select Committee. Seeing how well, and with what practical views, the Scotch Members lis- tened to each other's objections, and agreed to a useful measure, he did not see why in a Select Committee they should not agree to principles upon which the House should afterwards decide. He could agree with Sir Robert Inglis in the great panegyric he passed on the parochial schools; and he could also agree with him in a panegyric on the turnpike roads of England, and the ancient oil-lamps, which were such improvements on the roads and the dark- ness of a state of barbarism : but surely we may improve these and other things in our day, as our ancestors improved in their day upon the things which they received from those before them. The other speakers were—against the bill, Mr. C. BRUCE, Mr. Coen- TERIS, Sir GEORGE CLERK, and Mr. FRANCIS Scurr ; in favour of the bill, Mr. M`Goomm and Mr. COWAN. On a division the numbers were -

For the second reading 124 For the amendment 137 Majority against the second reading.. 13

So the bill was lost.

WATER SUPPLY OP LONDON.

On the motion of Sir GEORGE GREY to read a second time the Metro- polis Water Bill, Mr. BAILLIE COCHRANE moved as an amendment, a re- solution that no such bill should be proceeded with unless the works were put up to competition. In support of his amendment, Mr. Cochrane made a speech of considerable length, recapitulating the statements of the public press, and adding tho narrative of what he has seen with his own eyes and heard with his own ears, in reference to the frightful evils of the existing system. But the par- ticular measure before the House would only confirm the powers of the exist- ing Companies, and remove all responsibility from them, by preventing the possibility of competition. The preamble seems to overthrow the Companies, but the clauses enable them to continue, and give them the power to make any by-laws they like. A calculation Of the present and proposed income of the Companies shows that the bill would add at least 100,0001. to their income.

Sir Botulism HALL declared he could not vote for the amendment, as he did not understand it. Mr. COCHRANE intimated, that as he found a general feeling in favour of dividing on an amendment to throw the bill out altogether, he withdrew his amendment. Mr. MOFFA.T then moved that the bill be read a second time that day six months ; and headed the Metropolitan Members in an attack on the main objects of the bill.

He objected, that the "fair valuation " proposed will be the present value, which is the value under combination and not under free competition ; that the bill holds out no fair prospect of any reduction of rates; while competition in the gas supplied to the City of London will soon save 200,000/. a year to the consumers.

Sir BENJAMLV WALL indicated the source of the cause which prevents the principle of competition from receiving the sanction of the House. There are, he believed, not fewer than seventy Members in the House who hold shares in the existing Water Companies : it would be well if those gentlemen abstained from voting on the bill. The West Middlesex Company charges a shilling per thousand gallons ; the Grand Junction Company but eightpence ; and the Southwark and Vauxhall Company, which has to meet competition, only threepence-halfpenny.

Mr. Wiusaiss recurred to the strong under-current impelling the Go- vernment forward in this most unjust legislation : in these critical times seventy votes might turn them out of office.

Sir GEORGE GREY declared, that after it had been admitted, as he thought, that competition has failed to accomplish the object, he is sur- prised to hear a revival of the proposition that competition can be advan- tageously resorted to. The very principle of the bill is that competition is an inefficient basil for the supply. He lately informed the House, that he had so far hesitated to adopt the recommendations of the Board of Health, able, elaborate, and full of valuable facts as they are, and had referred them to three conipetent gentlemen : their inquiry is still_isending. Sir George was not prepared to controvert the assertions of Mr. Napier, but so many contradictory recom- mendations have emanated from the Board of Health that the Government cannot think it settled that all the supply should be drawn from the sources indicated by the Board. The expense under the proposed plan will be re- duced by at least 100,000/. a year. The principle of valuation is precisely the same which was adopted after great consideration by a Select Committee in the case of the Liverpool Waterworks Bill. As to dividend, no dividend at all is guaranteed ; but if it should reach five per cent, the Treasury has power to reduce the rate. A bill had been printed that very day, to the in- troduction of which he had given his assent, which proposes to buy up the existing Companies and vest the management M a body to be appointed.wider

it. If the House thought fit, he would not object to send that bill before a Select Committee. Let the present bill be read a second time ; and then it also will follow the course of all bills of this nature, and go before a Select Committee of five disinterested gentlemen.

Sir J. JOHNSTONE, on behalf of the New River Company, stated the four objections entertained by that body to this bill.

The two strongest of them were, that the bill makes an amalgamation of all existing Companies, however incongruous in source of supply and mode of management; and that it allows only five per cent on whatever capital is laid out, though they may be called upon to go to undefined sources for new supplies. He urged inquiry before legislation—by a Committee to ex- amine and consider all matters concerning the water supply of London. Mr. MowATr thought Sir George Grey not in a condition to legislate at all ; and that he should frankly say, the least evil will be to defer the consideration of the subject till the next session of Parliament.

The Companies divide from five to six-and-a-quarter per cent on stock amounting to 4,800,000/. ; but they have paid little more than 2,000,0001. The bill therefore, in securing five per cent, will be securing ten per cent on their bona fide capital. Mr. Mowatt explained his own bill. It divides the Metropolis into seventeen districts, for each of which the ratepayers choose four Commissioners, who with four chosen by the Common Council of Lon- don, and four chosen by the Government, should be the Commission. The Commission should nominate an Executive Committee of five, to sit and do business constantly : and these last, with the Secretary, should be paid salaries to be fixed by Government. They might purchase the works of the Companies at ten years' purchase, and levy rates for the water, and for the purchase and construction of works, not exceeding a fixed amount per an- num. Thus, in thirty years the whole cost of the works might be paid, and the public have the supply in perpetuity free from all but the current charges of management. Mr. HUME thought Sir George Grey had made a fair proposal to go be- fore a Select Committee with both bills. But Mr. WAELEY said that if Government proposed to go into a Select Committee with their bill, they would see such a manifestation of popular feeling as would surprise them. Lord EBRINGTON felt sure that further inquiry would lead ultimately to better speed ; so he must vote against the bill. Sir DE LACY EveNs, if called on to say "Yes" or "No," must give his answer in the negative. Sir WILLIAM CLAY supported the bill ; though he believed that the Companies are extremely and vehemently opposed to it. The House divided on Mr. Moffat's amendment—

For the amendment Against it Majority for the second reading .... 16 The bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed.

COFFEE AND CHICORY MIXTNG.

Mr. THOMAS BASING renewed his motion against the orders of the Ex- cise relaxing the former prohibitions against the mixture of coffee and chicory. The merchants consider the last statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer so unsatisfactory, that they request Mr. Baring, as one in the trade, to revive the question. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHE- QUER, however, repeated his former case—that the public likes chicory, and can protect itself. Sir Jour TROLLOPS, on behalf of his constituents, who grow more chicory every year, sided with Sir Charles Wood. Sir JOUR TYRELL observed, that Mr. Baring admits he does not come into court with clean hands, as he grows coffee in Ceylon : so Sir John Tyrell grows chicory in Essex ; and, looking at his own interest in as clear a point of view as possible, he should vote against his friend Mr. Baring. On a division, Mr. Baring was nearly successful: his motion was nega- tived by 94 against 89—majority 5.

• REFORM IN CHANCERY.

Referring to the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons, Lord LYNDHURST, on Monday, remarked that Lord John Russell has given no tice of his intention to bring in a bill to improve the administration of justice in the Court of Chancery. It would seem, then, that the bill of which notice was given on a prior occasion is abandoned : it is to be hoped that the Premier will have more hand in the preparation of the forthcoming measure than he seemed to have in the last. Lord Lynd- hurst added some information, from an authentic though unofficial source, as to the beneficial working of the Irish measure passed through Parlia- ment last session by the Master of the Rolls, substituting petitions for bills. Up to the 1st of May, 694 suits have been begun by petition alone, out of rather more than 700 ; and no defendant has desired to use his power of compelling the plaintiff to recur to the old practice by bill. The proceeding by petition has expedited the case and lessened the cost of proceeding in a manner quite extraordinary. The Loan CHANCELLOR declared himself embarrassed by these state- ments, the relevancy of which he did not perceive : but he will inquire into their accuracy, and then, with the able assistance of his noble friend, or without i4 will adopt proceedings to make business in Chancery more expeditious and less expensive.

MAREIAGE LAW IN INDIA.

The second reading of the Marriages (India) Bill having been moved by Lord Bnouourorr, objections to the measure were urged by the Earl of ELLENBOROUGH, founded on his Indian experience. The bill is totally unfitted for India, where there is no aristocracy, and where no man can command his place of residence for twenty-one days, in- asmuch as all are the servants of the state and must obey its orders. The bill is faulty in two respects,—first, it would throw impediments in the way of marriage in India ; and neat, it would create more bigamists than exist at present in that country, by the clause relating to invalid marriages.

Lord BitouoirroN deferred to these suggestions ; and stated that he would have the bill repr,ited with alterations : if Lord Ellenborough still objected afterwards, the bill might go to a Select Committee,

CLEOPATRA'S NEEDLE.

In reply to a question by the Marquis of WESTMEATH, on what steps have been taken about the Egyptian obelisk called " Cleopatra's Needle " presented by the late Pasha of Egypt to King George the Fourth in 1820, the Earl of CARLISLE stated that there arc " some mechanical diffi- culties," but the matter is "still under consideration."

PETITIONS FROM THE CAPE: PRIVILEGE.

Mr. ADDERLEY informed the Speaker, on Wednesday, that he had ten petitions to present from the Cape of Good Hope, praying that the con- stitution which has been promised, and not given them, should be no longer withheld. But among the papers recently laid on the table of the House, is a despatch from Sir Harry Smith representing that the signa-

79 95

tures to these petitions are fictitious. Mr. Adderley himself had no doubt the signatures are not fictitious, but he hesitated to present the pe- titions under the circumstances, till he had consulted the Speaker. The SPEAKER stated, that if Mr. Adderley had no doubt of the genuineness of the signatures, he might present the petitions. Mr. ADDERLEY pre- sented them accordingly.

THE "No HOUSE" ON TUESDAY.

The "no House" of Tuesday was made the subject of criticism on Wednesday. Sir Josurs. WALMSLEY complained that sufficient notice was not given to Members engaged on Committees to enable them to reach the doors of the House in time; he left a Committee before it ad- journed, but was too late. Mr. EwAar and Mr. Bnornzarow, however, considered that the time was sufficient. Mr. W. WILLIAMS stated, that as he was entering the House he was pulled back by the skirts, and pre- vented from entering. Mr. REYNOLDS stated, that there were at least fifty Members loitering in the lobby. Mr. Siteamtaf CRAWFORD sug- gested a rule of the House against counting out before eight o'clock.