Et buffo nutt VrartrIfingo in Varlittntrnt.

PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OF THE WEEK.

Homm OP LORDS. Monday, May II. Testamentary Jurisdiction Bill read a first time—Law of Divorce Bill read a first time. Tuesday, May 12. Treatment of Chinese Prisoners; Lord Carnarvon's Statement. Thursday, May 14. Case of Bhawanny Lallah ; the Marquis of Clanricarde's Statement. Friday, May 15. Conversations on Public Offices and Park Improvements. HOUSE OP COMMONS. Monday, May 11. Church-rates; Lord Palmerston's Answer to Sir John Trelawny—Smings-Banks ; the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Resolutions weed to—Transportation and Penal Servitude; Sir George Grey's Bill read a second time—Industrial Schools; Mr. Adderley's Bill read a second time— Committee on the Bank Acts appointed—General Board of Health ; Sir George Grey's Bill read a first time. Tuesday, May 12. New Granada; Lord Palmerston's Statement—Aggravated Assaults; Mr. Dillwyn's Bill read a first time—Sale of Beer; Mr. Hardy's Bill read a first time—Property Qualification; Mr. Locke Ring's Bill read a first timeSavings-Banks ; the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Bill read a first time—Select Committees on the Hudson's Bay Company, the Bank Acts, and Public Moneys nominated. Wednesday, May 13. Judgments Execution ; Mr. Crawfurd's Bill read a second time—Expenses at Elections; Lord Robert Grosvenor's Bill read a first time—Medical Profession ; Mr. Headlam's Bill read a first time. Thursday, May 14. Property of Married Women ; Sir Erskine Perry's Bill read a first time—Ministers'-Money (Ireland); Mr. Pagan's Bill read a first time—Registration of Voters (Scotland); the Lord Advocate's Bill read a first time—Medical Profession (No. 2) ; Lord Elcho's Bill read a first time. Friday, May 15. Royal British Bank ; the Attorney-General's Answer to Mr. Coningham—Parliamentary Oaths ; Lord Palmerston's Bill read a first time— Transportation and Penal Servitude; Sir George Grey's Bill committed. TIME-TABLE.

The Lords.

Hour of Hour of Meeting. Adjournment. Monday Oh . Oh 45m Tuesday 611 . Sh Om Wednesday No sitting. Thursday bli • Oh Om

Friday 5h lh Om Sittingsthis Week, 4; Time, 412 45m — this Session, 6; — bh Om

The Commons.

Hour of Hour of Meeting. Adjournment. Monday 4h .(m) 111 born Tuesday 45 . 611 Mm Wednesday Noon .... 5h Om Thursday II,.... 61145m Friday 4h .(o.)12h 15ra

Sittings this Week, 5; Time, 25h Om — this Session 7 — 321. 43m

TRANSPORTATION AND PENAL SERVITUDE.

Sir GEORGE GREY moved, on Monday, the second reading of the Transportation and Penal Servitude Bill which was introduced into the late House of Commons on the 9th February and read a first time,* and reintroduced into the present House on the 8th instant. It abolishes the sentence of transportation altogether, and enables the 'judges to pass sentences of penal servitude coextensive with the old sentences of transportation ; and also to sentence prisoners to penal servitude for four, five six, or seven years. The change is proposed in order that convicts under penal servitude may be sent to Western Australia; the Law-officers of the Crown having decided that sentences of penal servitude could not be carried out in Western Australia as the law now stands.

"I am not called upon to enter on the question of certificates of leave. The bill leaves the law exactly as it now is ; but the number of convicts under sentence of transportation and who can be dealt with as the system is now administered is very much reduced. In the system of tickets-of-leave we have in view the adoption of the system recommended by the Committee of this House' which thought it desirable that a stimulus to good conduct should beheld out in the case of long sentences. At the same time, I think that, while the remission of the remainder of a sentence by means of a ticket-of-leave is a power that ought to be retained, the general rule ought to be an absolute remission rather than a qualified one." Mr. BENTINCK urged upon the House the desirableness of abolishing the practice of transportation, and, of establishing penal settlements at home, wherein the convict might be made to pay his own expenses, and made to labour on great public works. He moved that the bill be read a second time that day six months. This amendment was not seconded.

The House was occupied for some time in a rambling debate on the general question. Mr. ROEBUCK observed, that liberated convicts come back into society as branded men, with no alternative but stealing or starvation.

It appeared to him that there was only one course to pursue with our criminals,—to find in the many uninhabited parts of the globe spots fitted to receive them, and to let transportation in every case be for life. When once a man was sent from England he ought never to be allowed to return. lie would transport in every case for life—in the first place, to a penal colony, and thence to a spot where the criminal could provide for himself., These views found no favour, and they were particularly combated by Sir JOHN PAKINGTON. Sir John gave a general support to Sir George Grey's bill; but he remarked that it would cause great uncertainty as to what the punishment inflicted meant—whether the convict would be imprisoned here, or transported out of the country, practically for life. And he showed that all uninhabited tracts of colonial land which are accessible are too near to colonies which have an invincible repugnance to renewed transportation and to the proximity of a penal settlement, whose runaways might introduce the pestiferous consequences of convict life. This objection is fatal both to North Australia and to British North America. Mr. DRUMMOND Mr. NEWDEGATE, and Mr. PHILLIPS advocated a return to the system of transportation. Mr. EYNO " hailed/ with gladness a return to the system of transportation in its limited, amended, and restricted sense." Mr. COLLIE; Mr. LIDDELL, Lord STANLEY, Mr. Mutsu, and Mr. Horn, supported the bill, and argued against any recurrence to transportation as a system. Mr. HENLEY said, the House was asked to make ducks and drakes of the penal system of the country. Unless we intend to give up the system, we ought to retain the name of transportation. A man sentenced to penal servitude ought not to be suddenly transported at the pleasure of the Crown. To the public the omission of the word " transportation " ' would appear like the abandonment of the system.

Mr. Bancrs denied that the Government had made "ducks and drakes" with the penal system. The subject has been carefully investigated by Committees, and the bill is founded on their recommendations.

The bill was read a second time.

THE BOARD OF HEALTH.

On the motion of Sir GEORGE GREY, a bill to make better provision for the exercise of the powers of the General Board of Health was read a first time. This measure does not renew the existing board, but dispenses with it as a separate department. Such portion of its duties as it may be desirable to continue will be transferred to the Council Office to be performed by the Lord President, with the aid of a Committee Of the Council. It is estimated that the expenses will be reduced by upwards of 3000/. per annum.