House of Commons Journal Volume 85: 23 February 1830

Martis, 23 die Februarii; Anno 11 Georgii IV ti Regis, 1830.

PRAYERS.

Account of Unclaimed Prize Money, presented.

THE House being informed that Mr. Spicer, Deputy Treasurer of Chelsea Hospital, attended at the door, he was called in; and at the bar presented to the House, pursuant to the directions of an Act of Parliament,-The Account of the Deputy Treasurer of the Royal Hospital at Chelsea, of Unclaimed Prize Money, from the 18th January 1809 to the 24th December 1829:-And then he withdrew.

Ordered, That the said Account do lie upon the Table.

Account from Greenwich Hospital, presented.

The House being informed that Mr. Hooper, Secretary of Greenwich Hospital, attended at the door, he was called in; and at the bar presented to the House, pursuant to their Order,-An Account of the Prices, by Contract or otherwise, of various Articles of Provisions, Clothing and Household Stores, and of the Daily Wages of Bricklayers, Carpenters, Masons and Plumbers, at the Royal Hospital at Greenwich, from 1818 to the 31st December 1828:- And then he withdrew.

Ordered, That the said Account do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Shoreham Harbour Report, presented.

The House being informed that Mr. Upperton, from the Commissioners of Shoreham Harbour, attended at the door, he was called in; and at the bar presented to the House, pursuant to the directions of an Act of Parliament,-The Report of the Commissioners acting under and by virtue of an Act of Parliament passed in the 56th year of the reign of his late Majesty King George the Third, intituled, "An Act for the more effectual Security and Improvement of the Harbour of New Shoreham, in the County of Sussex:"-And then he withdrew.

Ordered, That the said Report do lie upon the Table.

Brunswick Square (Brighton) Improvement Bill, presented.

Mr. Burrell presented a Bill for paving, lighting, watching, cleansing and otherwise improving Brunswick Square and Brunswick Terrace, and certain Streets and other public places upon certain Grounds, late part of a Farm called the Wick Farm, in the Parish of Hove, in the County of Sussex: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time.

Liverpool Docks Bill, presented.

General Gascoyne presented a Bill for extending and amending the several Acts relating to the Docks and Harbour of Liverpool: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time.

Dundee and Newtyle Railway Petition, reported.

Mr. Stuart Wortley reported from the Committee on the Petition of The Dundee and Newtyle Railway Company; That the Standing Orders relative to Bills for making Railways or Tramroads had been complied with; and that they had examined the matter of the Petition; and the Report was brought up, and read.

Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend an Act for making a Railway from Dundee to Newtyle: And that Mr. Stuart Wortley and Mr. Lindsay do prepare, and bring it in.

Ashburton Roads Bill, presented.

Mr. Bastard presented a Bill for more effectually repairing and improving several Roads near the Borough of Ashburton, and from or near the North Side of the Town of Totness towards Ashburton aforesaid, and other Roads communicating therewith, or leading therefrom, in the County of Devon: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time.

Macclesfield Water Petition, reported.

Mr. Egerton reported from the Committee on the Petition of the Mayor, Aldermen and Capital Burgesses of the borough of Macclesfield, in the county of Chester; That the Standing Orders relative to Bills for supplying any City or Town with Water had been complied with; and that they had examined the matter of the Petition; and the Report was brought up, and read.

Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill for better supplying the Inhabitants of the Borough of Macclesfield, in the County of Chester, with Water, and to establish the Rates payable for the same: And that Mr. Egerton and Mr. Davenport do prepare, and bring it in.

Petition for Leave to present Petition for London Arcade, reported.

Mr. Alderman Wood reported from the Committee on the Petition of several Owners and Occupiers of houses and other buildings in the city of London; praying for leave to present a Petition for leave to bring in a Bill for making an Arcade from Bartholomew-lane to London Wall, in the city of London; That they had examined the matter thereof; and the Report was brought up, and read.

Ordered, That leave be given to present a Petition, as desired.

Sankey Brook Navigation Bill, committed.

A Bill to consolidate and amend the Acts relating to the Sankey Brook Navigation, in the County of Lancaster, and to make a navigable Canal from the said Navigation at Fidler's Ferry, to communicate with the River Mersey at Widness Wharf, near Westbank, in the Township of Widness, in the said County, was read a second time; and committed to Lord Stanley, &c.: And they are to meet this Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Warrington and Newton Railway Bill, ordered.

The House was moved, That the Report which was yesterday made from the Select Cmmittee on Standing Orders relative to Private Bills, might be read; and the same being read;

Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to enable the Company of Proprietors of the Warrington and Newton Railway to extend the Line of the said Railway; and for repealing, explaining, amending and enlarging some of the Powers and Provisions of the Act relating thereto: And that Lord Stanley and Mr. Blackburne do prepare, and bring it in.

Port Glasgow Dock Petition, reported.

Mr. Archibald Campbell reported from the Committee on the Petition of the Lord Provost, Magistrates and Council of the City of Glasgow, Trustees under the Acts of Parliament 12 and 41 Geo. 3; That the Standing Orders relative to Bills for making Harbours and Docks, and also to Turnpike Bills, had been complied with; and that they had examined the matter of the Petition; and the Report was brought up, and read.

Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill for improving the Harbour of Port Glasgow, constructing a Wet Dock or Wet Docks adjacent thereto, and for altering the Road leading from Port Glasgow to Glasgow, near the said Harbour: And that Mr. Archibald Campbell and Sir Michael Stewart do prepare, and bring it in.

Dundee Gas Petition, reported. (No. 1.)

Mr. Archibald Campbell reported from the Committee on the Petition of several partners of The Dundee GasLight Company; That the Standing Orders relative to Bills for lighting any City or Town with Gas, had been complied with; and that they had examined the matter of the Petition; and the Report was brought up, and read.

Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill for incorporating The Dundee Gas-Light Company, and for the better lighting the Town of Dundee by Gas: And that Mr. Archibald Campbell and Mr. Lindsay do prepare, and bring it in.

Leeds and Selby Railway Bill, presented.

Mr. Marshall presented a Bill for making a Railway from the Town of Leeds to the River Ouse, within the Parish of Selby, in the West Riding of the County of York: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time.

Gainsburgh and East Retford Road Bill, committed.

A Bill for more effectually repairing and improving the Road from the west end of Gainsburgh Bridge to East Retford, and to Gringley-on-the-Hill, in the County of Nottingham, was read a second time; and committed to Admiral Sotheron, &c.: And they are to meet this Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Dunham Bridge Petition, reported.

Mr. Lumley reported from the Committee on the Petition of several Owners and Occupiers of estates, and other Inhabitants of the parishes of Dunham, in the county of Nottingham, and of Newton, in the county of Lincoln; That the Standing Orders relative to Bills for building Bridges had been complied with; and that they had examined the matter of the Petition; and the Report was brought up, and read.

Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill for building a Bridge over the River Trent from Dunham, in the County of Nottingham, to the opposite Shore, in the County of Lincoln: And that Mr. Lumley and Sir William Ingilby do prepare, and bring it in.

Kidderminster Road Bill, committed.

A Bill for making and maintaining certain Roads leading to and from Kidderminster, and other Roads in the Counties of Worcester, Stafford and Salop, was read a second time; and committed to Mr. Lygon, &c.: And they are to meet this Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber.

London Arcade Petition.

A Petition of several Owners and Occupiers of Houses and other buildings in the city of London, was presented, and read; containing the same allegations as their former Petition; and praying, That leave may be given to bring in a Bill for making an Arcade from Bartholomew-lane to London Wall, in the city of London.

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to a Committee:-And it is referred to Mr. Bernal, &c.: And they are to meet To-morrow, in the Speaker's Chamber; and have Power to send for persons papers and records.

Sunderland Harbour Petition, reported.

Lord William Powlett reported from the Committee on the Petition of several Commissioners for executing the Acts for the improvement of the River Wear and Port and Haven of Sunderland, in the county palatine of Durham, and for the more effectual preservation and further improvement of the same River, Port and Haven; That the Standing Orders relative to Bills for making Harbours, had been complied with; and that they had examined the matter of the Petition; and the Report was brought up, and read.

Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend and enlarge the powers and provisions of several Acts relating to the improvement and preservation of the River Wear and of the Port and Haven of Sunderland, in the County Palatine of Durham: And that Lord William Powlett and Mr. Russell do prepare, and bring it in.

Petition respecting Labourers Wages.

A Petition of certain Clergymen of the United Church of England and Ireland, was presented, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners most respectfully approach the House with that just solicitude which is expected from them for the cause of religion, as also for the amelioration and comfort of the Labouring Classes of their fellow subjects; actuated by these feelings, at so important a crisis, the Petitioners deem it their imperative duty to state to the House a melancholy fact connected with the present national distress, that has lately in a more prominent degree met their observation, so strikingly that they should conceive themselves inexcusable were they to withhold the knowledge of it from those who have the power to remedy: the fact alluded to is this; a vast number of persons among the working classes, who formerly, with their families, regularly attended divine worship on the Sabbath, are now rapidly sinking into a demoralized state of irreligion, for want of decent apparel in which to appear at their respective churches; which melancholy fact has been gradually assuming its present frightful form, with the existence and growth of an unrighteous practice adopted by masters in some manufactories, of paying their numerous work-people in goods instead of money, thus precluding them from procuring that full and equitable amount of their wages, which would enable them to purchase decent attire for themselves and their children; in behalf of these humble sufferers of their flocks, the Petitioners most respectfully entreat the House to rescue them from this oppressive system of their severe task-masters, and to place them on the equitable level with their common fellow-subjects, in having an option to lay out their little earnings to the best advantage, and in feeling, so far at least, that they live in a land of liberty.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Petition against Renewal of East India Charter.

A Petition of the Company of Merchants of the city of Edinburgh, incorporated by royal charter and Act of Parliament, was presented, and read; praying the House to remove the restrictions with which the commerce of this country to India is at present fettered, and to throw open the trade to China, under such regulations as to the House may seem proper.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Petition respecting the Poor Laws.

A Petition of Sir Thomas Branthwayt Beevor, of Hargham, in the county of Norfolk, was presented, and read; complaining of the practice of letting out the unemployed Poor weekly to the best bidder, by whom they are to be paid according to a certain fixed rate of wages, and who is to be reimbursed the difference between that rate and the price at which any such labourer is hired, out of the poor's rate; and praying, That whenever the present state of the Poor Laws shall again come under the consideration of the House, they will be pleased to enact such provisions and penalties as may be sufficient to restrain or punish any church warden or overseer of the poor of any parish, or other person, who shall be guilty of the practice complained of.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Petitions complaining of Agricultural Distress.

A Petition of Gentry, Clergy, Owners and Occupiers of land, and Tradesmen, in the town and neighbourhood of Horncastle;-of Inhabitants of the parishes of Highclere and East Woodhay;-of Whitchurch;-of Stoke Charity;-of Hursley;-of Ashmansworth, in the county of Southampton;-of several Landholders, Occupiers of Land and Inhabitants of Cranbrook, in the Weald of Kent, -and, of Inhabitants of Narberth, and its vicinity,-were presented, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners beg to represent to the House, that the Agriculture and Commerce of the country are labouring under peculiar and unprecedented difficulties, which appear to increase so rapidly, that the Petitioners look forward to the future with the most anxious fears, apprehensive that some dreadful crisis may occur; they beg to declare, that the pressure is not confined to one class only, but that all the industrious classes alike suffer, commerce is embarrassed, and confidence destroyed, not in the integrity of men, but their ability to fulfil their obligations; stagnation often prevails in the markets, and sacrifices are daily made to meet existing engagements, while at the same time the want of employment and the reduced wages of the labourer, are productive of grievous sufferings to them, and the poor-houses and gaols are crowded to an unprecedented degree; and praying the House to take the present alarming state of the country into their most serious consideration, and to adopt such measures as may be most conducive to the revival of its former prosperity.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table; and that the two last be printed.

Petitions for repeal of Malt and Beer Duties.

A Petition of several Inhabitants of the parishes of Ryarsh and Ditton;-of Leybourne and Snodland;-of Birling and East Malling;-of Offham and Addington; -of Goudhurst;-and, of Tonbridge, in the county of Kent,-were presented, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners consider it their bounden duty to represent to the House the overwhelming distress which pervades the agricultural and manufacturing classes, and that unless the present urgent distress be speedily relieved, it must produce most disastrous consequences, hazardous to the peace and safety of the kingdom at large; and praying the House to investigate the state of the Country, and to rectify with firmness and vigour the innumerable abuses which affect its prosperity, and, as a commencement, forthwith to repeal all the taxes upon Malt and Beer and a greater part of the Assessed Taxes; thereby in some degree immediately relieving the distressed labourer and mechanic, and creating amongst the people of that class and themselves patience and hope under extreme privations.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table; and to be printed.

Petition complaining of the Conduct of the Chief Magistrate of the City of Waterford.

A Petition of several Inhabitants and Householders of the city of Waterford was presented, and read; setting forth, That a gross and wanton insult and outrage has been offered to the peaceable and loyal citizens of Waterford by the chief Magistrate of their city, upon the occasion of a political dinner given on the evening of Tuesday the 9th instant to Lord George Beresford, one of the Candidates for the representation of the county of Waterford at the ensuing election; and that on the said occasion, and after the Writ of Election had been issued and proclaimed, a body of military, consisting of a subaltern and sixty soldiers, were marched from their barracks into the centre of the city, and placed in the Town Hall, immediately in the neighbourhood, where the said dinner was given, the city at the same time being in the most perfect state of tranquillity; that this unconstitutional and unwarrantable stretch of power was rendered the more manifest by the fact of the Mayor having presided over the electioneering banquet in question, and having openly identified himself on this and other occasions with a party whose political opinions were adverse to those of the great majority of the citizens and the people; that the commanding officer of the garrison was invited to and attended the said electioneering dinner; that the citizens of Waterford, indignant at this uncalled-for measure, and anxious to evince not only a disposition to preserve the public peace, but a steady determination to co-operate with the civil authorities in preventing any violation of the peace, waited by deputation upon the Mayor, and presented a Requisition most numerously and respectably signed, calling upon his worship to convene a public meeting on an early day, for the purpose of adopting such measures as should be deemed best calculated to preserve the peace at the approaching election; that although the Petitioners had thus offered to act as voluntary peace-preservers, if necessary, and thereby to avoid the unconstitutional interference of the military pending an election contest, the chief Magistrate did not think proper to attend to their application, and refused to convene the meeting desired by the citizens; that the present Mayor of Waterford was one of the most active agents of Lord G. Beresford at the late election of a Representative of the county of Waterford, and is well known to be a decided and zealous partisan of his Lordship on the present occasion; and the Petitioners have therefore strong grounds to apprehend that he will exercise, in the most arbitrary and partial manner, on the occasion of the coming contest, the summary powers which the Legislature has, it is to be lamented, placed in the hands of the local magistracy of that country, and from whose decision, in some cases, there is no appeal; and praying the House to institute an inquiry into the illegal and unwarrantable conduct of Michael Evelyn, the chief Magistrate of the city of Waterford, on the occasion most justly complained of; and that they will be pleased to adopt such measures as will protect the inhabitants of that populous and peaceable city from the bloodshed and outrage which must inevitably follow from the improper and illegal exercise of the magisterial functions vested in the Mayor of that city; and that the House will extend to the Petitioners such other relief as shall, under the circumstances, in their wisdom seem meet.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Petition complaining of Tithes Composition Act (Ireland.)

A Petition of the Parishioners of the parish of Timoleague, was presented, and read; complaining of the mode of collecting Tithes in that parish, and of other abuses; stating the particulars thereof; and praying the House to relieve them from that enormous tax, and do away with the Composition altogether, and allow them to pay their Tithes as hitherto, rising and falling with the times.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Petition for repeal of Subletting Act (Ireland.)

A Petition of several Inhabitants of the county of the town of Drogheda, was presented, and read; reciting the Act 7 Geo. 4, c. 29, to amend the Law in Ireland respecting the Assignment and Sub-letting of Lands in Ireland; and praying the House to repeal the same.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Petition for repeal of Parish Vestries Act (Ireland.)

A Petition of several Roman Catholics of the town of Drogheda, was presented, and read; reciting the Act 7 Geo. 4, c. 72, for the Regulation of Parish Vestries in Ireland; and praying, That the same may be repealed.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Petition complaining of the Duties on Paper (Ireland.)

A Petition of James Jones of Leck, and John Lyon of Springville, in the parish of Leckpatrick and county of Tyrone, was presented, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners hold separate Paper-mills in the parish of Leckpatrick, situated as aforesaid, and the Petitioners beg to state, that under the present law, all paper is termed First Class, and charged 3d. per pound duty, unless made from ropes and cordage; the Petitioners send a sample of the paper they have been in the habit of manufacturing from woollen rags, corderoys, &c. for the inspection of the House; it is called First Class, and liable to 3d. per pound duty, as much duty as is charged on the finest paper that can be made; the Petitioners send a sample of paper made from ropes and cordage, which is termed Second Class, and only liable to a duty of 1½d. per pound: the House will easily perceive that the high duty is charged on the worst article; as paper made from ropes sells higher and is of much better quality than any brown paper that can be manufactured from coarse rags; from the Petitioners' mills being situated inland, and from the limited trade of Ireland, ropes cannot be procured unless by importing them from England or foreign parts; this gives the English manufacturer a great advantage: paper can be sent from England cheaper than the Petitioners can make it, owing to the enormously high duty charged on coarse brown paper made from rags; the Petitioners have expended their all in the building of the said paper-mills and from the unequal way the duty is at present charged, the Petitioners cannot continue in the trade, which will be ruinous to the Petitioners and their families: the Petitioners take the liberty of stating to the House, that a number of poor people who are unable to do any thing else, earned a living by gathering rags; at present the Petitioners cannot manufacture from rags, and it follows, that they with their workmen must beg or starve; the Petitioners beg further to state, that the oaths which paper manufacturers are obliged to take every six weeks, under a penalty of 100£., are a great grievance to the conscientious trader, and, in the opinion of the Petitioners, a premium to perjury; and praying the House to redress these grievances.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Memorials respecting Coal Meters (Dublin), ordered.

Ordered, That there be laid before the House, Copies of all Memorials presented to the Commissioners of Customs, Dublin, from 1st January 1826 to 1st January 1830, relative to the office of Coal-meter in Dublin, or the conduct of the Coal-meters, or the Fees or Emoluments claimed by them.

Broomielaw (Glasgow) Railway and Tunnel Petition, reported.

Sir Michael Stewart reported from the Committee on the Petition of several Freeholders or Heritors of the county of Lanark, or Merchants, Manufacturers or Inhabitants of the city of Glasgow; That the Standing Orders relative to Bills for making Railways or Tramroads, had been complied with; and that they had examined the matter of the Petition; and the Report was brought up, and read.

Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill for making a Railway and Tunnel from the Broomielaw Harbour of Glasgow, to communicate with the Canals and Railways passing by or terminating at the Higher Levels towards the North and North-east of the said City of Glasgow: And that Sir Michael Stewart and Mr. Archibald Campbell do prepare, and bring it in.

Garnkirk Railway Petition, reported.

Sir Michael Stewart reported from the Committee on the Petition of The Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway Company, and of the Shareholders thereof; That the Standing Orders relative to Bills for making Railways or Tramroads, and also to Turnpike Bills, had been complied with; and that they had examined the matter of the Petition; and the Report was brought up, and read.

Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill for amending certain Acts for making The Glasgow and Garnkirk Railway, and for improving, maintaining and rendering Turnpike the Road leading from the said Railway near Broomhill, by Keppoch Bridge, to the Townhead of Glasgow: And that Sir Michael Stewart and Mr. Maxwell of Renfrewshire do prepare, and bring it in.

Glasgow Royalty Extension Petition, reported.

Sir Michael Stewart reported from the Committee on the Petition of the Lord Provost, Magistrates and Council of the city of Glasgow; That the Standing Orders relative to Bills for improving any City or Town, had been complied with; and that they had examined the matter of the Petition; and the Report was brought up, and read.

Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill for extending the Royalty of the City of Glasgow over the Lands of Blythswood and adjacent Lands, and for amending the Acts relating to the Police of the said City: And that Sir Michael Stewart and Mr. Archibald Campbell do prepare, and bring it in.

Lambeth Bridge Petition, reported.

Mr. Charles Pallmer reported from the Committee on the Petition of several Freeholders, Occupiers of houses, and Inhabitants of the parishes of Saint John-the-Evangelist, in the city and liberty of Westminster, in the county of Middlesex, and Saint Mary Lambeth, in the county of Surrey; That the Standing Orders relative to Bills for building Bridges, had been complied with; and that they had examined the matter of the Petition; and the Report was brought up, and read.

Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill for building a Bridge across the River Thames, from or near the Horseferry Road, in the Parish of Saint John-theEvangelist, in the County of Middlesex, to the opposite shore, at or near to Church-street and Fore-street, in the Parish of Saint Mary Lambeth, in the County of Surrey; and for making convenient Roads thereto: And that Mr. Charles Pallmer and Mr. Hobhouse do prepare, and bring it in.

Accounts, ordered: Lead.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House, an Account of all Lead and Lead Ore, distinguishing pig and rolled Lead, Shot, Litharge and Lead Paints, from each other, exported from Great Britain, in the year ending 5th January 1830.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House, an Account of all Lead and Lead Ore, imported into Great Britain, in the year ending 5th January 1830.

Tin.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House, an Account of all Tin imported into Great Britain, in the year ending 5th January 1830; distinguishing from what Countries exported.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House, an Account of all Tin exported from Great Britain, in the year ending 5th January 1830; distinguishing to what Countries exported.

Copper.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House, an Account of all Copper imported into Great Britain in the year ending 5th January 1830; distinguishing each sort of Copper, from what Country, and into what Ports imported.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House, an Account of the quantities of Copper exported from Great Britain, in the year ending 5th January 1830.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House, an Account of the quantities of Copper exported from the Port of London, in the year ending 5th January 1830.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House, an Account of the quantity of Copper exported from the Port of Liverpool, in the year ending 5th January 1830.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House, an Account of all Copper Ore that has been imported into Great Britain without payment of Duty, for the purpose of exportation, in the year ending 5th January 1830.

Assessed Taxes.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House, an Account of the number of Surcharges, and amount of Duty obtained by the Exchequer from all Increase or Surcharge of Assessed Taxes by the Surveyors and Inspectors in each district, respectively, during the last two years; distinguishing the amount upon each branch, and upon which an allowance has been granted, and the amount granted in each year to the Officers who made the Surcharge, and also the amount upon which no allowance has been granted to the Officers, with the cause thereof, if the same can be stated.

Receivers General.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House, an Account of the Salaries and Expenses paid to the several Receivers General of Land and Assessed Taxes in England in the last year; stating when and how the Money collected is remitted to the Exchequer; also, a Statement of the dates to which the last Accounts of each Receiver General have been audited, and the discharge given.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House, a Return of the amount of Balances or Debts now outstanding and due by former Receivers General; stating the amount of Debt at first due, and the date thereof; also, what repayments have been made.

Marines.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House, an Account of the Establishment of the Royal Marines, with the Pay and Allowance of each class, and a Statement of the Contingent Expenses of every kind, showing the total Expenditure for the past year on account of that Corps.

Petition for reduction of Taxes.

A Petition of Owners and Occupiers of land, and others, in the parish of Fressingfield, in the hundred of Hoxne, in the county of Suffolk, was presented, and read; setting forth, That at this time very serious distress prevails amongst the Petitioners, in common with all other classes of the community, and which, if not alleviated by a timely attention of the House, will shortly absorb in its progress every interest necessary to the existence of the various relations, agricultural, commercial and political, as now constituted in this United Kingdom; but the Petitioners take leave respectfully to repeat to the House, that in their opinion the remission of no individual tax will ultimately be found to answer the emergency of the country; and praying the House to adopt in future the utmost vigilance over the expenditure of the state, so as, by economizing the finances, to be able to afford the country as soon as possible a relief of taxation commensurate with its positive and unexceptionable wants; and the Petitioners further anticipate, with much anxiety, the attention of the House to a relaxation of the Game, and a revision of the Poor Laws, and such other alteration in the present system of legislation, as the unhappy condition of the country imperatively requires.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Papers, presented: Canada. No. 73.

Sir George Murray presented to the House,-A Return to an Address to His Majesty, dated the 5th day of June, in the last Session of Parliament, for Copies or Extracts of any Communications between the Colonial Office and the Governors of Upper and Lower Canada, in pursuance of the recommendations of the Canada Committee.

Colonial Acts.

Further Return to an Address to His Majesty, dated the 27th day of February 1828, for Copies of all Public Acts and Proceedings of the Legislative Assemblies, printed by the several Colonies.

Ordered, That the said Returns do lie upon the Table; and that the Return relative to Canada be printed.

Petition for reduction of Duties on West India Produce.

A Petition of several West India Planters and Merchants, was presented, and read; setting forth, That the Proprietors of estates in the British West India Colonies are suffering under the pressure of general and extreme distress, and the emergency is so great, as to threaten destruction to the Colonies themselves and to those sources of trade which have had so great an influence in rearing, extending and maintaining the commercial importance of the United Kingdom; that from diligent inquiry, the Petitioners are of opinion that material relief will be afforded by a reduction of the Duties on the staple articles of Sugar and Rum; and praying, That such an ample reduction may be made in the Duties on both those articles as will ensure both to the grower and consumer of them a participation in the relief.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Petition from Sheffield for extension of Elective Franchise.

A Petition of several Inhabitants of Sheffield, convened by public advertisement at the Townhall, the 19th day of February 1830, was presented, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners admire the free Constitution of their country, being firmly persuaded that a Representative Government is the foundation as well as the best palladium of its liberties; but the Petitioners deeply regret that so admirable a Constitution is in practice defective, inasmuch as many large places which have recently grown into wealth and importance have not been admitted to the enjoyment of the elective franchise, while many possessing it are now decayed and depopulated, so that a few individuals possess the influence intended by the wisdom of our ancestors to be enjoyed by numerous respectable communities, and the imposition of Taxes has fallen into the hands of persons, some of whom appear not to have sufficient sympathy with the great body of the nation; that the place with which the Petitioners are connected, now comprising about eighty thousand inhabitants, has a just claim to be directly represented in the House by deputies of its own choice, to whom its extensive and increasing interests may be particularly and confidently intrusted, especially as the Members for the county of York have, from its great extent and important business, such laborious duties to discharge, that they cannot reasonably be expected minutely to attend to the local interests of any particular place; the Petitioners therefore humbly pray, That the elective franchise may be extended to the town of Sheffield as well as other large and intelligent districts, accompanied with such regulations as may shorten the period of elections, and provide for the orderly and incorrupt exercise of the great duty of choosing Representatives in Parliament.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Motion respecting extension of Elective Franchise.

The House was moved, That the entry in the Journal of the House of the 19th day of March 1821, of the third reading of the ingrossed Bill, to exclude the Borough of Grampound, in the County of Cornwall, from sending Burgesses to serve in Parliament; and to enable the Borough of Leeds, in the County of York, to send two Burgesses to serve in Parliament in lieu thereof, might be read; and the same was read.

The House was also moved, That the entry in the Journal of the House of the 22d day of June 1827, of the second reading of the Bill for excluding the Borough of East Retford from electing Burgesses to serve in Parliament; and to enable the Town of Birmingham to return two Representatives to Parliament in lieu thereof, might be read; and the same was read.

The House was also moved, That the entry in the Journal of the House of the 31st day of March 1828, of the third reading of the ingrossed Bill to exclude the Borough of Penryn, in the County of Cornwall, from sending Members to serve in Parliament; and to enable the Town of Manchester, in the County Palatine of Lancaster, with certain Townships adjoining, to send two Burgesses to serve in Parliament, might be read; and the same being read;

And a Motion being made, and the Question being proposed, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to enable the Towns of Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham to return Representatives to serve in Parliament;

An Amendment was proposed to be made to the Question, by leaving out from the word "That" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words, "it is expedient that all Boroughs in which gross and notorious corruption shall be proved to prevail extensively, shall cease to return Members to serve in Parliament; that the right of returning Members to serve in Parliament so taken from any Borough which shall have been proved to have been guilty of Bribery and Corruption, should be given to some great unrepresented Town, or to some of the largest Counties; and that it is the duty of this House to consider of further means to detect and prevent corruption in the Election of Members of Parliament," instead thereof.

And the Question being put, That the words proposed to be left out, stand part of the Question;

And the House having continued to sit till after twelve of the clock on Wednesday morning;

Mercurii, 24 die Februarii, 1830:

It was resolved in the Affirmative.

Then the main question being put, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to enable the Towns of Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham to return Representatives to serve in Parliament;

So it passed in the Negative.

Committee on Fees of Clerks of the Peace, appointed.

Ordered, That a Select Committee be appointed to inquire into the Fees, Charges and Emoluments of the Clerks of the Peace, and the Clerks of Assize, in England and Wales, and to report their observations thereupon, together with the Minutes of the Evidence taken before them, from time to time, to the House:-And a Committee was appointed of Sir James Graham, Mr. Secretary Peel, Lord Viscount Althorp, Lord Viscount Lowther, Mr. Dickinson, Sir Thomas Acland, Sir Thomas Fremantle, Mr. Portman, Mr. William Duncombe, Sir Thomas Baring, Lord Stanley, Sir Edward Knatchbull, Mr. Robert Clive, Mr. Pendarves, Mr. Littleton, Mr. William Cavendish, Mr. Estcourt, Mr. Lawley, Lord Viscount Eastnor, Mr. Sturges Bourne, Mr. Bonham Carter, Lord Granville Somerset, Mr. Ashhurst, Mr. Robert Palmer, Mr. Evelyn Denison, Mr. Legh Keck, Mr. Lamb, Sir Thomas Gooch, Mr. Cartwright: And they are to meet To-morrow, in the Speaker's Chamber; and have Power to send for persons papers and records.

Ordered, That Five be the Quorum of the Committee.

Committe on County Palatine of Durham Bill.

The House, according to Order, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, upon the Bill for extending certain Provisions of an Act of the eighth year of Queen Anne, "for the better security of Rents, and to prevent Frauds committed by Tenants," regarding Executions to certain process in use within the County Palatine of Durham and Sadberge; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair; and Mr. Greene reported from the Committee, That they had gone through the Bill, and made several Amendments thereunto.

Ordered, That the Report be received this day.

Report Supply deferred.

The Order of the day being read for receiving the Report from the Committee of the whole House, to whom it was referred, to consider further of the Supply granted to His Majesty;

Ordered, That the Report be received To-morrow.

Limerick Hospital Bill, presented.

Mr. Spring Rice presented a Bill for the Management and Direction of the Hospital founded by Joseph Barrington and his Sons, in the city of Limerick: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time.

Limerick and Charleville Road Bill, presented.

Mr. Spring Rice presented a Bill for improving and repairing the Road leading from Newcastle, in the County of Limerick, to the City of Limerick, and from thence to Charleville, in the County of Cork: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time.

Consolidated Fund Bill. presented.

Mr. Dawson presented a Bill to apply certain Sums of Money out of the Consolidated Fund, and from the Aids granted for the year One thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine, to the Service of the year One thousand eight hundred and thirty: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time this day.

Order for Tiverton Roads Bill, discharged.

The House was moved, That the Petition of several Trustees of the Tiverton Roads, praying for leave to bring in a Bill for repairing and improving the Roads leading to and from Tiverton, in the County of Devon, which was presented to the House upon Friday last, might be read; and the same was read.

The House was also moved, That the Order made on the same day, for leave to bring in a Bill accordingly, might be read; and the same being read;

Ordered, That the said Order be discharged.

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to a Committee:-And it is referred to Sir Thomas Acland, &c.: And they are to meet To-morrow, in the Speaker's Chamber; and have Power to send for persons papers and records.

And then the House, having continued to sit till half an hour after one of the clock on Wednesday morning, adjourned till this day.