than by saying that they had run away | Russell, Lord J. Russell, Lord E. was embarrassed-what was his state- the farmers? The House divided:-Ayes 122; Noes 254: Majority 132. Turner, E. Stuart, Lord J. Wrightson, W. B. Tufnell, H. TELLERS. Martin, J. Boldero, H. G. Maule, rt. hon. F. Crawford, W. S. Mitcalfe, H. Botfield, B. Dalmeny, Lord Bowes, J. Bowles, Adm. Muntz, G. F. Boyd, J. Murray, A. Chetwode, Sir J. Christopher, R. A. Clements, Visct. Clifton, J. T. Clive, Visct. Clive, hon. R. H. Cockburn, rt.hn.Sir G. Codrington, Sir W. Davies, D. A. S. Darby, G. Dawnay, hon. W. H. Deedes, W. Denison, W. J. Denison, E. B. Dennistoun, J. D'Eyncourt,rt.hn.C.T. Mitchell, T. A. Napier, Sir C. Osborne, R. Duff, J. Duncan, Visct. Duncan, G. Duncannon, Visct. Ord, W. Duncombe, T. Dundas, F. Paget, Lord A. Dundas, D. Parker, J. Easthope, Sir J. Pattison, J. Ebrington, Visct. Philips, G. R. Ellice, rt. hon. E. Ellice, E. Ellis, W. Elphinstone, II. Etwall, R. Ewart, W. Rice, E. R. Fielden, J. Philips, M. Ponsonby, hn. C.F.C. Hamilton, C. J. B. Neeld, J. Neeld, J. Hamilton, J. H. Hamilton, G. A. Hamilton, W. J. Hamilton, Lord C. Hampden, R. Hanmer, Sir J. Harcourt, G. G. Harris, hon. Capt. Hayes, Sir E. Heathcote, G. J. Heneage, E. Heneage, G. H. W. Hepburn, Sir T. B. Herbert, rt. hn. S. Holmes, hn. W. A'C. Hornby, J. Howard, P. H. Hughes, W. B. Newdegate, C. N. Palmer, R. Palmer, G. Pennant, hon. Col. Smollett, A. Adjourned at half-past two o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Wednesday, June 11, 1845. MINUTES.] BILLS. Public.-10. Arrestment of Wages (Scotland) (No. 2). 2o. Dog Stealing; County Rates. Reported. Sheffield Waterworks; Manchester and Birmingham Railway (Ashton Branch); Ashton, Stalybridge, and Liverpool Junction Railway (Ardwick and Guide Bridge Branches); Newport and Pontypool Railway; Lyme Regis Improvement, Market and Waterworks; Chester and Birkenhead Railway Extension; Lynn and Dereham Railway; London and Brighton Railway (Horsham Branch). 3o and passed :-Newcastle and Berwick Railway; Manchester Improvement; Manchester Court of Record (No. 2); Bridgewater Navigation and Railway. PETITIONS PRESENTED. By Mr. C. Bruce, from Members of the Presbytery of Elgin, against Grant to Maynooth College. By Mr. Loch, from Merchants, Shipowners, and others, Members of the Wick and Pultenham Chamber of Commerce, for Reduction of Tolls and Dues levied by Lighthouses.-From Kirkeaton and Holmfirth, for Inquiry into the Anatomy Act.-By Mr. Bright, Mr. Busfeild, and Mr. Cowper, from a great number of places, in favour of the Ten Hours System in Factories.-By Sir H. Halford, from Framework Knitters of Derby and Leicester, praying for Relief.-By Mr. F. R. Kelly, Mr. Bankes, and Mr. Henley, from Guardians of several Poor Law Unions, against Parochial Settlement Bill.-By Sir H. Halford, Mr. Mitcalfe, Mr. Labouchere, and Mr. Stansfield, from several places, for Alteration of Physic and Surgery Bill.-By Mr. H. Drummond, from Kinnoul, for Alteration of Poor Law Amendment (Scotland) Bill By Mr. Philips, from Manchester, Salford, and other places, for Alteration of Law relating to the Sale of Beer.-By Mr. Liddell, from Trustees of Nathaniel Lord Carew, late Bishop of Durham, against Salmon Fisheries Bill. DOG STEALING BILL] Mr. Liddell moved the Second Reading of the Dog Stealing Bill, the object of which was to make dog stealing a misdemeanor, and to visit the second offence with transportation for seven years. Mr. Hume objected to several provisions of the Bill, as opening the door to great oppression. He begged to move that the Bill be read a second time that day six months. Captain Berkeley supported the Bill. Mr. Warburton opposed the Bill, as awarding punishments disproportioned to the offence, and as being inconsistent with the mild spirit of recent legislation. enormous extent, O'Brien, A. S. Sir J. Graham said, he believed it was | Newry, Visct. well known that dog stealing was carried on in this city to an and it was also known that the present Police Act was quite insufficient for its prevention. The possession of a dog was a possession recognised in law; and, although he was not prepared to support all the provisions of the present Bill, he felt that he should act consistently with his duty in giving his support to the second reading. Mr. Watson said, that, as the law stood at present, dog stealing could not be made the subject of an indictment for larceny: but it was punishable with fine, imprisonment and whipping, and surely that was enough to protect the pug-dogs of the old ladies of England. Mr. B. Escott said, that the object of this Bill was to obliterate the wise distinctions made by the law of England, and to do so in the most cruel manner. He hoped there would be a division, and that the House would reject this ignorant and meddling attempt at legislation. Sir G. Strickland felt opposed to the Bill. However, he thought that there were some clauses in it which aided the operations of the existing law. The House divided on the Question that the Bill be now read a second time :-Ayes 67; Noes 23: Majority 44. List of the AYES. Aglionby, H. A. Forman, T. S. Gladstone, Capt. Gore, M. Sutton, hon. H. M. Baine, W. List of Escott, B. Bill read a second time. THE COUNTY RATES BILL.] Sir J. Y. Buller, moving the Second Reading of the County Rates Bill, explained that the object of it was to enable magistrates in quarter sesssions to appoint committees from their own body to go from place to place, and to obtain information and returns, in order to equalize county rates. He avowed, that his measure was intended to make general the practice prevailing in Cumberland, and in some other counties. When the rates had been thus prepared, they were to be submitted to the quarter sessions for approval. The principle of rating was the same as in the Poor Law Act. Mr. M. Gibson contended, that local taxation of this kind ought to be taken up by Government, and dealt with on a com Graham, rt. hn. Sir J. prehensive scale. The Reports of Com Greene, T. Grimsditch, T. Third missioners showed that the whole local taxation of the kingdom was in a most complicated state, and required to be simplified. The Bill before the House would do little or nothing towards the remedy of existing evils, and still left the whole pover of rating in the hands of justices, who were themselves parties deeply interested. He complained also that the principle of rating was unjust, inasmuch as it made house and town property pay at least twice as much as land. Mr. Darby did not object to the Bill going into Committee, nor did he agree with the objections of the hon. Member for Manchester. In particular, he thought that what the hon. Member said about the difference between the assessment of land | siderable extent. It was the nearest apand house property was altogether un- proximation that could be made to an equal founded. The land was always assessed system of rating, without having recourse to its full value, while houses were allowed to a new survey altogether. The hon. a considerable deduction for repairs. That Gentleman spoke of the magistrates not was a general principle all over the country. being trustworthy managers of the funds. At the same time he thought the Bill, He believed, on the other hand, that under from its cumbrous machinery, with regard their care the rates were faithfully and to appeals, would give rise to an enormous carefully managed. Perfect publicity was expense. He admitted the great difficulties given to every part of their transactions, of the subject, and he should have been and considerable scrutiny took place into surprised if its promoters had been able their details. He would go on to say, that wholly to overcome them. He would not, the inagistrates were the persons who contherefore, object to the Bill going into tributed most largely to those rates, and Committee, pro forma, though he should had the greatest interest in keeping down probably object to some of its details at a the expenditure. At the same time he future period. must observe, that the whole subject of local taxation must shortly come before the House. The Report made on that subject by the Poor Law Commissioners was a most valuable one; and, looking to the facts brought out there-to the fact that in some places twenty-two different rates were levied-it was plain it would become the duty of the Government to look at the subject as a whole. He was satisfied, if that were the case, that a large saving would be effected. Still, he saw nothing in this Bill that would prevent that, and, therefore, he would support its second reading. Mr. Brotherton thought there ought to be a uniform system of rating adopted all over the country; but he did not object to this Bill going into Committee. Mr. Henley approved generally of the measure, and thought its promoters were entitled to the thanks of the House for bringing it forward. Mr. Hume wished that a Bill of a more comprehensive nature should be brought forward; and by the Government. He had formerly brought a general measure on this question forward, and he was then told that it was the business of Government to deal with such large questions, and he was, therefore, obliged to withdraw it. He hoped the right hon. Baronet, when he had leisure, would turn his attention to this subject. When that took place, he trusted, some provision would be made for the ratepayers having some control over the funds which they contributed. also wished that some provision should be made for auditing the accounts of the magistrates. At present they were the only parties in the kingdom whose accounts were unaudited by persons separate from themselves. He Sir J. Graham said, the hon. Gentleman was a hard taskmaster. On a late occasion the noble Lord the Member for London reproached the Government with discouraging legislation by private Members. Here was an attempt to legislate on a practical question by private Members; and the hon. Gentleman reproached the Government with not having taken the subject into their own hands. With regard to the present measure he did not consider it as professing to deal with the whole question of county rates; but still it was a measure which would benefit the counties to a con Mr. M. Gibson said, as his objections were to the details, he would not oppose the second reading. Bill read a second time. SMOKE PROHIBITION.] House in Committee on the Smoke Prohibition Bill. On the 1st Clause, Mr. Hawes suggested that the 1st Clause relative to the appointment of inspectors, be postponed till the Bill of the noble Lord (Lord Lincoln) with regard to nuisances in towns was laid before the House, as probably the same inspectors would do for both objects. Mr. Mackinnon said, if they postponed this clause, it was equivalent to postponing the Bill altogether. He proposed to appoint the inspectors, subject to the regulations contained in the noble Lord's Bill. The Earl of Lincoln did not think that the measure he was about to propose regarding the health of towns, would at all facilitate the present measure, as that Bill was to be entirely of a permissive nature, leaving it with the local authorities whether they would adopt it or not. He thought, however, it would be better to omit this Mr. Aglionby thought an inspector would be of use; for, if no person were appointed to look after the matter, what was every body's business would be nobody's. Mr. Mackinnon said, the object he had in appointing inspectors was this:-Suppose a gentleman annoyed with smoke from his neighbour in the country, he might not like to prefer a complaint, but he could mention the matter to the inspector, who would at once take it up. House counted out, and adjourned at half-past seven o'clock. HOUSE OF LORDS, MINUTES.] BILLS. Public.-1. Landlord and Te nant. 3a and passed:-Bail in Error. Private.-1 Dundee and Perth Railway; Manchester Improvement; Manchester Court of Record; Newcastle and Berwick Railway; Bridgewater Navigation and Rail way; Clydesdale Junction Railway; Newcastle-uponTyne Coal Turn; Caledonian Railway; Simmonds' Di vorce. 2. Lutwidge's (or Fletcher's) Estate; Bowes' Estate; clause, as the subsequent clauses gave | cases the party who expended the money. power to any parties who felt aggrieved had no security for due compensation. by the nuisances, to obtain a remedy, with- Steps should also be taken to counteract out having recourse to an inspector. the evil consequences on leases for lives, of which remarkable examples were to be met with in all parts of the country. Their Lordships were not unaware of the difficulties which the Committee, which had sat during the last Session of Parliament to inquire into the subject, had experienced; and he must express his conviction of the almost impossibility of finding a remedy to meet the various evils connected with the question. He thought, however, that the best mode to be adopted was by means of agreements entered into by landlords and tenants, which should be equally binding on the heir of the parties and the purchaser of the land. One of the evils of the present system was the gradual expiration of leases for life, as it prevented the improvement of the estate. Leases for life held under private individuals and under the Ecclesiastical Commissioners were subject to similar evils; for in most instances the tenant who made improvements had no security that he or his family would reap the advantage. The chance of compensation ought not to be dependent upon the honour of a landlord or the character of his family; but a tenant ought to have a legal certainty, that if he spent money upon another man's property he should have a distinct return for it; and the only two methods of securing that were by well-arranged leases and the law. He felt considerable difficulty in addressing their Lordships after the statement of his noble Friend (Lord Stanley) on Monday evening. There was this great difference between his (Lord Portman's) Bill and that of his noble Friend-that whereas the Bill he now presented to their Lordships contained only four clauses, that proposed by his noble Friend contained a much greater number. Their Lordships, it would be recollected, had assented to the principle of the Bill of his noble Friend, and agreed to refer it to a Select Committee; but in Committee he was convinced it would not be found practicable to proceed with the Bill, as in providing for the evils it was intended to remedy, it would inevitably produce others of still greater magnitude. He felt that the great evil to be remedied was, that at present there was no law which gave to the tenant who improved the property of his landlord any security Claughton-cum-Grange (St. Andrew's) Church; Claughton-cum-Grange (St. John the Baptist's) Church; Kid welly Inclosure; Whitby and Pickering Railway; Lynn and Ely Railway; Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Chester borough); Leeds and West Riding Junction Railway; Blackburn, Darwen, and Bolton Railway; Edinburgh and Hawick Railway; North British Railway; Yarmouth and Norwich Railway. PETITIONS PRESENTED. By Bishop of Ey, from Borden, and Kirton in Lindsey, for Alteration of Sale of Beer Act.-From Winterton, for the Suppression of Intemper ance, especially on the Sabbath.-By Bishop of Ely, from Watton, for the Better Observance of the Sabbath. -By Bishop of Ely, from Broxholme, and North Carlton, and from Gravesend, against Increase of Grant to Maynooth College. LANDLORD AND TENANT LAW AMENDMENT BILL.] Lord Portman laid on the Table a Bill for giving compensation to tenants in England for improvements effected by them in certain cases. He considered that it was necessary to make provision that tenants should be compensated for improvements effected by them on estates of minors, or estates held of ecclesiastical corporations, or on estates managed by the Court of Chancery; for in all these |