LAND DRAINAGE SUPPLEMENTAL BILL. On Motion of Mr. BARING, Bill to confirm a Provisional Order under "The Land Drainage Act, 1861," ordered to be brought in by Mr. BARING and Sir GEORGE GREY. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Monday, April 30, 1866. Bill presented, and read the first time. [Bill 125.] MINUTES.]-NEW WRITS ISSUED-For Sand INCLOSURE BILL. On Motion of Mr. BARING, Bill to authorize the Inclosure of certain Lands, in pursuance of a Report of the Inclosure Commissioners for England and Wales, ordered to be brought in by Mr. BARING and Sir GEORGE GREY. Bill presented, and read the first time. [Bill 126.] NATIONAL GALLERY ENLARGEMENT BILL. On Motion of Mr. WILLIAM COWPER, Bill to provide for the acquisition of a site for the Enlargement of the National Gallery, ordered to be brought in by Mr. WILLIAM COWPER and Mr. CHILDERS. Bill presented, and read the first time. [Bill 124.] DEAN FOREST INCLOSURE BILL. On Motion of Mr. CHILDERS, Bill to Inclose certain portions of the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, ordered to be brought in by Mr. CHILDERS and Mr. WILLIAM COWPER. House adjourned at a quarter before Four o'clock, till Monday next. HOUSE OF LORDS, MINUTES.-Took the Oath-The Marquess of PUBLIC BILLS-First Reading-Superannuations (Officers Metropolitan Vestries and District Boards) (91); Selling and Hawking Goods on Sunday (92). Committee-Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) *(85 & 86); Poor Persons' Burial (Ireland)* (77). Report-Sale of Land by Auction * (89). Third Reading-Public Offices (Site) * (67), and pissed. Regal Assent-Art [29 Vict. c. 16]; Cattle Sheds in Burghs (Scotland) [29 Vict. c. 17]; Forsyth's Indemnity [29 Vict. c. 20]; Parliamentary Oaths Amendment [29 Vict. c. 19]; East India Military, &c., Funds Transfer [29 Vict. c. 18]. SELLING AND HAWKING GOODS ON SUNDAY BILL [H.L.] A Bill to Amend the Laws relating to Selling and Hawking Goods on Sunday-Was presented by The LORD CHELMSFORD; read 1". (No. 92.) Their Lordships met, and having gone through the business on the Paper without Debate, House adjourned at Six o'clock, till To-morrow, half past Ten o'clock. wich, v. Lord Clarence Edward Paget, Chil. tern Hundreds; for Reading, v. George John Shaw Lefevre, esquire, Commissioner of the Admiralty; for Devon (Northern Division), Hon. Charles Henry Rolle Trefusis, now Lord Clinton. SELECT COMMITTEE-On Art Union Laws nominated; On Edinburgh Annuity Tax Abolition, 1860, and Canongate Annuity Tax Act appointed. SUPPLY-considered in Committee CIVIL SER VICE ESTIMATES-Class I.-Public Works and Buildings. Class II.-Salaries and Expenses of Public Departments. Class III.-Law and Justice. PUBLIC BILLS-Ordered-Tenure and Improvement of Land (Ireland). First Reading-Dean Forest (Walmore and the Bearce Commons) [129]; Tenure and Improvement of Land (Ireland) [130]. Committee-Lunacy Acts (Scotland) Amendment* [127]; Harbour Loans [112]; Hop Trade [128]. Report-Lunacy Acts (Scotland) Amendment* [127]; Harbour Loans [112]; Hop Trade [128]. Third Reading- Contagious Diseases * [78]. MR. SPEAKER'S ILLNESS. The House being informed by Mr. Speaker, that he had received notice that a Commission to give Her Majesty's Royal Assent to certain Acts of Parliament is ordered for this day, and that, being still disabled from attending with the House in the House of Peers, he should be obliged, by permission of the House, to withdraw before the arrival of the Usher of the Black Rod: Resolved, That during the temporary absence of Mr. Speaker from the House, this day, for the reason stated by him, the Chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means do take the Chair as Deputy Speaker, and do attend with the House in the House of Peers, and do report to the House the Royal Assent to the said Acts. (Mr. Charles Forster.) Mr. SPEAKER withdrew from the House, and Mr. DODSON, the Chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means, took the Chair as Deputy Speaker, pursuant to the Resolution of this day. Mr. DEPUTY SPEAKER reported the Royal Assent to several Bills. Whereupon Mr. SPEAKER returned to the House, and resumed the Chair. BANBURY ELECTION. House informed, that the Committee had determined, That Bernhard Samuelson, esquire, is duly elected a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Banbury. And the said Determination was ordered to be entered in the Journals of this House. House further informed, That the Committee had agreed to the following Resolution : That Bernhard Samuelson, esquire, was not disqualified to be elected and returned to sit in Parliament by reason of his being an alien. Report to lie upon the Table. NORTHALLERTON ELECTION. House informed, that the Committee had determined,— That Charles Henry Mills, esquire, is not duly elected a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Northallerton. That the last Election for the said Borough is a void Election. And the said Determinations were ordered to be entered in the Journals of this House. House further informed, That the Committee had agreed to the following Resolutions : That Charles Henry Mills, esquire, was, by his Agents, guilty of bribery at the last Election for the Borough of Northallerton. | and Henry Barrett in a sum of £20 to vote for the said W. H. Leatham, esquire. That William Hodgson was bribed by Henry Barrett in a sum of £15 to vote for the said W. H. Leatham, esquire. That Edward Morrison was offered £25 by Henry Barrett to vote for the said W. H. Leatham, esquire. That Thomas Holroyd was offered £5 by William Speight either to vote for the said W. H. Leatham, esquire, or to abstain from voting. That J. Batson Rhodes was offered £20 to vote for the said W. H. Leatham, esquire, or £10 to abstain from voting. That Charles Batty was offered £20 to vote for the said W. H. Leatham, esquire, by George Kenworthy. That Henry Barrett has absconded. That it was not proved that any or either of the above acts were committed with the know ledge or consent of the said W. H. Leatham, esquire, or with the knowledge or consent of any of his Agents. That there is no reason to believe that corrupt practices have extensively prevailed at the last Election for the said Borough. Report to lie upon the Table. KING'S COUNTY ELECTION. House informed, that the Committee had determined, That Sir Patrick O'Brien, baronet, is duly That it was proved to the Committee that at elected a Knight of the Shire to serve in this the last Election for the Borough of Northaller-present Parliament for the King's County, and ton, Thomas Fowle, the Agent of the said Charles the said Determination was ordered to be entered Henry Mills, offered Thomas Lightfoot a valuable in the Journals of this House. consideration to influence his vote. That it was also proved to the Committee that at the last Election for the Borough of Northallerton, Thomas Fowle, the Agent for the said Charles Henry Mills, offered James Archer a valuable consideration to influence his vote. That it was not proved to the Committee that the aforesaid acts of bribery were committed with the knowledge and consent of the said Charles Henry Mills. That it was not proved to the Committee that treating or other corrupt practices prevailed extensively at the last Election for the Borough of Northallerton. Report to lie upon the Table. WAKEFIELD ELECTION. IRELAND-OFFICIAL OATHS. QUESTION. MR. MAGUIRE said, he wished to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether it is the intention of the Government, now that the Oaths hitherto taken by Members of Parliament have been replaced by a simple and uniform Oath, to introduce a Bill in the present Session to substitute a similar form of Oath for that now required to be taken by all persons accepting municipal or other offices in Ireland? MR. O'REILLY said, he would beg to supplement the question by asking whether the Government will abolish the Oath of Allegiance now taken by others than persons holding office in Ireland, and substi House informed, that the Committee tute a new Oath of Allegiance? had determined, That William Henry Leatham, esquire, is duly elected a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Wakefield. And the said Determination was ordered to be entered in the Journals of this House. House further informed, That the Committee had agreed to the following Resolutions : That it was proved to the Committee, that Samuel Fieldhouse was bribed by Thomas Gosney MR. CHICHESTER FORTESCUE said, in reply, that the Government did not propose to introduce any Bill at present for the object mentioned by the hon. Members; but they proposed and had decided to issue a Commission for the purpose of inquiring into the oaths taken in this country, of reviewing them, and of deciding what oaths ought to be altered, as contain ing anything unnecessary or objectionable. He might add that the inquiry would include the case to which the question of the hon. Member for Longford (Mr. O'Reilly), appeared to refer-namely, oaths taken by the students of Maynooth. METROPOLITAN POOR-GUARDIANS OF CLERKENWELL.-QUESTION. MR. KINNAIRD said, he would beg to ask the President of the Poor Law Board, If the promised measure for amending the administration of the Poor Law Board in the Metropolis will give proper controlling power to the Poor Law Board over the parishes at present governed under local Acts; whether it will abolish the election of guardians for life, and if he knows whether the guardians of Clerkenwell have discontinued that ill-treatment of paupers which has been repeatedly commented on in the public press? MR. ̊C. P. VILLIERS said, in reply, that a measure amending the administration of the Poor Law would be shortly laid upon the table of the House, in which provision will be made as far as it is practicable, to give effect to the recommendations of the Committee that recently reported to the House on the subject. With regard to the Clerkenwell union he was able to say that the guardians had obtained, and now occupy, new wards apart from the workhouse for the accommodation of the homeless poor, by which the mismanagement complained of will cease in future. TRAFFIC IN THE METROPOLIS. QUESTION. MR. OWEN STANLEY said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If, in accordance with the Special Report of the City Traffic Committee, the Commissioners of Police in their respective districts, have been instructed by the Secretary of State for the Home Department to submit regulations for the trafpartment to submit regulations for the traffic of the Metropolis? SIR GEORGE GREY said, in reply, that his hon. Friend must have misunderstood the purport of the Report of the Committee. They reported that the Bill was too limited in its operation, but they recommended that a general measure should be proposed which should regulate the traffic throughout the metropolis. It would be the duty of the Government to prepare a Bill for this purpose, but regulations VOL. CLXXXIII. (THIRD SERIES.] could have no force without Parliamentary sanction. MR. OWEN STANLEY said, he wished to know whether the Government itself intend to take charge of the Bill? SIR GEORGE GREY said, that was their intention in accordance with the statement he had already made. RECIPROCITY TREATIES. QUESTION. MR. LAYARD said, he would beg to ask his hon. Friend the Member for Stockport, who had a Notice on the Paper relating to Reciprocity Treaties, to have the goodness to postpone it, and give notice of the terms of the Resolution he proposed. MR. WATKIN, in reply, said, his complaint was that a treaty involving a trade of £10,000,000 sterling and certain fishery and navigation rights had been allowed to terminate without a single scrap of information being laid before the House. He should be very sorry, however, although his notice had been on the Paper for several weeks, to give any inconvenience to the hon. Gentleman. He would, therefore, postpone it for the present, and place on the Paper a copy of the Resolution he propose to move, fixing another day when a discussion could take place on the subject. OATHS OF MEMBERS.-RESOLUTION. SIR GEORGE GREY: Sir, the Parliamentary Oaths Bill having received the Royal Assent, it becomes necessary for the House without delay to make some regu lation in regard to the manner in which Members shall take their seats in this House. The Act which required seats to be taken between the hours of nine in the morning and four in the afternoon has been repealed, and it was provided that the manner of taking the oaths should be regulated by Standing Orders to be made by each House of Parliament. I therefore Propose the Resolution of which I have given notice, with a view to give effect to this provision of the law. The effect will be that seats may be taken at any time before public business-meaning thereby the Orders of the Day and Notices of Motions-has been entered upon or after it has been disposed of, not allowing the public business to be interrupted for that purpose. I beg to move the following Resolution : "That Members may take and subscribe the Oath required by Law at any time during the sitting of the House, before the Orders of the Day G |