officers to the new offices created under the | from 88 to 107, both inclusive, should Act, and the apparent discrepancy between either be postponed by the Attorney the two salaries arose out of this circum- General or Progress should be reported.

RELIGIOUS, &c., BUILDINGS (SITES)
BILL-(No. 68.)

(The Lord Cranworth.)

SECOND READING.

Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.

LORD CRANWORTH, in moving that the Bill be now read the second time, stated that its object was to enable religious and charitable or scientific societies to acquire land for the purposes of their buildings not exceeding two acres in extent without being obliged to comply with the provisions of the Mortmain Act.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR said, he would not oppose the Bill, which, however, seemed very carelessly drawn, and would require considerable amendment in Committee. If it were not amended it would apply to dispositions made by will. He thought also it would be absolutely necessary that all deeds conveying land for such purposes to such societies should be enrolled, and should move a clause to that effect in Committee.

Motion agreed to: Bill read 2o, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Tuesday next.

MUTINY BILL.

(The Earl of Longford.)

SECOND READING.

hands of courts martial, and these powers were quite as necessary for the protection of the citizen as for the restraint of the soldier. Law and custom had selected corporal punishment as the mode in which these summary powers should be exercised in preference to carrying into execution sentences of death, which might be the alternative. He did not think it would be judicious at this moment to weaken the authority of those who were responsible for the discipline of the army by abolishing corporal punishment; but their Lordships might rest satisfied that it would only be resorted to when necessity demanded.

Motion agreed to: Bill read 2*, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next.

VICE ADMIRALTY COURTS ACT AMENDMENT

BILL [H.L.]

A Bill to extend and amend the Vice Admiralty Courts Act, 1863-Was presented by The LORD CHANCELLOR; read 1a. (No. 71.)

CLERICAL VESTMENTS BILL [H.L.]
Bill, by Leave of the House, withdrawn.

CLERICAL VESTMENTS (NO. 2) BILL [H.L.]

A Bill for better enforcing Uniformity in the Clerical Vestments and Ornaments to be worn by Ministers of the United Church of England and Ireland in the Performance of Public WorshipWas presented by The Earl of SHAFTESBURY; read

Order of the Day for the Second Read-1. (No. 72). ing read.

THE EARL OF LONGFORD, in moving that the Bill be now read the second time, said, that some formal alterations had been made in the Bill at the instance of the Judge Advocate General, which it would not be necessary to detail; but on the 22nd clause, by which the infliction of corporal punishment was governed, considerable discussion had taken place in the other House, and after some contradictory decision, a new clause had been substituted for that contained in the usual annual Bill. The effect would be to limit the infliction of corporal punishment in time of peace to two offences only-mutiny, and insubordination accompanied by personal violence. He should be very glad himself, as everybody else would be, if corporal punishment could be dispensed with altogether. Like capital punishment, it could only be supported as a painful necessity. The preamble of the Bill explained in reasonable language why summary powers should be placed in the

HOUSE

House adjourned at half past Five o'clock, to Monday next, Eleven o'clock

OF COMMONS,

Friday, April 5, 1867. MINUTES.]-NEW WRIT ISSUED-For Middlesex, v. Robert Culling Hanbury, esquire, deceased. WAYS AND MEANS -Resolutions [April 4] reported. PUBLIC BILLS-Resolutions in Committee—National Debt Acts-(£24,000,000) Consolidated Fund.

Ordered-Arrest for Debt (Ireland)*; Education
of the Poor.*

First Reading-Arrest for Debt (Ireland)* [110];
Education of the Poor* [111].

Second Reading-Marine Mutiny; Fortifications
(Provision for Expenses) [104], Debate
Committee-Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act (1851)
adjourned.
Amendment * [87].

Report-Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act
Amendment [87].
Considered as amended-Canada Railway
[99]; Criminal Law * [8].
Third Reading-Canada Railway Loan
Sale and Purchase of Shares [103],
passed.

(1851) | dition of this company to go to arbitration
Loan *
was the only just way of dealing with it.
Unless arbitration took place there would
be hopeless and endless litigation.

[99];
and

LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER

RAILWAY (No. 3) BILL.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Standing Orders of this House, Nos. 18, 38, and 40, be suspended in the case of the Petition for the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway (No. 3) Bill."-(Mr. Thomas Hughes.)

MR. THOMAS HUGHES moved that the Standing Orders of this House, Nos. 18, COLONEL WILSON PATTEN said, that 38, and 40, be suspended in the case of the the company had come before the StandPetition for this Bill. He said, that the ing Orders Committee on the 27th of March Standing Orders Committee had objected without having given due notice to the that the promoters of the Bill, a section of several parties who were interested in the the debenture-holders of this company, had passing of the Bill. It was the duty of not given proper notice to the parties whose that Committee to take care that persons interests this Bill affected; but the cir- who were likely to be affected by the legiscumstances which gave rise to the Bill lation of the House should have in such did not originate until after the proper cases ample notice, and they had in the time for giving such notice had expired. present instance, therefore, come to the The case was one of urgency, and a com- conclusion that they could not, in the abpliance with the Orders ought not to be sence of such notice, recommend the Standinsisted upon. There were twenty-four ing Orders established to secure that object debenture-stocks in this company, twenty-to be dispensed with. The House itself or nine share-stocks, and three special share- the Government, of course, might decide capitals charged on specific funds. The that the case under discussion was one consequence was that every one of these which warranted a departure from that bodies had rights which conflicted more or rule. If the Government thought that less with the rest of them, which made it this was a question worthy of being settled impossible for more than one set to join by a Special Committee to be appointed together in suits for having their rights for the purpose he would offer no opposiestablished. A large number of suits had tion to a proposal to that effect; but the been already instituted of a most expensive Standing Orders Committee were bound description, and many more would be in- to act as they had done, or they would stituted unless the House would think it have lost the confidence of the House. right to allow the present Bill to go before MR. STEPHEN CAVE said, that the the Committee which was sitting upon question was, whether there was any good other Bills relating to the company, and ground for dispensing with the rules of the would find out some way of enabling the House, which ought not to be set aside company to go to compulsory arbitration, without full and sufficient cause shown. for that was the object of the Bill to which The promoters said that non-compliance this Motion referred. The object of the with these rules was not their fault; that Bill was well described in its title to the circumstances which induced them to transfer all litigation respecting the Lon- bring forward this measure did not arise don, Chatham, and Dover Railway Com- before a period at which it was impossible pany, and all matters arising out of the for them so to comply with those rules. It Act constituting and defining the powers seemed to him that this was a strong of the company, and out of the Acts of argument. He quite agreed that the obother companies over whose line the com-ject of Standing Orders was to give full pany's line now runs, to the decision of a tribunal of arbitration which should have special power to prepare a scheme to relieve the company from its present embarrassments. The House was aware that a railway company could not commit an act of bankruptcy in ordinary form, nor could it be wound up in the Court of Chancery. The House, therefore, would admit that to allow a great railway company in the con

notice to all parties whose interests might be affected. This notice, no doubt, had not been given in this case; but the dissentient parties could not be said to be taken at a disadvantage, as they were fully represented. In fact, they had the start, and had their own measure advanced several stages. It was possible, no doubt, for the promoters of this scheme to be heard against the one already before Parliament,

but the Committee could not take cognizance of the alternative scheme unless it was before them, and, if the promoters proved their point, could only reject the first Bill, by which much time would be lost, and the great object of staying ruinous suits unattained. Upon these grounds, while carefully refraining from expressing any opinion on the merits, he could not help thinking on the whole that it would be advisable to let this Bill go before the Committee, and that it would be a harsh measure to reject this Motion. With regard to the proposal of the hon. and gallant Member for North Lancashire (Colonel Wilson Patten), it was, he confessed, one which had often occurred to himself, and which, in his humble opinion, the House should seriously consider. Apart from the weight justly due to the hon. and gallant Member's authority, and without wearying the House with arguments which must suggest themselves to every one, he thought that an exceptional case like this justified and required exceptional treatment. He recommended that both Bills be referred to a Committee to be carefully selected by the House, in order that, if possible, some useful measure might be passed and come into operation at the earliest possible

moment.

That the Committee have no reason to believe that corrupt practices have extensively prevailed at the last Election for the said County. Report to lie upon the Table.

Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee to be laid before this House.(Sir Philip Egerton.)

INDIA-CLAIMS ON OUDE.

QUESTION.

MR. BLAKE said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, with reference to the statement made by his predecessor on the 23rd of July last, that the claims against the late State of Oude, which have been investigated and reported upon by a Commission in India, "were claims of a moral character ;" and to the fact that a notarial Copy of the Bond granted to Captain Thomas Edwards by the Vizier of Oude, as admitted in the Report of the Commission, was produced before it from the archives of the Supreme Court at Calcutta ; What arrangement he proposes to make with a view of coming to a settlement of the amount due under the Bond, in order to carry out the pledge which was given to this House by the President of the Board of Control, on the 12th May 1857, "that all the public and bona fide claims against the State of Oude would be paid out of the revenues of the country."

SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE, in reply, said, the Question which had been put by the hon. Gentleman was a peculiar one, and he thought unusually argumentative. The only answer he could give to it was, that this question was considered by his predecessor and his Council on the Report of the Commission to which the Question referred, and that the Report of the Commission had decided that it was not a case in which, from the evidence, there was any claim on the part of the representatives of Captain Edwards against the late State of Oude. His predecessor in Council had approved the Report of that Commission. He need not inform the hon. Member that in matters of finance the Secretary of State had no power to act without the assent of the Council. The matter had not been brought before him officially; but he had looked into the evidence, and he was perfectly disposed to believe that in the form in which it was presented to the Commissioners, and afterwards brought under the notice of his predecessor and Council, the conclusion arrived at was right. But he had been told privately that there was certain evidence not brought before the Commissioners which might have affected their opinions. If