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    the maintenance of the bridge , after defraying the cost of which any surplus would go to the payment of the outlay in ' the construction , and any further surplus would be devoted to metropolitan improvements . CONTAGIOUS DISEASES AMONG CATTLE , &C . Mr . Bbntinck obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend the acts for the prevention of contagious diseases amongst sheep and cattle .

    AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS BILL . On the order for the second reading of this bill , Sir George Grey moved that it be read a second time that day six months . It proposed to reduce the maximum term of imprisonment from six to two months , and to empower magistrates to add the punishment of whipping . He thought the present law had acted beneficially , and he was not disposed to alter it . —Mr . Dillwyn replied that , when he introduced the bill , he argued , not that the existing law had done no good , but that it had not reduced the offence to a minimum . These assaults are now committed in the metropolis at the rate of one a

    day . His reason for limiting the imprisonment to two months was , that he might limit at the same time the suffering of the wife ; for , under the present law , while the husband is sentenced to six months' imprisonment , the wife is condemned to six months' starvation , or the ¦ workhouse . He thought that men guilty of what he described as aggravated assaults ( such as knocking down women and dragging them by the hair of their head , or kicking them , often doing thereby mortal injury to an unborn infant ) are bullies and cowards , to whom the House need not fear applying the only punishment which he believed would meet the offence .

    Upon a division , the second reading was negatived by 221 to 86 . The bill is therefore lost for this session .

    MINISTERS' MONEY ( IRELAND ) BILL . The second reading of this bill was moved by Mr . Fagan , who remarked that , although the amount raised by the tax now sought to be abrogated was but small ( viz ., 12 , 500 / . ) , the feelings of Roman Catholics are outraged by the collection . The Premier ' s acknowledgment of the principle of the bill would be received with great satisfaction by the people of Ireland . Mr . Napier moved that the bill be read a second time that day six months . He believed that the measure violated the first principles of property and contravened the provisions of the Church Temporalities Act . It had hitherto been opposed by every Government . The tax is an impost on property , and any one taking property subject to it does so knowing that such is the

    case . Sir George Grey , in supporting the bill in behalf of the Government , showed , by reference to the report of the select committee of 1847 , that not only is ministers' money not a valuable property of the church , but that it is regarded as an odious imposition alike by the persons from whom it is demanded , and by the clergymen who receive it . And even if all the objects for which the Ecclesiastical Commission was instituted had not been fully carried out , was it not better to devote a part of the funds in their hands to the securing to ministers of the church an income which now

    exist only in name , than , by retaining an uncertain nominal amount , retain also a series of litigations , bickerings , and heart-burnings , antagonistic to the peace and good feeling which it is the object of religion to promote ? In 1854 , an act was passed , throwing seventyfive per cent , of the gross incomes of the clergy on the Ecclesiastical Commissioners ; and the same act entirely exonerates from the tax all houses below 10 / . annual value . The present bill is not , then , a sacrilegous attack on a principle , or on a property secured to the church by the Act of Charles II ., but merely an extension to houses above 10 / . value of the exemption given by the act of 1854 to those below .

    Mr . WniTESiVB opposed the bill , and read an extract from a speech of Lord Palmerston , in which he declared that "the tax had nothing to do with any religious question ; that it was a tax on property , and that it would bo perfectly preposterous to make a rate upon a house depend upon the religion of the owner . "—Mr . Horsman replied to Mr . Napier and Mr . Whitesido , observing that , although ho had never denied that this question was one of great difficulty , its difficulty had been increased by them and their colleagues , who , under Lord Derby's Government , had pledged themselves to bring forward a measure upon this subject . This it was that flrat gave a real Parliamentary importance to the agitation against miniatora' money in Ireland . —Mr . Blakis supported the bill , which was opposed by Sir

    Frederick Thbsiger , who contended that the tax in a charge On property , and therefore ought not to be disturbed . The parties appointed . to collect the tax , howover , had determined to resist it , and the consequence was that this bill was introduced , the principle involved in which is , that proporty ia no longer to bo hold sacred and inviolable . —Mr . J . D . FrazawnALD aupportod tho bill . —Lord John Russkll was not satisfied that tho necessity for tho present bill avoso from an imperfection In tho act of 1864 . Ho Bhould pay that tho dimcultieB wore inherent in tho subject . By tho act of 1808 , a church cosa of 70 , 0001 . waa abolished on tlio ground of tho collection being attended with much miachiof . Tho 12 , 000 / . of miniatora' money ought to have boon treated in tho aamo way , tho amount being made up from a fund formed by suppressing bishoprics and taxing bonollcoa

    of 300 / . annual value . The only question was , whether the Ecclesiastical Commissioners had sufficient funds at their disposal to meet the charge that would result from the abolition of ministers' money ; and he was of opinion that they had . —Mr . Walpole opposed the bill , which would furnish those who are desirous of repealing the Maynooth grant with a powerful argument . Until the trusts attached to the funds of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners are satisfied , there will be no surplus applicable to this charge . — Lord Palmerston expressed a contrary opinion , and said that the present measure would put an end to heart-burnings and dissensions . The House divided , when the second reading was carried by 313 to 174 . The report of the Committee of Supply was brought up and agreed to . The House adjourned at ten minutes to one o ' clock .

    Wednesday , May 20 th . INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS BILL . In the House of Commons , Mr . Adderley moved that the House should go into committee on this bill . — Sir George Geey , while approving of the object of the bill , was indisposed to go into committee , as several of the details of the measure required consideration . He therefore recommended Mr . Adderley to accede to the motion of which Lord Goderich had given notice , and to defer the committee for three weeks . —Lord Goderich afterwards made this motion ; and the general feeling of the House appeared to be in favour of further time being given for consideration . Ultimately , the amendment was withdrawn , and the bill was committed pro forma , to be reprinted with the amendments .

    JUDGMENTS EXECUTION BILL . The motion for going into committee on this bill was opposed by Mr . Bland , on the ground that many Irish members were unavoidably absent ; but , on moving that the Chairman should at once report progress , the House agreed to go on with the bill , by 157 to 10 . The various clauses were then moved in succession , a brief debate and a division taking place on each detail , and the opponents of the measure being defeated by large majorities every time . While clause 7 was under discussion , the clock indicated a quarter to six , and , according to the rules of the House , further progress was then necessarily suspended .

    The House therefore resumed ; several bills were advanced a stage ; and Mr . Wilson obtained leave to introduce a bill for the amendment of the Cinque Ports Act . An adjournment took place at a few minutes before six o ' clock , Thursday , May 21 st . The House or Lords did not sit . PORT OF DUBLIN . In the House of Commons , Mr . Vance proposed to go into committee , for the purpose of moving for leave to bring in a bill to repeal certain duties on ships entering the port of Dublin , and other imposts affecting its trade and commerce . The harbour of Kingstown had great capabilities as a refuge harbour , and it had been

    instrumental in saving much life and property . In the reign of George III ., an act was passed to build a small pier ( Dunleary ) , chiefly for the accommodation of merchant vessels , and certain duties were imposed on the trade of Dublin . But there was no more reason for making Dublin pay for Kingstown , than there would t > e for saddling Holyhead on Wales , or Dover on the county of Kent ; aud tho bill was intended to remedy the injustice . —Mr . Loave felt compelled to resist the measure in limine . Government had spent 314 , 000 / . in improving the harbour of Kingstown ; they had also paid off a large debt on the Dublin Corn Exchange ; and for this they received theso dues . The proposition on the part of the debtor was , to cancel the debt and

    to retain the advantages . True , these dues were proposed to be abolished in his ( Mr . Lowe ' ) larger measure , but that whioh would bo just in carrying out a general principle , might not bo just as an isolated act . Mr . Guogan supported tho motion ; tho Chancellor of the Exchequer resisted it ; and Mr . French hoped the Government would not deal with Ireland in an oxcoptional manner . —Lord Palmerston denied that tho Government wished to deal with Iroland in an exceptional manner ; it was Mr . Vance who sought to do so . However , he was ready to hon

    mako a compromise with him , and , if tho . gentleman would engage to support tho Government when they introduced a general measure with roforonco to passing tolls—( lavyhter)—they would engage , on tho other hand , to include in such measure tho Dublin tolls . Thoy must object to ropoal a particular duty , with regard to Dublin , while they loft oimilar duties in other places untouched ; and thcroforo thoy must roaiat tho motion . —Lord Ulaudio Hamilton and Mr . Diskakli spoko in favour of tho bill boing introduced ; and Mr . Horsfall ugaiiist it . —Mr . Loavk ropoated apronusoho had already made that a comprehensive measure on tho subject would bo introduced by Government aa aoon aa

    practicable . _ , Tho Houho divided when tho motion waa loat by -Joli

    to 133 . THIS MAYNOOTH filtAXVT . Mr . SrooNKit ronowod his motion " That tho House do resolve Itjsulf into n comtnittoo to confiidor tho acta for tho endowment of Maynooth , with a view to tho withdrawal of any ondowmont out of tho Consolidated

    Fund , due regard being had to vested rights and interests . " This resolution lie supported by all the old arguments , which newspaper readers must by this time have almost got by heart . General Thompson observed that Mr . Spooner'a argument resolved itself into an assumption that he was right , and his antagonists wrong . —Mr . Gilpin hoped that the question of religious grants would soon be removed from that House , which did not meet to support orthodoxy or heterodoxy , but the equal rights of all good citizens . —Mr . Hadfield spoke warmly against the appropriation of public money to any particular sect . —Upon a division ( the House appearing indisposed to discuss the question ) , the motion was negatived bv 125 to 91 . a

    A short conversation ensued on a suggestion made by Mr . Newdegate , that members unacquainted with the rules of the House , who had been anxious to address it upon the question , had been precluded from doing so . He therefore moved the adjournment of the House . Mr . H . Herbert remarked that the benches on Mr . Spooner's side of the House had been nearly empty during the delivery of his speech . ( Hear , hear . ) Mr . Spooner said that was true . ( Hear , hear . ) " But , " he added , " recollect that none of the gentlemen on the opposite side of the House answered my argument . ( Hear . ) Whether the absence of members on my side of the

    House arises from their being satisfied with my case I do not know ; but let it go forth that my charge against Maynooth has not been ans-wered . "—Mr . Roebuck congratulated the House on having escaped the dreary misery of a Maynooth debate . He was glad that the motion had been answered merely by a vote , and that no attempt had been made to refute that which did not deserve a refutation . —Mr . Whiteside having asked what the Government intends to do with Maynooth , Lord Palmerston said that the report recommended certain trivial alterations in the course of education at the colleges , and he believed these were already being carried into effect . —Colonel Fkencii called attention to

    the danger of allowing the course now taken to be drawn into a precedent ; and Mr . Newdegate thereupon withdrew his motion .

    FRAUDULENT BREACHES OF TRUST . The Attorney-General moved for leave to introduce a bill rendering parties guilty of fraudulent breaches of trust criminally liable . Describing the legal-position of the trustee ( who is accounted the owner of the property , and therefore incapable of committing a theft with respect to it ) , he remarked upon the anomaly thus presented by the English law , in which alone , among all the European codes , a breach of trust is accounted a debt instead of a crime . Among other forms of tnisteeship which he hoped to repress by this bill was that exercised by the directors or other managers of jointstock companies , for whose behoof he intended to provide

    that the keeping of false accounts , the making of false entries , the promulgation of false representations , anil the paying of dividends out of capital , should be treated as criminal offences ; but there is to be no criminal proceeding against a trustee without the previous permission of tho Attorney-General , or of one of the superior courts of law . Sir Richard Bethell added that he had now perused the evidence given respecting the case of the British Bank , and had determined to institute a prosecution against the directors of that establishment .--After some remarks from Mr . Malins and Mr . Hapkikld ( the first of whom approved of tho measure , while the second suggested caution ) , the motion was agreed to , and leave was given to bring in tho bill .

    JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES . Tho Attobnky-Genkual also obtained loave to introduce a bill to amend tlio existing Acts for Winding up the affairs of Joint-stock Companies . Ho exp lained tho defective working of the existing law , and its oppressive action through the want of authorized representatives of creditors to make valid and binding arrangements or compromises with shareholders ; »»« ho proposed by this bill to enable creditors to elect a ropreaensativo who could accept a composition and bind tho wholo body , and to authorize shareholders aa soon as terms of arrangement were agreed up on to apply to tn court and obtain protection from vexatious suits , oi giving security to fulfil those terms . THIS COMM 1 TTKB ON CONTRACTS .

    A motion by Mr . Marjoiuiiankh , that the Committee on Contructa ( Public Dopnrtmcnta ) do consist oi seventeen members instead of fiftoon , was oh > oso < 1 by ^ ° ' ° » t foLDKRo and supported by Lord 1 » amubhoti > n . --A er a ehort conversation , tho House divided , wlion tno "i tion won carried by 1 »« to 8 . < J . — On tho motion tlint « j . MoiMoll should bo one of tho two addition" ! n" > " » ' - " j Colonel ] 3 om > uro Involved iigniiibt thw attorn , 1 . augment tho number of Government , iflK-uila » l «' committee— Mr . Hayticu state , ! tlio circuit » t . n 0 connected with tho formation of tlio committee , tnc list of which ho < . <>»» ulerecUmfair . ~ -A discussion of s ° »» length ensued , . tho motion was ngrourt to .

    KLKCmON lMCTmONH . , . , nlll ) ti-Tho Clovk of tho llinifloimiioiuKHMl that ulot ; t'olj , Sur Uuiih had bcou proflontcl ngniuat tlio ruturiifl' " » ^ borough , liovorloy , tlio borough <>« b . "k ' . ; tlmll ) , County , Portsmouth ( 2 ) , Tm . nton , I , )» wU-l , U '« £ Lyinintjton , Sandwich , Uri . lport , G louoestoi (») , >¦

    Untitled Article

    4 g 4 ^ THE LEADER . [ No . 374 , Saturda y ^

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), May 23, 1857, page 484, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2194/page/4/