HC Deb 01 April 1806 vol 6 cc637-8

New writs were ordered to be issued for Honiton, in the room of sir John Honywood, deceased; for Peterborough, in the room of William Eliot, esq. who, since his election, has accepted of the office of chief secretary for Ireland; for the county of Sligo, in the room of Charles O'Hara, esq. who, since his election, has accepted of the office of one of the commissioners for managing the affairs of the Treasury in Ireland; and for Queen's County, in Ireland, in the room of Henry Parnell, esq. who since his election has also accepted of the office of one of the commissioners of the treasury in Ireland.— A petition was presented from earl Spencer, and the other proprietors of Battersea Bridge, against the bill for making and maintaining a bridge across the Thames from Vauxhall Turnpike.—A petition was presented from the debtors in the Jail of Newgate.—The Irish Treasury bill, and the British Fishery bill, were read a third time and passed.—Mr. Calcraft brought up an account of unappropriated balances in the hands of the Treasurer of the Ordnance on the 5th Jan. last.—Sir J. Frederick having moved the 2d reading of the Lambeth .Inclosure bill, lord W. Russell said he had no objection to the bill being read. a second time circumstances being un derstood to be without prejudice to the opposition made to the bill by the persons for whom he presented the petition, or to their right to be still beard by their counsel against the principle of the bill. On this understanding the bill was read a 2d time. —Mr. Yorke, pursuant to notice, moved for extracts to be laid before the house, of the correspondence between the government of Ireland, and the commissioners, relative to the suspension of the late paving board, in Dublin. Lord De Blaquiere said, he did not mean to oppose the motion, though he must again repeat, that it was natural for a set of gentlemen, who had been so severely censured for their conduct, to have expected that they might have been heard in their justification, before they were condemned. Mr. Yorke replied, that when the papers were before the house, they would show that the Irish government was far from being precipitate in its proceedings. The motion was then agreed to.—Mr. Yorke next moved, that the abstracts presented of the Subdivision Rolls, under the Levy-en-masse act, should be printed. He observed, at the same time, that the abstracts of the enrollments of the year 1804, contained only seven, and that of the year 1805, only six counties. He understood that the late administration informed the lords lieutenants of counties, that the returns were to be made regularly every year; why that was not complied with, he knew not; but he thought it of great importance, with a view to every military system, that the house should know the number of men in this country capable of bearing arms, Agreed to.— Mr.Vansittart presented,agreeably to order, the proclamation made by his majesty, relative to the Importation of Slaves by British subjects into Foreign Colonies, The Attorney General then obtained leave to bring in a bill for preventing the Importation of Slaves by British subjects, or in British bottoms, into foreign islands, &c. and for rendering more effectual the order of his majesty in council on this subject, dated 15th August last.—Mr. Vansittart brought up the Tea Duty bill, and the Tobacco Duty bill, which were read a first time.—On the motion of Mr. Vansittart there was ordered to be laid before the house, an account of the number of persons assessed to the Income Duty in 1801, and Property Tax in 1803. Also of the Gross Assessment, under the Property Tax in the year 1803, distinguishing each County, &c. so far as the same can be made up.—Mr. Huskisson moved for certain papers, not, he said, to provoke a renewal of the discussion which had already taken place, but with a view to get quit of it. He accordingly moved for a comparative account of demands outstanding in 1805, and 1806, exclusive of those for Naval Services; for an account shewing how the 1½ million remaining unemployed on 5th January, 1806, had been employed; and, for an account of the Disposition of 3½ Millions granted last year for subsidies; and whether any, and what proportion of them had been applied for Navy Services in the year 1806.—The house then went into a committee on the Ordnance Treasurer's bill, when, after a conversation between lord H. Petty and Mr. Calcraft on. the one side, and Mr. Huskisson and Mr. S. Bourne on the other, principally on the point whether the idea of reform in this department had occurred to the late board previous to, or in consequence of, the Tenth Report of the Commissioners of Naval Enquiry, the bill was gone through, and the Report was ordered to be received tomorrow,