§ Bills. Read a first time; Lunatics; Baking Trade (Ireland); to amend 59th George 3rd, for the Relief and Employment of the Poor; and also to repeal the provisions of several Acts relating to Grand Jury Presentments (Ireland.) Read a third time; the Consolidated Fund Appropriation; Special Constables; Valuation of Land (Ireland); Military Accounts (Ireland).
§ Returns ordered. On the Motion of Mr. SPRING RICE, the number of Half-pay Officers of the Army employed in any Civil Office paid by Government, specifying the name of the Officer, his military rank, annual amount of Half-pay received, Annual Amount of Half-pay forfeited, Salary or Fees of Civil Office; description of Office, and where situated, &c.; also, specifying, how many Officers are on Half-pay at rates below 5s. a-day, and of these how many receive Civil Salaries under 150l., 200l., and 250l., a-year, together with their Half-pay; how many are on Half-pay at rates below 7s. a-day, receiving, with their Half-pay, Civil Salaries; and how many at rates above 7s.; also, the number of Half-pay Officers in the year 1831, who are in receipt of Civil Salaries exceeding twice the amount of their Half-pay, and who now receive their Half-pay, together with the Civil Salary, under the Clause of the Appropriation Act of 1820, stating the amount of Half-pay received; also, the increased charge of Half-pay which was actually incurred, in the year 1821, over and above the charge in the preceding year, in consequence of the clause, in the Appropriation Act of 1820, allowing Half-pay Officers, under certain restrictions, to receive their Half-pay with Civil Salaries; also the actual saving of Expense for one year to the public, from July, 1828, when the Appro- 491 priation Clause of 1820, relating to Military Half-pay, was cancelled; also, what would have been the increased Expense to the public, for one year, from July, 1830, to July, 1831, if the Appropriation Clause of 1820 had been restored in 1830; also, Copy of a Treasury Minute of 1810; stating the necessity of authorizing, in certain cases, the issue of Allowances to Half-pay Officers equal to their Half-pay, to induce them to accept such Civil Offices; similar Returns to be furnished for Half-pay Officers of the Navy and Marines, as far as the same may apply to the Officers of those services.
§ The usual Sessional Addresses preparatory to closing the Parliament were agreed to.
§ Petitions presented. By Sir ROBERT FERGUSON, from the Merchants of Londonderry, concerned in the Linen Trade, praying for the re-enactment of such parts of 6th George 4th, cap. 122, as relate to the import and inspection of Flaxseed. By Mr. M'KINNON, from Inhabitants of Marylabone and Paddington, for a Bill to include the Bull in the provisions of Mr. MARTIN'S Act. By Mr. BOLTON KING, from the Warwick Political Society, for the Repeal of the duties on Newspapers and Cheap Publications, and another Petition from the same Society for the abolition of Slavery. By Mr. RAMSAY, from the Maltsters and Fanners of the County of Stirling, against the Repeal of the Malt drawback. By Mr. HUNT, from the Inhabitants of Birmingham, for a remission of the Sentence on Robert Taylor.