Commons Sitting of 28 August 1846

MINUTES.
NEW WRITS. For Derby Borough, v. Edward Strutt, Esq., Chiltern Hundreds.—For Clonmel, v. Right Hon. David Pigott, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer in Ireland.
PETITIONS PRESENTED. By Mr. Mark Philips, from Inhabitants of the Townships of Burnley and Habergham Eaves, otherwise Burnley cum Habergham Eaves, in the Parish of Whalley and County of Lancaster, praying that in order to fill up the Vacancy caused by the Disfranchisement of the Borough of Sudbury, the House will be pleased to Adopt Measures for Enfranchising the Town of Burghley cum Eaves, and empowering the Inhabitants to return One Member to serve in the Commons' House of Parliament.—By Viscount Palmerston, from Owners and Occupiers of Houses in the Borough and Parish of
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Tiverton, against the Rating of Tenements Bill.—By Mr. James Oswald, from John Whitelaw, in the Parish of Barony, in the County of Lanark, following the Occupation of Power-loom Dresser, praying the House at once to Repeal all Laws restricting the Publication by Tongue or Pen of Theological Opinions.—By Mr. Thomas Duncombe, from Thomas Phillips, Resident Proprietor of the Belle Vue Asylum, situate near Devizes, in the County of Wilts, and by Lord Alfred Paget, from Thomas Rowley, M.D., Medical Proprietor of a Licensed House situate at Sandfield, in the City and County of Lichfield, for Alteration of Law respecting Lunatics.—By Mr. Alderman Humphery, from Legally Qualified Practitioners of Medicine and Surgery of the Parishes of St. John and St. Olave, Southwark, in favour of the Medical Practitioners Bill.—By Mr. Greene, from Board of Guardians of the Kinsale Union, in the County of Cork, setting forth the Failure of the Potato Crop, and suggesting Measures for the Relief of the Poor in Ireland during the Impending Calamities.—By several hon. Members, from a number of Metropolitan Parishes, praying the House to adopt Measures for Redeeming and Extinguishing the Tolls upon Waterloo, Southwark, and Vauxhall Bridges.—By Mr. Thomas Duncombe, from Charles Watts, late a Private in the 71st Company of the Plymouth Division of Royal Marines, complaining of having been subjected to Cruel Treatment by Commander J. T. Paulson, and praying for an Investigation into the Conduct of the said Commander.

POOR LAWS.
MR. BORTHWICKwished to have some proper understanding of the terms on which they were to separate with reference to the important question of the Poor Law. It would be in the recollection of the House, that when the noble Lord at the head of the Government adopted the Poor Removal measure of the late Government, there stood in his (Mr. Borthwick's) name a notice of Motion, with a view of referring that measure to a Select Committee, instead of a Committee of the whole House. The noble Lord asked him to withdraw that Motion, because, on the part of the Government, he was ready at the beginning of next Session to consent to a close inquiry into the whole law of settlement. Subsequently there had also stood in his name a Notice of Motion for an inquiry into the whole operation of the Poor Law. He had, however, withdrawn that Motion, because he had felt that it was not fair to press it, as the Government had come into office only towards the end of the Session, and had not therefore had time to form their opinions on the various reports, such as that on district asylums and the Andover union. Nevertheless, he had expressed his intention of moving at the beginning of next Session, unless the Government did something on the subject, for a Select Committee of Inquiry into the whole operation of the Poor Law, founded on the reports to which he had adverted; he trusted, however, that he should be spared the necessity of giving notice on

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the subject, for he felt he might confidently leave the matter in the hands of the Government. At the same time, he would ask whether it was the intention of the Government to take the whole operation of the Poor Law into consideration, with a view to introduce some measure on the subject at the beginning of next Session?
LORD J. RUSSELLsaid, he would not venture, in the present state of the Poor Law, and of the inquiries lately made, to say what measure or inquiry Government would propose; but he would give this promise to the hon. Gentleman, that unless he (Lord J. Russell) did propose a full inquiry in the name of the Government, or unless he took some steps to preclude the necessity of it, he should make no opposition next Session to the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the whole operation of the Poor Law.

THE ANDOVER WITNESSES.
MR. WAKLEYbegged to ask the right hon. the Home Secretary, whether his attention had been called to a letter in The Times newspaper of that morning from Mr. Tasker, a very respectable gentleman living in the neighbourhood of Andover. It appeared from his statements that the witnesses who had been called before the Committee of this House on the subject of the Andover Union had been sadly used since their return to Andover. It was really a matter of grave importance, and the attention of the right hon. Gentleman ought to be immediately directed to it. It was quite clear that the parties would re-
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ceive no protection from the Poor Law Commissioners, and must throw themselves upon that of the right hon. Gentleman, who was, in fact, at the head of the Poor Law administration. Nothing could be more necessary for the due course of justice than that persons who had been examined as witnesses should be protected from persecution for it.
SIR G. GREY: I saw that there was a letter upon the subject in The Times this morning; I had not time to read it, in consequence of the pressure of other business; but I put it aside to read as soon as I can. I do not know whether the law will enable me to interfere in the circumstances not having read the letter; I intend to do so, but I must of course reserve my decision till after I have read it.

PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.
The House was summoned by the Usher of the Black Rod to the House of Peers. Mr. SPEAKER then left the Chair, and was followed to the House of Peers by the Members present, when a Speech of the Lords Commissioners was delivered to both Houses by the Lord Chancellor; after which a Commission was read by the Clerk at the Table for proroguing the Parliament until Wednesday, the 4th of November next; and the Lords Commissioners then declared the Parliament prorogued accordingly.
On the return of the Commons to their House, Mr. SPEAKER took his seat at the Table, and read the Speech of the Lords Commissioners, and the House then separated.