Lords Sitting of 23 May 1842

Preamble
MINUTES.] BILLS. Public.—1a Pentonville Prison; Fines and Recoveries (Wales and Cheshire); Australia and New Zealand; Excise Duties Compounds.
Private.—la- Paterson's Estate; Cwm Celyn and Blaina Iron Company; Kingstown Mariners Church; Slug Roads; Hawke's Divorce.
2a Greenock Harbours.
3a and passed:—Gair's Naturalization.
PETITIONS PRESENTED. By the Duke of Richmond, from the Vale of Alford, against the Importation of Cattle and Meat From the Ministers, Elders, and others of Bellasis. that Marriages solemnized between Members of the Church of England and Presbyterians by a Presbyterian or Dissenting Minister may be considered Valid.— By the Duke of Argyle, from the Synod of Dumfries, for the Repeal of the Laws of Church Patronage.—By Lord Brougham, from the Guardians of Berwick-upon-Tweed Union, for the Amendment of the Bastardy Clause of the New Poor-law.—From Asheaton, and Inverossa, for the Encouragement of Schools in connexion with the Church Education Society (Ireland).—By Lord Brougham, from the heads of the Incorporated Trades of Edinburgh, for a Tax upon the Succession of Heritable Property, and against the Income-tax; from the Mechanics Institutions of London, and Stourbridge, for Exemption from Taxes and Rates; and from the Roman Catholics of Bath, for a better Religious Instruction to Catholics in the Army and Navy.—By the Duke of Buccleugh, from the Presbytery of Caithness, and the Synod of Dumfries, for the Better Observance of the Sabbath.—From the Glasgow Young Men's Free Trade Association, for the Repeal of the Corn and Provision Laws.—From R. Waller, against the introduction of Foreign Labourers into the West India Islands.

THE TARIFF.
The Duke of Richmondin presenting a petition from owners and occupiers of land in the Vale of Alford, in the county of Aberdeen, against certain parts of the tariff, said that circumstances had prevented him from attending for many weeks past, and from presenting petitions which had been intrusted to him. The petition which he had now to lay on their Lordships' Table was on a subject of considerable importance, and on which a very strong feeling existed in the country. He himself did not participate to any great extent in the alarm which prevailed on the subject; but he could not but regard with regret so sudden a change as was proposed in the duties on some articles of foreign produce—a change from high to almost nominal duties. The petitioners amongst

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other things, complained of the introduction of live cattle at a rate of duty much lower than that on salted provisions, which would in time so compete with the home-grower as to enable our navy and commercial marine to be victualled with foreign provisions salted here. He would not enter into the discussion of this subject at present; but he felt it right to say thus much, as he might not have another opportunity of doing so before the bill founded on the tariff was brought into the other House.
Lord Broughamregretted that his noble Friend the noble Duke did not wait till his noble Friend the President of the Board of Trade was present. In his absence it would be better not to go into the subject now.
The Lord Chancellorsaid, that if the noble Duke had given notice of his intention to bring forward the subject on the presentation of a petition, an opportunity would be given for discussing it; but, as it was, ample opportunity would be given for discussing the subject hereafter.
The Duke of Richmonddid not think it necessary that any noble Lord should give notice of his intention to make any remarks on the presentation of a petition. In that respect their Lordships had advantages not enjoyed in the other House, where the party presenting a petition was obliged to confine himself to a mere detail of the heads of its statement and prayer.
Petition laid on the Table.

RAILWAY TRAVELLING.
Lord Campbellwas anxious to call the attention of his noble and learned Friend on the Woolsack to a subject of very great importance to the public. Their Lordships were well aware of the late frightful railway accident near Paris, which was attended with an immense loss of life. Much of that loss had, it was said, been occasioned by the fact that all the carriages in the train were locked, so that none of the passengers could get out. Since then several regulations had been promulgated on the subject by the French Government, and, amongst others, one which prevented the carriages from being locked. He wished to know from his noble and learned Friend whether any similar regulations was intended by the Government.
The Lord Chancellorsaid, that in the absence of his noble Friend the President of the Board of Trade, he would give his noble and learned Friend the only answer
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in his power. He was not aware of the intention of Government to bring in any measure on the subject, but he would refer his noble and learned Friend to the noble Earl the President of the Board of Trade. He would not refer to the late melancholy accident near Paris, but he would say that he himself had been locked up for some time that morning in a railway carriage, and he was not conscious of any inconvenience from it.
House adjourned.