HL Deb 07 May 1846 vol 86 c175

House in Committee on this Bill.

The DUKE of RICHMOND

moved the insertion of a clause to the effect that none of the provisions of this Act should apply to the city of Glasgow, or to any guild, craft, or corporation established therein.

The DUKE of BUCCLEUCH

opposed the clause. He said, that the trade corporations of Glasgow were very wealthy bodies, possessed of considerable funds, and he could see no reason why they should not be placed upon the same footing as the other corporations of Scotland. As an instance of the sums charged by them for admission into their guilds, he mentioned that the guild of bakers required a fee of 100l., and the number admitted were consequently very limited. These corporations would not be abolished by the Bill, but their exclusive powers would be put an end to. While the Bill was in the other House of Parliament, no attempt had been made by the representatives of Glasgow, or any other hon. Members, to introduce a clause similar to that brought forward by the noble Duke.

The DUKE of RICHMOND

said, though the Bill did not abolish the corporations, it took away their revenues. He could only account for the fact alluded to by the noble Duke by the circumstance that no very strong Liberal would vote against Her Majesty's Government at present, or else that the representatives of Glasgow might be anxious to have these corporations destroyed. This Bill, introduced in 1846, had been founded on a Report made in 1833, and in that Report the Commissioners stated, in reference to the corporations of Glasgow, that on the whole their funds were fairly and properly applied, and that there was no instance of actual embezzlement laid before them.

Clause negatived; Bill passed through Committee, and reported.

House adjourned.