Lords Sitting of 17 March 1853

MINUTES.
PUBLIC BILLS.—2a Sidney Sussex College Estate; Consolidated Fund.
Reported.—Slave Trade (Sohar in Arabia); Slave Trade (New Granada).
3a County Elections Polls; Grand Jury Cess (Ireland); Indemnity; Office of Examiner (Court of Chancery).

CANTERBURY ELECTION CONFERENCE.
Conference, had at the Desire of the Commons upon the Subject Matter of an Address to be presented to Her Majesty, under the Provisions of the Act 15th and 16th Vict., Cap. 57.; and Report made, That the Commons had agreed to an Address [which was offered], to be presented to Her Majesty, to which they desire the Concurrence of their Lordships.

COUNTY ELECTIONS POLLS BILL.
The EARL of CARLISLEmoved that this Bill be read 3a.
The MARQUESS of SALISBURYcomplained that the noble Earl had not made any statement of the grounds upon which this Bill was founded. He (the Marquess of Salisbury) thought that the Bill made very unnecessary and inconvenient alterations in the present system. The size of some counties was such, that it would be found impracticable to poll all the voters in a single day, at least without some concurrent alterations. It would be absolutely necessary to create new polling places, in order to enable the electors to record their votes with safety and convenience, and to enable the poll clerks to take correctly the state of the poll. The method also of taking the poll required to be simplified, and he would suggest to the noble Earl that a clause should be inserted in the Bill