Sitting of 22 April 1848

MINUTES.
PUBLIC BILLS— 1° Lunatic Asylums (Scotland); Evicted Destitute Poor (Scotland).
PETITIONS PRESENTED. By Mr. Hume, from Deptford, for Reform of the Representative System.—By Captain Gordon, from Aberdeen, for Ameliorating the Condition of Schoolmasters (Scotland).

THE POOR LOW—MR. COCHRANE.
MR. J. A. SMITH having seen an ad-
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vertisement in some of the morning papers to the effect that the Home Secretary had given his permission to the presentation of a petition relative to the poor-laws at the Home Office, accompanied by a large procession of persons, wished to know from the right hon. Baronet whether that were really the case?
SIR G. GREY had seen an advertisement professing to proceed from Mr. Charles Cochrane, and stating that an address was to be presented at the Home Office, accompanied by a very large assemblage of people, and adding, much to his surprise, that Secretary of State had considerately declared that he would offer no opposition to such a mode of proceeding. That allegation was totally without foundation; for, three weeks ago, Mr. Cochrane had been told that no address to Her Majesty could be received by the Secretary of State, if accompanied by a large number of person. The Police Commissioner had received instructions, which he was prepared to carry into effect, to prevent such a procession proceeding through the streets, to the hindrance of business and the injury of trade.
House adjourned at Three o'clock until the 1st of May.

MINUTES.
PUBLIC BILLS.—Received the Royal Assent.— Exchequer Bills; Crown and Government Security; Mutiny; Marine Mutiny; Borough Police Superannuation Fund; Public Works Completion (Ireland); Leases of Mines (Ireland).
PETITIONS PRESENTED. From Members of several Lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Manchester Unity, for the Extension of the Provisions of the Benefit Societies Act to that Order.
House adjourned till Thursday the 4th of May.