Law Revision Bill was read a first time. Lord St. Leonards moved the second reading of a Railway Passengers Bill, forbidding the locking of both doors of the carriages; but withdrew the motion on the representation that it was not desirable to remove responsibility from railway directors. The Prisons (Scotland) Act Amendment Bill, the Smoke Nuisance (Scotland) Act Amendment Bill, the Colonial Laws Validity Bill, and others, were read a second time; the report of the Committees on the Partnership Act Amendment and Union Chargeability Bills were received; the Dockyards Extension Bill, and the Drainage and Improvement of Land (Ireland) Amendment Bill, were read a third time and passed.

(COMMONS.) The Attorney-General withdrew the Bill for the repeal of forfeiture in cases of treason and felony; in Committee of Supply a variety of items were voted, some relating to the Post-Office, the Woods and Forests, and 20,000%. for the purchase of a site for the enlargement of the National Gallery; 200,0007. for the New Courts of Justice; and 63,9157. for Greenwich Hospital. The report of the Committee on the Greenwich Hospital Bill was received; the Fortifications Expenses Bill passed through Committee; the Peace Preservation (Ireland) Bill was read a second time, after a division of 76 to 29. The Colonial Governors Retiring Pensions Bill passed through Committee; the Crown Suits Bill and the Sugar Duties and Drawbacks Bill were read a third time and passed; and the Carriers Act Amendment Bill was read a second time.

20.

June (LORDS.) The Railway Debentures Registry Bill was read a second time; the report of the Committee on the Public-houses Closing Act Amendment Bill, was received and agreed to; the Locomotives on. Roads Bill passed through Committee; the Admiralty Acts Repeal Bill, the Admiralty Powers Bill, the Dockyard Ports Regulation Bill, the Prisons Bill, and the Small Benefices (Ireland) Bill, were read a second time; the Land Debentures (Ireland) Bill, passed through Committee, and the Union Chargeability Bill was read a third time and passed.

(COMMONS.) The Fire Brigade (Metropolis) Bill passed through Committee. The Turnpike Tolls Abolition Bill was withdrawn, and the Peace Preservation (Ireland) Act Amendment Bill passed through Committee. (COMMONS.) The Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Bill, the June Bank Notes Ireland) Bill, the Educational and Charitable In21. stitutions Bill, and the Railway Clauses Bill, were withdrawn, or adjourned for three months. The Parsonages Bill, the Peace Preservation (Ireland) Act Amendment Bill, and the Salmon Fishery Act Amendment Bill, were read a third time and passed. The Indemnity Bill, the Expiring Laws Bill, and the Appropriation Bill, were read a first time.

June

(LORDS.) The Fortifications Expenses Bill, the Malt Duty 22. Bill, the Trusts Administration (Scotland) Bill, and the Post Office Additional Site Bill, were read a second time; the Trespass (Scotland) Bill, the Ecclesiastical Leasing Act Amendment Bill, the Churches and Chapels Exemption (Scotland) Bill, the Colonial Acts Validity Bill, the Colonial Marriages Validity Bill, and the Defence Act Amendment Bill, were read a third time and passed.

(COMMONS.) The Clerical Subscription Bill was read a second time, after a long discussion, chiefly as to the sense in which the Houses of Convocation were to concur; the Colonial Governors' Retiring Pensions Bill, and the County Courts Equitable Jurisdiction Bill, passed through Committee; the Appropriation Bill and the Indemnity Bill were read a second time.

N

June

(LORDS.) The Earl of Devon moved the second reading of the Roman Catholic Oath Bill, which was opposed by the Earl 26. of Derby, the Earl of Harrowby, Lord St. Leonard's, and Lord Chelmsford, and supported by Earl Russell, Earl Grey, the Marquis of Clanricarde, and Lord Lyveden; but ultimately negatived by 84 votes against 63. The Carriers Act Amendment Bill, and the Foreign Jurisdiction Act Amendment Bill were read a second time; several Bills passed through Committee, the Partnership Act Amendment Bill, the Fortifications Expenses Bill, and the Malt Duty Bill, were read a third time and passed, and the Appropriation Bill was read a first time.

(COMMONS.) The Appropriation Bill, and the Colonial Governors' Retiring Pension Bill were read a third time and passed; the Clerical Subscription Bill, and the Turnpike Acts Continuance Bill, passed through Committee: the Inland Revenue Bill, the Indemnity Bill, the Compound Warehousing Bill, were read a third time and passed; and the Railway Debentures Registry Bill was withdrawn.

27.

(LORDS.) The Prisons Bill, the Greenwich Hospital Bill, the June Carriers Act Amendment Bill, and some others, passed through Committee; the Fire Brigade (Metropolis) Bill, the Comptroller of the Exchequer, and Public Audit Bill, the Indemnity Bill, and others were read a second time; the Land Debentures (Ireland) Bill, the Constabulary Force (Ireland) Act Amendment Bill, and others, were read a third time and passed.

(COMMONS.) Col. Wilson Patten called attention to the report of the Committee on the Court of Referees on Private Bills, observing on the usefulness of their labours, and suggested the propriety of paying the chairmen; after some discussion, the consideration was postponed. The County Courts Equitable Jurisdiction Bill, the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill, and the Poor Law Board Continuance Bill were read a third time and passed.

June

Junė (COMMONS.) The Postmaster-General Bill was read a second 28. time; the Capital Punishment within Gaols Bill, the Tests Abolition (Oxford) Bill, and the Bank Notes Issue (Scotland) Bill, werewithdrawn ; the Clerical Subscription Bill, the Turnpike Act Continuance Bill, and the Colonial Docks Loan Bill, were read a third time and passed. (LORDS.) The royal assent was given by commission to the Drainage and Improvement of Land (Ireland) Amendment 29. Bill, the Sheep and Cattle Trespass (Scotland) Bill, the Ecclesiastical Leasing Bill, the Sewage Utilization Bill, the Union Chargeability Bill, and a number of other public and private Bills. Crown Suits, &c., Bill, and the Poor Law Board Continuance Bill, were read a second time; the Carriers' Act Amendment Bill, the Foreign Jurisdiction Act Amendment, and the Sugar Duties and Drawbacks Bill, were read a third time and passed.

The

(COMMONS.) Sir Charles Wood, in Committee, made his financial statement on the East Indian Budget, explaining the cause of the deficiency in the revenue, and of the means taken or about to be taken, to remedy it; the resolutions he proposed were agreed to, after a short discussion. The Admiralty Acts Amendment Bill, and the Admiralty Powers Bill passed through Committee; the Lords' Amendments on the Smoke Nuisance (Scotland) Bill, the Small Benefices (Ireland) Act Amendinent Bill, the Locomotives on Roads Bill, and the Land Debentures (Ireland) Bill, were considered and agreed to.

June (LORDS.) The Colonial Governors' Retiring Pension Bill, and 30. the Penalties Law Amendment Bill, were read a second time; the Prisons Amendment Bill, the Greenwich Hospital Bill, the Salmon

Fishery Act Amendment Bill, the Fire Brigade (Metropolis) Bill,the Comptroller of the Exchequer and Public Audit Bill, the Indemnity Bill and the Compound Spirits Warehousing Bill, were read a third time and passed. (COMMONS.) The case of Mr. Consul Cameron, who had been thrown into prison by the Emperor of Abyssinia, was brought before the House by Sir Hugh Cairns, who contended that the Government had neglected him; Mr. Layard replied by asserting that Mr. Cameron had become involved by his own indiscretion, and that the Government had done all they could to obtain his release. The Admiralty Acts Repeal Bill, and the Admiralty Powers Bill, were read a third time and passed; and the Foreign Jurisdiction Act Amendment Bill was read a second time.

July 3.

(LORDS.) Lord Ebury moved a resolution declaring that the evils of a compulsory and indiscriminate use of the Burial Service, demanded the attention of the legislature, which was opposed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London, and negatived by 43 against 20.

66

(COMMONS.) The Naval Discipline Act Amendment Bill was read a second time, and the Foreign Jurisdiction Act Amendment Bill passed through Committee. Mr. Hunt, in a speech of great extent, moved a resolution that the evidence given in the case of Leonard Edmunds, and in that of the Leeds Bankruptcy Court, showed a laxity of practice and a want of caution on the part of the Lord Chancellor, that was highly reprehensible, and calculated to throw discredit on the administration of the high offices of the state." The Lord Advocate defended the judgment of the Committee, which had absolved the Lord Chancellor from blame. Mr. Bouverie moved an amendment, acquitting the Lord Chancellor of any corrupt motives in the appointments to the Leeds Bankruptcy Court; but that the grant of the pension showed a "laxity of practice and a want of caution with regard to the public interests on the part of the Lord Chancellor, in sanctioning the grant of retiring pensions to public officers, against whom grave charges were pending," was highly reprehensible. Mr. Hunt withdrew his amendment in favour of this, and after a long debate Mr. Bouverie's amendment was carried unanimously.

July

4.

(LORDS.) Earl Granville announced that in consequence of the vote of the House of Commons, with respect to the Lord Chancellor, that noble lord had tendered his resignation, and that it had been accepted. The Penalties Law Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed.

(COMMONS.) The resignation of the Lord Chancellor was announced by Lord Palmerston. The Naval Discipline Act Amendment Bill, and the Foreign Jurisdiction Act Amendment Bill, were read a third time and passed.

July

5.

(LORDS.) The royal assent was given by commission to 212 Bills. The Lord Chancellor gave an explanation of his resignation, glanced at the measures of law reform he had proposed, and thanked the House for the kindness uniformly displayed towards him. (LORDS.) The Commons were summoned, and the Queen's July Speech was read by commission. It thanked the Houses for 6. several of the measures they had passed; for the supplies voted; and for their attention to the business of the country; it congratulated them on the general prosperity, and the beneficial results from remission of taxation and the financial arrangements. It announced the friendly relations existing with all the European powers, and the cessation of the war in America. The immediate dissolution of the House of Commons, and the issue of writs for a new election.

XII.-PRIVATE BILLS OF THE PARLIAMENT, 1865. [27-28 Victoria.]

I. Numerical Abstract of the Private Bills of the Session of 1865:
New Bills introduced into the House

532

II. Comparative Classification of Bills for Ten Years, as given in the House of Commons List ::

The average number of Private Bills passed from 1856 to 1860 inclusive was 183; the average number from 1861 to 1865 inclusive has been 298; the session of 1865 giving the highest number since 1846. III. Abstract of Petitions and Private Bills in the Session of 1865:

III. IMPROVEMENTS IN TOWNS AND DISTRICTS:

1. General Improvements

2. Water

3. Gas

:

:

I. AGRICULTURE:

Drainage:-121. For reclaiming from the sea certain lands on and near the eastern and south-eastern coast of Essex; for making conduits from the North London Main discharging sewers to the coast of Essex; for utilizing the sewage of North London.

124. For the further improvement of the drainage and navigation by the river Witham in Lincolnshire, and for amending the Acts relating thereto.

231. To revive and extend the powers of the river Fergus Navigation and Embankment Company; and for authorizing the company to embank and reclaim from the sea other waste lands on the sides of the river Fergus in Clare.

II. COMPANIES :

85. To empower the Port Talbot Company to raise additional capital. 92. For enabling the Agra and Masterman's Bank (Limited) to divide the original shares of £100 in the capital of the company into two shares of £50 each.

123. To vary, extend, and consolidate the powers of the Northern Assurance Company.

129. For the incorporation and better regulation of the affairs of the Assam Company.

148. For the incorporation of the Ham Oyster Fishery Company, and for authorizing them to establish and maintain an oyster fishery near the north-east coast of the Isle of Sheppey in Kent.

227. For the better regulation of the Rochester Oyster Fishery.

III. IMPROVEMENT OF TOWNS AND DISTRICTS :

General Improvements:-3. To enable the Metropolitan Board of Works to open a new street in Whitechapel, and to remove Middle Row, Holborn, all in Middlesex.

20. To authorize the construction of new and widening and altering of existing streets and other works and improvements in Liverpool.

27. For the improvement and regulation of the proposed new town of West Worthing in the parish of Heene in Sussex

90. For enabling the mayor, aldermen, and citizens of Manchester to construct new streets, enlarge markets, improve the channel of the river Medlock, and to effect further improvements in the said city.

140. For the extension of the boundaries of the municipal borough and district of Halifax, and otherwise improving the said borough; to amend and extend the several powers of the Acts relating thereto.

164. To authorize the opening of certain new streets in Belfast, and to confer certain powers upon a Company and the mayor, aldermen, and burgesses of Belfast for such purposes.

195. For the improvement of Southport and the neighbourhood thereof.

214. For the further improving of Blackpool and the rest of the township of Layton with Warbrick in Lancashire; and for other purposes, and of which the short title is Blackpool Improvement Act, 1865.

225. To enable the St. Clement Danes Improvement Company to make certain improvements in the parish of St. Clement Danes.

250. For the improvement and better government of Newcastle-uponTyne.