this reason they proposed the incorporation of the Board of Public Works with that of the Woods and Forests, and he did not think, that this alteration would materially increase the expense of the management of the latter department, while a considerable saving would be effected in the office connected with the Land Revenue. Besides this advantage an individual responsibility would be secured, in the management of the business, by which he hoped the works undertaken would be better performed. He did not think, that the duties of the Board of Ordnance were analogous to those connected with the palaces belonging to the Crown, and he considered the arrangement proposed by his noble friend much better than that suggested by the hon. Gentleman. Mr. Hume said, that as the Board of Works had the superintendence of public buildings to the amount of 40,000l. or 50,000l. a year, including that House amongst the rest, he thought it would be better to transfer these duties to the Board of Ordnance, which Board, there were good reasons for believing, would be able to perform the duties most effectually, as it had already had the management of barracks, and other public buildings connected with them, and was provided with engineers and all necessary officers. That Board had the superintendence of the public buildings in Dublin, and he was at a loss to know what difference there could be between the repairs of palaces and other public offices belonging to the Government. No man approved more than he did of consolidation, but he hoped that no superannuation or compensation would be given until it had been first submitted to the Treasury, and by them submitted to that House.

Mr. Warburton said, that the only reason he had for objecting to the arrangement was, that he thought a permanent officer more likely to do the duty effectively than a removable officer, as the Commissioners of the Woods and Forests were, although he admitted that there was no reason to complain either of the present or the last persons who filled that office. He thought, that if the buildings now under the control of the Lord Chamberlain were placed under the same office, it would be a great saving and benefit to the public.

Mr. Goulburn merely rose to observe, that the arrangement proposed, relating to the Lord Chamberlain's department, by the hon. member for Bridport, had been carried into effect some years ago.

Leave given, and Bill brought in and read a first time,

COMPENSATION TO OFFICERS OF LAND REVENUE.] Lord Duncannon gave notice, that he should, on Monday, move for the appointment of a Committee to consider of the expediency of abolishing the office of Auditor of Land Revenue.

Mr. Hume expressed a hope, that no compensation would be given without ample proof that the office was a patent one, and therefore he trusted the patent would be laid upon the Table, in order that he might be satisfied if the holder was entitled to compensation.

Mr. Maberly did not think, that the present temper of the country was at all favourable to giving large retiring allowances to officers holding places of emolument. He trusted the precedent afforded by the cases of the Commissioners for Lotteries would be avoided; these persons had received large allowances on giving up places which had no duties attached to them.

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.] Mr. Goulburn wished to have some understanding on the subject of an arrangement which was proposed last Session, for making Wednesday an order day. He was not aware that that was intended as a permanent regulation, but that it had merely been adopted on account of the particular circumstances of the last Session. If it were permanently adopted, the result would be, that Wednesday would be the only day on which Gentlemen not connected with the Government could bring forward business; for, without meaning to impute any want of courtesy to Ministers, he thought he might safely say, that they would not allow Gentlemen unconnected with them to bring on business on Monday and Friday. From this a great impediment to the public business would necessarily arise.

Lord Althorp said, that the arrangement of making Wednesday an Order day had been proposed as an experiment, but there never had been an opportunity of trying the experiment, owing to the Reform Bill. The right hon. Gentleman said, that his Majesty's Government would never allow Gentlemen unconnected with them to bring their business on, either on Monday or Friday. He could assure the right hon. Gentleman, that he should not wish to take advantage of the courtesy of the House, when Wednesday was an Order day, any more than when it was not. He was sure the Government would not prevent Gentlemen from bringing on business

on Monday and Friday, when it could be made convenient. But he could give no specific pledge on the subject, further than to say, that on Wednesday the Government would not ask precedence.

HOUSE OF COMMONS,

Monday, December 12, 1831.

MINUTES.] Bills. Brought in, by Mr. CRAMPTON, to amend the 7th of George 4th, called the Subletting Act, to consolidate and amend the Laws relating to Juries in

Ireland. By Mr. EVANS, to prevent the application of Corporate Funds to Election purposes. Read a second time, Lottery Tickets Bill.

Returns ordered. On the Motion of Lord JOHN RUSSELL, Copies of the Instructions given by the Secretary of the Home Department to the Parliamentary Commissioners,

with the Returns made by them to the Home Office. On the Motion of Mr. HUME, the Salary and Emoluments received by the Auditors of the Land Revenue during the

HUME, from Felton, Gloucestershire, for the abolition of Tithes.

COMPENSATION-LAND REVenue DePARTMENT.] Lord Duncannon moved, that the House go into a Committee on the Bill for granting Compensation to Officers in the Land Revenue Department.

On the question being put,

Mr. Hume thought it would be desirable to appoint a Committee to inquire whether it would not be better to transfer the duties of the Board of Works to the Ordnance, than to the Woods and Forests.

last twenty years; and a statement of the Offices which would be abolished, transferred or created by the Consoli

dation of the Board of Works with the Board of Woods

office from the transmission of Newspapers to Ireland :

On the Motion of Sir ROBERT INGLIS, of the number of

Jesuits and Priests, or other Monastic Orders, in Great

Britain and Ireland, and all Tithes belonging to Laymen

in the different dioceses in Ireland:-On the Motion of Mr.

PRAED, of the number of Voters polled at the last general Election, the probable number of Voters and the present

number of Freemen in all the Corporate towns of Ireland:

-On the Motion of Mr. SPRING RICE, Copies of all Trea

sury Orders by which Duties have been raised since Janu

ary, 1800, with Copies of the Resolutions on which they were founded; of all appointments to places in the Excise and Customs' Departments during the last twelve months; and of all persons who have retired when superannuated,

and the amount of their pensions, in Ireland; the public Income and Expenditure for the four last years up to 5th

January 1831; the sums contributed by Great Britain for the erection of Fortifications in the Netherlands; of all

Excise prosecutions for the recovery of Duties on Paper, for the last fourteen years; the quantity of Malt manufactured

and brought to charge in Scotland and Ireland from 5th January 1830, to 5th January, 1831; all Spirits distilled in

Great Britain and Ireland from 1825 to January, 1831; of Malt charged with duty in Great Britain and Ireland; of Malt imported into each country; and of the quantity

used in distillation in Scotland and Ireland from 1825 to

January last; of the sums paid by the Excise and Customs for Saccharometers and Hydrometers from 1823; of Spirits distilled North and South of the Highland line, from

October 1823, to July 1830; of the number of persons who

had emigrated to various Colonies and Countries since the passing of the Act 9th George 4th; of Malt Spirits distilled by each Distiller; and of Corn-wash, also distilled by them from 10th of October 1827; of Malt Spirits

bonded from 5th of January, 1826 to 5th January, 1851;

of the Sums advertised to be applied to the discharge of the National Debt during the last eight quarters; and of surplus revenue really applied to the discharge of Debt; abstract of Votes in Supply in the last three years; and amount actually expended; of the sums due to the Excise under 4th George 4th, for Spirits produced under proof; for a return of the sums due to the Excise; for additional

duties on Spirits under 1st William 4th; of all Steam Vessels belonging to the Public, and their employment; of the number of Stamps issued to each Newspaper in Ire

land, from 5th January, 1830 to 5th October, 1831; for a Return of Malt made, and duty thereon, from 10th of October, 1827 to 10th October, 1828.

Petitions presented. By Mr. DOMINICK BROWNE, from the

Householders of Galway, to preserve the peculiar Fran

chise of that Borough in the Irish Reform Bill. By Mr.

present measure was introduced.

Mr. Maberly said, it would be much better, in his opinion, as he had already stated, to transfer the business connected with the Board of Works, to the Ordnance, which Board had a competent establishment of officers and engineers, capable of superintending all public buildings, as they already did those connected with military purposes. question, therefore, simply was, whether they should consolidate the Board of Works with those of an established and perfectlyorganized department, or whether these duties should be transferred to persons ignorant of their nature. The advantage

The

of this latter arrangement, according to his noble friend, would be the consolidation of the office of the Board of Works with that of the Woods and Forests; but surely this could not be equal in advantage to transferring the duties to the Ordnance. He perfectly agreed with his noble friend, that it was most advisable to abolish the Board of Works. On the whole, however, giving full credit to his noble friend for his intentions, he thought the proposal of his hon. friend, the member for Middlesexthat the subject should be referred to a Committee-most proper.

Lord Duncannon said, the Ordnance could not possibly perform the duties of the Board of Works without a large addition to the present establishment of officers.

The noble Lord Duncannon laid upon the Table a copy of the patent of the office of Auditor of Land Revenue, and moved a Re

Mr. Hume said, he should object to any compensation calculated on the fees and emoluments of the last few years. In consequence of the improvements in Regent-street and Regent's Park, doubtless a larger salary had been received by the Auditor of late than at any fomer period, or than he was ever likely to receive again. The average should be taken, therefore, for a great number of years, and not for the last six or seven.

Lord Duncannon said, the present question was simply, that a compensation be made to these parties, but it was intended the question of amount should be settled by arbitration-one arbitrator to be chosen by the Crown.

Sir Robert Inglis begged the noble Lord would inform him, whether the sum of 250,000l. paid out of the Treasury to the Board of Works had been wholly applied, or was any part of it to be repaid to the Treasury, and what portion of it had been expended on Buckingham palace ?

Lord Duncannon stated, that 100,000l. had been repaid to the Treasury, and that the remainder was in course of payment.

Resolution agreed to.

SUPPLY-INSURANCE DUTIES.] Lord Althorp moved the Order of the Day for receiving the Report of Supply.

Mr. Cripps wished to avail himself of that opportunity to ask the noble Lord, whether Ministers proposed to make any reduction in the Insurance Duties? The subject was very important at present, when so many fires were taking place in various parts of the country.

Lord Althorp trusted he should be excused, if he did not answer the question of the hon. Gentleman at that moment, because it would evidently be very inconvenient if he were to be called upon to answer prematurely questions connected with the revenue. He hoped the House and the hon. Gentleman would not expect him to give an opinion as to the expediency of reducing those duties at present.

any means could be devised, of alleviating that distress which was felt so deeply, and generally throughout the country. It was not necessary for him, at present, to state his opinion of the causes of that distress, but he must be permitted to say, that the quarantine regulations, which had been alluded to by some hon. Members as one great cause of it, was entirely inadequate to produce such extreme suffering.

Lord Althorp replied, that it was not at present, the intention of his Majesty's Ministers to propose any Committee.

SUPPLY THE BURKERS.] Mr. Hunt rose to put a question to a Member of Government, and he was sure that the public mind would be greatly relieved, by an answer from the proper authority. It had been stated, in a letter which bore the signature of a Magistrate of the county of Middlesex, that the persons who had been lately executed for the crime of burking, instead of confessing to having committed three or four murders only, had, on the day previous to their execution, confessed that the number amounted to sixty, and that they were going on in their narrative, when they were stopped by the Ordinary of Newgate. He might, perhaps, have expressed himself in a laughable manner upon this question, and judging from the conduct of some hon. Members, he was sure that must be the case, but he would say, that it was one which had very much agitated the public mind, and which was in itself very important. Not that he was at all disposed to believe the fact, because he saw it stated in a newspaper. But there were a great number of persons who did believe it on that account; and he wished that the hon. Under-Secretary of State would let the House know, whether the fact was as had been stated.

Mr. Lamb was not aware upon what authority the communication to which the hon. Gentleman alluded, had been put forth by the newspapers. The office to which he had the honour to belong, had heard of no confession made by those parties, beyond what had been already published.

Mr. Alderman Waithman said, that he had seen the criminals, and had communicated with the Sheriffs and the UnderSheriffs on their case. He had observed the report in question, and, in consequence of it, applied to the Sheriffs, who assured

him, that the men had declared, in the most positive manner, over and over again, that they had told all they knew. He was, therefore, astonished when he saw the statement in the newspapers.

Mr. Hunt was sorry that, according to his view, the matter was still left in a state of considerable doubt. The hon. UnderSecretary of State said, that he had heard of no other confession than that which was published. But the statement was, that on the night before the execution, another confession was made to a certain person of sixty murders, and which confession was going on, when it was stopped by the Ordinary of Newgate. Neither the hon. Under-Secretary nor the worthy Alderman stated, that he had had any communication with the Ordinary-and, although he believed the facts to be as they stated, still he thought their statement would not be satisfactory to the public, and he hoped the House would obtain further information.

Mr. Lamb regretted that his answer had not been as satisfactory as he intended it should be. He had had no communication with the Ordinary of Newgate; but he would say, that all the confessions which the criminals made, had been published.

Mr. Alderman Waithman said, that he had had a communication with the Ordinary, and could say, that no other confession was made, than that which had been published.

Report of Supply brought up.

SUPPLY DECCAN PRIZE MONEY.] Mr. Hume begged to put a question to the noble Lord the Chancellor of the Exchequer, respecting the Deccan Prize Money. Six months ago, the noble Lord had said, that he hoped in a few weeks to be able to communicate the measures which were in progress for the ultimate settlement of that affair. Since then, he and other hon. Members had asked for information on the subject, but had been unable to obtain it. He wished that the Government would now give some answer that might be satisfactory to the numerous applicants.

Lord Althorp said, that he should be prepared to give an answer on a future day, and in the mean time he would take care to have the documents consulted.

Mr. Hume would repeat his question on the next Supply day, and then ask whether the delay had arisen from any defalcation of money in the hands of individuals? He thought it just to all parties, to give them an opportunity of clearing themselves.

SUPPLY-FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.] Mr. Portman wished to ask the hon. member for Boston a question relating to a subject which had much excited the public mind. He alluded to a notice given by that hon. Member last Session, of his intention to move for leave to bring in a bill to amend the present laws for the regulation of Friendly Societies. As he (Mr. Portman) had conducted the present Act through the House, he had received many communications on the subject, which he was unable to answer, and, therefore, took the liberty of asking, what were the intentions of the hon. Member, and what was the precise object of the Bill which he proposed to introduce?

Mr. Wilks said, that his intention was principally to regulate the period within which all friendly societies, although they should have been already enrolled, would be compelled to re-enrol themselves. Three years were allowed for the purpose by the present Act, which three years would expire in July next; and, as there were 7,000 societies which remained un-enrolled, it would be a very great inconvenience to them if the time were not extended. His object was, to extend the time for two years, as related to existing societies. Report agreed to.