`HALL, THE RIGHT HON. SIR BENJAMIN, M.P., is the son of the lato Mr. Benjamin Hall, many years M.P. for Totnes, Westbury, and Glamorgenshire, by a daughter of William Crawshay, Esq., an extensive iron-master is South Wales. He was born in 1802, and received his early edncation at Westminster School and Christ church, Oxford. He first entered upon public life in 1831, when he was returned to Parliament for Monmouthshire in opposition to the Marquis of Worcester, afterwards Duke of Beaufort, in whose family the representation of that county had been vested for several gene rations. Though unseated on petition, he was re-elected in December 1832, after the passing of the Reform Bill, and continued to represent that constituency until 1837, when he was elected for the metro politan borough of Marylebone, for which be has continued to sit without interrelation to the present time (September 1856). From the time of his first entry upon parliamentary life, he has devoted great attention to pnblic business, and more especially to the state, pros pects, and revenues of the Established Church, in which he has effected some judicious and well timed reforms by bringing abuses to light, and by subjecting the establishment and its dignitaries to the juris diction of the state, and the control of parliament, and of public opinion. lIe has also from year to year brought forward bills for
the abolition of church-rates, which, though still in existence, may be said to be doomed to early abolition by his constant and persevering efforts. He has also steadily advocated the extension of the suffrage and of secular education, and of sanitary and social reforms, as well as the substitution of a property tax in place of the assessed and other taxes. In 1854 he was appointed president of the Board of Health, and was sworn a member of the Privy Connell, and in this capacity he brought forward the Act by which all the local adminia tration of the metropolis is brought under one system. In the follow ing year he succeeded the late Sir William Molesworth, as chief com missioner of l'ublic Works. lie has also been a willow] supporter of the literature and social improvement of his Cambrian couutrymeu, as well as of the movement for providing the working classes with rational amusement on Sundays. He was advanced to a baronetcy for his public services in 1833 on the occasion of her Majesty's coronation.