The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-05-30 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

!
MONDAY.—Some discussion took place with reference i
to the treatment of Colonel Dawkins by the military
authorities. The debate waxed so warm that a division
took place on the motion of Mr. Darby Griffiths for the
production of the papers, resulting in the rejection of
the motion by 172 to 112. On the report of the Union
Chargeability Bill being brought up, a long disenaion '
mated on • resolution moved by Mr. Knight that the
cost of pauper lunatic's and every other charge', with
the exception of the in-maintenance and out-relief of
the poor, should be repaid to the anions eut of the Con-
solidated Fend. In the course of the debate, Mr. '
Portman said that he widied to mill attention to some
tali-statements in Dr. Hunter's report with respect to
the comity which he represeoted,-(Derseeilitisa. ..Dr.
Hun ter lekiteekehe
_Clofillfle nestuittnolaill°l"Dslirb°n
Marshals -eaa,./egg from 16'7 in 1851 to 124 in 1861
—a decreseNhienpagnently, of GS. A gentlemen who
lived in that-fillage had informed hint that the facts
were just the reverse, and that .the houses between
1851 and 1861 that had been pulled down were 14, and
the number built 45, showing an increase of 31 honlis
in that place. (Opposition cheers). Dr. Hunter Mb
made the same charge against Canon Hinton, but the
truth was that one house had been burnt down, and
that five or six had been built in it. place. (Cheers).
There were great diffieulties in the way of cottage
building, of which gentlemen who lived in towns and
studied their reports knew nothing. Some cottages
were let with farms, and others were lifeholds ; mid as
the owner had no power over them except as, fast as
they fell in to build better cottages in their stead,
cottage building was a bad investuient—(hear, hear),
and many land proprietors were not in a position to lay
out money in that which gave so little interest as
cottages. At the same time there was no doubt the
landowners, as • body, were fully alive to their
responsibilities as to cottages, and during the last few
years a great stride had been made in the way of
improvement (Cheers).-a-Mr. Floyer remarked that
the hon. gentleman (Mr. Brace) had said that the snore
the medical report was looked into the more correct it
would be found to be; but with that view of it hp
could 'Mt agree. It would be remembered that the
chief ground upon which the Bill was urged upon the
acceptance of the House was, that it would tend to the
removal of a great grievance—namely, the want of
proper cottage accommodation and the restrictions upon
the labour of the poor. But no proofs had been given
that those effects would follow from the Bill. The
right bon. getttleumn said cottage accommodation had
diminished even where the population had increased;
but the whole evidence even as to that was confined to
the report laid on the table of the House. There had
no
doubt been 'plenty of opinions quoted on the one
side and the other. The right hon, gentleman quoted
that of the late Sir G. C. Lewis (whose loss th y all
deplored); and then against that they had the opinion
of his right hon. friend ((r. Henley), whose authority
on points like these was equal to that of any other;
living or dead. (Cheere). That return professed to
give an account of certain parishes in which the cottage
accommodation had decreased eimultaneonely with an.
, increase in population. In the county which he
represented, the report gave 20 parishes as having go
decreased. On looking at the first five decades since
1801 he found the population had increased one-third;
and he toned, slim from the return, that in the same
period the cottages had increased from 1186 to 1954, an i
increase in incase of the proportionate increase of the I
population. But in the next decade there was at first
eight a great diminution on the whole of cottage
' accominodation, but on looking further into the matter,
and the particulars of the several parishes, he found
that out of the twenty named there was in eight no
decrease whatever of cottage accommodation. Yet this
return professed to be given only for the purpose of
showing decrease. (Hear). So far from that there
were several in which there was actually an increase.
lie did not know for what purpose these were put into
the return, unless it was to swell out and show a
particular fact, when it really showed just the contrary.
His hon. colleague (Mr. Portman) had shown in the
case of another parish, which was dated in the report of
have decreased in cottages from 164 to 114 in ten years,
that that was a total mistake, and that the reverse was
the fact. That pariah was what he might call the right
hon. gentleman's "great gun" as regarded Dorsetshire ;
and yet it proved to have been altogether a mistake.
Having thus shown that in nine out of the twenty
parishes selected, the direct reverse of the return was
proved to be the fact, how could that return be trusted
with regard to other parishes? (Cheers.) If it was
so grievously wrong in one county only, it might be
'wrong in many, or all: and was ittlierefore a et ground
work upon which to base legislation' (Cheers). He
admitted that there was • period when cottages were
pulled down, but the statements which had been made
*pen that subject were greatly exaggerated; and he
believed that the practice had by this time wholly or
almost wholly caved. It could not, therefore, form a
Ileetimate ground for legislation at the present day, and
, yet it formed the main argument adduced in favour of
! the present measure. There was auother avast of the
question which he wished to press upon the notice of
the House. Landlords were not always rich, and
cottage building, however desirable it might be, was in
expensive operation. But the present Bill would
probably in many instances double the amount of poor
rates paid by landowners; and it would, therefore,
diminish their means of improving the habitations of
the agricultural labourers. The diminution of the
means of effecting any useful object wonld certainly be
a strange means of endeavouring to ensure its Madre I
ment. The right hon. gentleman the President of the
Poor-law Board had atated that since the New Poor-law
Act had been passed in 1834, the incidence of that
burden had been altered to the extent of 51 per cent.,
and he (Mr. Floyer) believed that the transference of the
charge from the poorer to richer parishes had operated
beneficially; but he saw nothing in the circumstances of
, the present time which called for the sweeping change
' proposed by the present measure.—The motion was
negatived without a division.
TUESDAT.—Sir George Grey, in answer to a question,
stated that it was exceedingly desirable that one uniform
oath should be taken by all Her Majesty's -subjects, and
that oath one of allegiance only. He would not advise
Mr. Monsen to withdraw his Roman Catholic Oaths
Bator sech e measure; but if he did, the Governin ,
wettld give it "all the support in their power."—Lo
eni
Waterston assented to • motion by Mr. Fernand for
select committee to inquire into the Leede Bankruptey
Court affair. The 'Lord 'Chancellor, said the Premier,
°Sifted- investigation. The case of Colonel Dawkina
was again brought forward by Mr. Griffith., but Lord
Palmerston said it would be fatal to discipline if the
COmmander•in-Chief was not allowed to act according
te ble own digeretion. Mr. Maguire moved that an ex-
port duty ought to be placed on English rags. The
motion was negatived by 140 to 95. Amidst consider-
able interruption, Mr. Whalley moved for a Select Com-
mittee teens:Mire into the mode in which the service is
conducted at St. Paul's Church, Briehton, of which the
Rev. A7O. Wagner is curate, especially that portion of
it which hag reference to saeramental confession. Sir
G, prey opposed the appointment of such a committea ,
at the slime Vete regretting that any practices etion
preyed in any church which were inconsistent with t .
simple forms generally observed ; but it was a question
whether the practices complained of were in isontraven-
Hon of eirdemaatieal law. The motion was defeated.
Mr. 'Whalley then moved that the House should go into
committee, in ordet- that he might obtain leave to bring
In a bill for enforcing the law against illegal usage, and
ornaments in the Church of England. Sir G. Grey
oPposied the motion, and it was negatived without •
division.
I WenNINSDAY.—The Hon* dfdbelt meet to-day,it being
the anniversary of her Mayeetfit birthday.
I •tittl, asuee.—The Union Chergeabflity Bill, alter
Odom oppoeition on the part e( hr. lienley,Mr. Hentinak,
end other hon. member's, was read a third time, and
, passed amid cheers from the ,Mipiaterial benches. The
' Partnership Amendment Bill tine the General Post
Office AAditiouel Sit. Idillesreee also read a third Memel
end Passed. A proposed of the Chancellor of the Exch*.
quer eo recommit the Bank Notes lame Bill led to mine
dismission, in which Mr. Cobbold, Mr. Heygate, Mr.
Greavea, Mr. Clay, Mr. Hubbard, Mx. Hadfield. and
other members took part, Coloael Edwards remarking
that if the bill Passed in its then shape it would inflict
Serious consequences upon the trade of the country, and
that a more dangeroua measure, so far as the provincial
lonising interests were concerned, had never been con-
looted on the Treaenry,banqh. In brief, it was • whole-
tale coofiscation of banking property, and he recom-
Mended that it should be withdrawn. Ultimately,
homelier, the bill was recommitted, when Mr. Cobbold
moved to omits portion of the Bth clause, and icseet the
Words te the °fleet that the Lards Commissipears of .the.
Fess* Might, on and at time after the let of .
ennary, lBn, by notice in the Gazelle, declare
me hat ;mi Parliament otherwise determined at the ex-
iration of • year from the date of the notice all issues
f banks in respect of which e per-centage might be pay- I
&Me under the act should cease, and that such lames ,
should cease accordingly. Mr. Ayrton and the Chancellor
of the FichequerOpposed the motion, which was with-
stravrn, and the bill passed through committee. The
Fire Brigade (Metropolis) Bill was, after some discus-
Con, read 'a
seemed' time. The bill proposes to transfer
th-ei present Fire Brigade to the Metropolitaa Board of
Works, and the fonds for iteroeintenasee on an extended
ffile, amounting to about £5OlOOO a-year, shall be raisedj
a rate of a half-penny in the pound 11l this metropoli-
n district, a contribution of £IO,OOO by Ociveritment,
end a per-centage on the value of Insurances effected
by the companies.
I FEIDAY.—Sir J. Walsh asked whether Government
bad received from the United States any formal and
efficial demand for losses sustained by the Alabama or
ether Confederate cruisers?—Lord Palmerston replied
that a correspondence had been going on for nearly two
years upon friendly—indeed, the most amicable—terms.
.I-In answer to Mr. Algernon Egerton, Mr. T. G.
Baring said that a Bill was in preparation to make re-
gulations for the storing of gunpowder, with a view to
preventing accidents by explosions.—dm the order for
going into committee of supply, Mr. Griffith ones
ore called attention to the case of Colonel Dawkins.
1.8. in.
ved.atladdresit fer.A.Mer of all correspondence
relating to the first estait;:hqUequirto.t :1%4 e Menial: of
par jrib .
h 1.11 BeViettetatrias.. nio ttleVittletd
ection of the house, at& lirtinkti they would !settee
teinteghtemergeset the papers—The motioa_of-lie. ..
Griffith was negatived veithiert a divAipp.—Mr. Marsh
directed attenthiii.th he Oast of the protection of the
swim:dm, and the advantages , mother country
delisted ,100 ft ' ' *hi Mr. ttairell
the-. "-et sisidect.

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