The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-03-26 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONB.-WEDNESDAY.

Sir J. Trolawny moved the second reading of the
County.rates and expenditure Bill, the object of which
wax to establish financial Beards for misessing county•
rates and controlling the expenditure, the members to
be elected annually by the IMards of guardians, one of
the two members elected by each Board to be • magis-
trate resident in the county.
Mir M. Ridley moved to defer the second reading for
six months. The representative principle, however,
just and valuable in the abstract, could not be intro-
duced into an ancient institution, which had not been
proved to be inefficient or effete, without creating great
confusion and Is chaos of conflicting jurisdictions.
Mr.
Bill W. Forster supported the principle of the
.

Mr. Parke thought the subject should he taken up by
the Government, and that it would be well placed in
the hands of Sir G. Lewis.

Sir J. Shelley, whose name was on the back of the
Bill, which be defended, admitted that it was much
better that a measure of this sort should be introduoed
by the Government.
Mr. Philipps opposed the Bill, observing that no
proof had been offered of the bad working of the pre-
sent system.
Sir G. Lewis remarked that the proposition that taxa-
tion and representation were coincident in local institu-
tions was subject to exceptions. Originally the only
rate into the imposition of which the popular element
entered was the church rats. Ile admitted that it was
desirable to connect taxation with representation in
county-rates, and if nothing more was involved in the
principle of the Bill he would vote for the second
reading. Ho should vote for the principle, and for the
second reading of this Bill.
Colonel Patten said there was one glaring difficulty in
the Bill which could not lie overcome,—namely, that it
would introduce into counties a conflict of jurisdictions.

Mr. Barrow, whose name was on the bask of the
Bill, spoke in favour of its principle.
Mr. Osborne complained of the course taken by Sir
G. Lewis as most extraordinary, and asserted that, in
the counties of Cornwall and N% orcester especially, the
tenant farmers were greatly discontented with the
manner in which the county-rates were managed.
Mr. I>emies expressed his surprise at the conclusion
of Sir G. Lewis's speech, every one of his arguments,
he remarked, being against the Bill, which, ho con•
tended, it would be impossible to work.
Sir .1. l'akington hoped that the Bill would be with-
drawn. He had never known a Bill, be said, eo power-
fully uppueed anal so feebly supported.
After some remarks by Mr. Wyld in support of the
second reading of the Bill,
Mr. Henley expressed his regret at the declaration of
Sir G. Lewis, that he declined to take up a questiun
which could nut be properly handled by any private
member.

•
The debate was confirmed by Sir 11. Verney, Mr.
Parker, and Mr. Selater-Booth, and, after • reply by
Sr .1. Trelawny, the amendment, upon a division, was
carried by lid to 125 ; 110 the Bill is lost.
Mr. Hardrastle moved the second reading of the public
rharitim Hill, shortly captaining the objects and pro-
yisiens of the measure, which, after some remarks from
the Attorney-General he withdrew.
The remaining business haying been disposed of, the
}louse adjourned at ten minutes to 6 o'clock.