The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-07-26 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY.

Mr. BLACt, in moving that the Edinburgh, do.,
Annuity Tax Abolition Bill be read • second time,
urged the oppressive nature of this tax, not only from
its inherent injustice, which made it a grievance, but
when compared with Church-rates in England and
Ministers' money in Ireland.
Mr. BLACKBURN objected to the Bill that it disco-
dowed the Established Church in the city of Edinburgh,
mid the principle would apply to all Scotland as well as
to England. He desired, therefore, to know the inten-
tion of the Government regarding the immure.
Sir G. Lewis said he had no hesitation in giving his
assent to the principle embodied in the Bill; but in
voting for the soma reading, he assented simply to the
abolition of the tax in its present form, and he ex-
pressed his desire that it migut be in the power of the
Government next session to propose some plan that
would provide a substantial substitute for the tax; and
he undertook toad fide, next session, if they remained
in office, to bring forward • measure founded on that
principle.
Lord Elkin/ considered the principle of the Bill so
obnoxious and so dangerous—sweeping away the foun-
dation of the Established Church—that although anxious
for • compromise, be felt bound to vote against the
second reading, and he moved to defer it for three
months.

This amendment was seconded by Mr. W. MIL.1:611;,

--
The second reading of the Bill.was advocated by Sir
T. E. CoLuntogu and CAIRD, and opposed by Mr.
C. Barce.
The LORD ADVOOATI observed that he had not heard
from the opponents of the Bill anything that would
facilitate the settleinent of this question, which all
admitted ought to be settled. He was no advocate of
the voluntary principle, and no enemy of a Church
establishment; and he denied that the Bill contained one
word that would justify the arguments of Lord Melo,
that it attacked the foundation of the Established
Church. The real question warn whether the Bill pro-
posed an adequate substitute for the tax. This was •
matter for the committee, and be thought the Bill
should be read a second time..
. . . . . . . .

Mr. NERDIGATE insisted that the principle of the
Bill was that of an unconditional abolition of the means
of maintaining the Established Church.
After soine further discussion, Mr. BLACK consented
to proceed no further with the Bill after the second
reading, and wait until next session for the Govern-
ment measure.
Upon a division, the amendment was negatived by
162 to 106, and the Bill wee read a second time.
JOHN LOCKE, in moving the second reading of
the Weights and Measures Bill, which was almost pre-
cisely similar, he said, to that introduced in the last
Parhament, stated the reasons which had induced him
to bring the measure forward, and pointed out its dif-
ferent objects, which were dissimilar and might be
dissociated. .

After ni.uch debate, the Bill warn read • second time,
with the understanding that the first clause, providing
that corn should be uniformly wild by measure, and the
imperial measure only, would be withdrawn in the com-
mittee. . . .

Mr. M. Muscle moved the seciond reeding of the
Diplomatic Pensions Bill, the object of which was to ex-
empt the recipients of such pensions from the operation
of the Act 6th of Anne, which excluded persons in the
receipt of pensions under the Crown from a seat in that
House. He argued that their admission would not be
an invasion of the great constitutional principle upon
which the Act was founded, and that it would affect
but a few individuals who would prove efficient mem-
bers of the House. .

Mr. COCHRANE spoke in favour of the Bill.
Mr. WlLeos rid that looking to the origin of the ex-
clusion, which was a constitutional jealousy on the part
of the House of Commons, if the Howe chose to divest
itself of that jealousy in this case, the Government had
no objection to the measure.
Several members spoke in favour of the Bill, which
was read a second time. _ _ _ .

Mr, A ',COCK moved the second reading of the Church
Bates Commutation Bill, stated its object, which was
to provide for • voluntary commutation of these rates,
by empowering the Charity Commissioners, after secur-
ing • yearly man sufficient to defray the expenses now
legally payable out of the rates, to declare them to be
abolished in the parish where such provision was