The Press.
London, England, 1856-02-09 00:00:00

COUNTY AND BOROUGH POLICE.

Sir G. UREY, on Thursday, moved forleave to bring
in a bill to render more efficient the police force in
England and Wales. By this measure it was not in.
tended to take the management of the c bunty and
borough police out of the hands in which it was at
present placed, but to make compulsory the present
permissive power under which justices of counties
could appoint an efficient police force ; and, further,
to assign to the Queen in Council the division of
caanties into districts for police purposes. The
Crown would also take power to appoint inspectors,
who would report to the Crown as to the state of the
police throughout the country. He also proposed to
authorise the Treasury, on the reports of the inspec-
tors as to the efficiency of the police in counties and
boroughs, to issue sums not exceeding one fourth of
the pay and clothing of the police in any county or
borough, not to be charged upon the consolidated
fund, but to be annually voted by Parliament. With
respect to the smaller boroughs, he did not propose
to compel their consolidation with the counties; but,
by way of encouraging such amalgamation, he pro-
posed to issue no grant to any borough with a popu-
lation which (lid not exceed 5,000. The sum of
200,0001., he believed, would more than cover the
charge under the bill. A measure for the same ob-
ject, he said, would be introduced by the Lord
Advocate for Scotland.

Sir J. PARINGTO; entertained a doubt as to
whether the proposed allowance would be sufficient
to secure an efficient police. He approved highly of
the application of the compulsory principle to
counties, and thought the same principle should be
applied to boroughs. He thought also that, as re-
garded the force to be kept up, a minimum should
be fired.

Mr. Christopher Nisbet, Mr. Deedes, Mr. Rice,
Mr. Buck, Lord Lovaine, Mr Robert Palmer, and
other hon. members expressed a general approval of

THE PRESS.

the measure, and leave was given to bring in the bill,
fixing the second reading for Monday.
The bill passed through committee on Thursday.

CHURCH RATES.

Sir GEORGE GREY stated on Monday that the
Government hoped to bring in a bill this session upon
Church rates.

Mr. PACKE, on Tuesday, moved for leave to bring in
a bill to abolish Church rates, except for certain
specified purposes, making provision for the mainte-
nance of the fabric and necessary fittings of parish
churches, enabling persons to redeem their liability
to Church rates, and otherwise amending the law
respecting the assessment, levy, and collection of the
rate throughout England and Wales. After remarking
upon some previous attempts at legislation on this
important subject, the hon member described the
provisions of his present measure. The bill contained
fourteen clauses. The church rate hitherto required
for the performance of Divine Service was to be
wholly abolished, and all dissenters, as well as occu-
piers of rateable property, were to be exempted from
paying the rate, which was to fall on the owners,
these also being allowed to redeem their liability on
the payment of a reasonable sum, and to enact
that the recovery and levying of the rate should in
all respects assimilate to the poor rate.
Sir W. CLAY, while assenting to the motion, inti-
mated his own intention of shortly bringing in a
bill for the total abolition of the rate.