The Express.
London, England, 1863-02-10 00:00:00

BILL TO ABOLISH CHURCH RATES.

The bill to abolish church-rates prepared and
brought into the House of Commons by Sir J. Tre'away,
Sir C. Douglas, and Mr. Dillwyn, is as follows :
" Whereas church-rates have for some years ceased to
be made or collected in many parishes by reason of the
opposition thereto, and in many other parishes where
church-rates have been made the levying thereof has giveo
rise to litigation and : and whereas it is expedient
that the power to make church-rates should be abolished :
be it therefore enscted by the Queen's most excellent
Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords
spiritual and temporal, and Commons, in this present pill,
liarneat assembled, and by the authority of the same, as
follows :

"1. From and after the passing of this act no church
rate shall be made or levied in any parish in England or
Wales.

"2 Provided always that in any parish where a sum of
money is at the time of the paring of this set due on the
security of church rates to be made or levied in Etch pariah
under the provisions of any Act of Parliament, such rates
may still be made and levied pursuant to each provisions
for the purpose of paying off the money so due, but not
otherwise, until the mme shall have bean liquidated.
•• 3. Any church rate made at any time before the pear
ins of this set may be collected and recovered in the aims
way as if this act bad not been passed.
•• 4. This act may be cited as • The Church Rate Aboli-
tion Act, 1863.•"

On an early day Mr. Baxter will move a resolu-
tion on the subject of the Ocean Mad Service on the North
Atlantic, and the renewal of the Galway subsidy.

Mr. Henry Seymour will shortly call the atten-
tion of the House of Commode to the sale of MAUI lands,
and the redemption of the land tax!in India ; and to more
foe mew. . .

Mr Berkeley has given notice that, on second
reading of Corrupt Practices at Elections Bill, he will move
that it be read a second time upon this day sir months.

On Thursday Mr. Horsfall will move for a se-
lect committee to inquire whether it would be practicable
and advantageous to consolidate any of the establishments
now governed by the Boards of Inland Revenue and Cus-
toms, respectively ; or to unite any portion of the duties
performed by their officers. with a view to economy in the
collection of the public revenue, and to simplicity of sr-
' rangement.
Viscount Enfield will put a question to the First
Commissioner of Works on Friday relative to the closing
of the carriage road that was opened last year through •
portion of Hyde-park, between the districts of Bayswater
and South Kensington. . . .

On the 16th Mr. Cowper will introduce a b• 11
for making a new street from Blackfriare to the Mansion.
house, in the city of Londou, in connexion with the embank-
ment of the river Thames on the northern side of that
river ; and for other purpose&
•

Mr. Hadfield, Sir M. Peto, Mr. Baines, and
Mr. Kershaw, have prepared and brought in the House et
Commons a bill to render it unneessian to make and
subscribe certain declaratioas u a qualification for offices
and employments.

The.Sixaker of the House of Commons ha.
appointed Sir F. Baring, Bert., Mr. Walpole, Hon. A.
Herbert, Sir W. Miles, Bart., Mr. H. K. Sumer, and
Yr. I. B. Oarter, to be members of the general committee
of elections for the present session.
The misgovernment of India was the subject of
meetings at Oldham and Dorwen, last night, at both of
which Sir Charles Wood's measures were severely censured.
The meeting at Oldham was principally attended by opera-
tives, and a memorial was adopted urging upon the govern-
ment the necessity of more freely encouraging the growth
of cotton in Hiodostan. That at Darwen was attended by
many manufacturers. The sentiments expressed were quite
as strong as at Oldham, and urged the adoption of a coin.
pieta free-trade policy as the cure for Indian misgovern-
ment.

Her Majesty (says the Kentish Gazette) has been
graciously pleased to swept the resignation of the ()amis.
sloe held by Lieut.-Colonel Sir Edward Chola:lslay Doris',
Bart., M.P., in the Royal Eat Kent Yeomanry Cavalry.
The Hon. H. Butler-Johnstone, late M.P. for
Canterbury, and Mrs. Butler4ohnatone are residing at
Naples.

Mr. Edward Wingfield Verner, eon of Sir Wil-
liam, is Um new *nonnative candidate for Lisburn.

The animal ball of the London Royal Yacht
Club will take plow this evenieg at Willis's Rooms.
_ . _

At a meeting of the Juridical Society last even-
ing, Mr. Karr read a paper on the Alabama.
Were it not for the unanimous accounts which
come In from all the provinces, it would be almost lea*.
Mile (nays a letter from Athens) to what extent Prince
Alfred's name has become eagraven on the minds of the
maim of Greece. The only awkward thing Is the hard.
sounding foreign name of Alfred. Even by affixing the en-
desiring diminutive, and making " Affredalis " of it, it
cannot be naturalised, so the simple-minded people have
taken to calling him "the Bon of the Widow."
The Brussels journals, referring to the health of
King Leopold, mention that Dr. Langecbeek performed so-
other operation a few days back on his Majesty. The King
is in good epirite, and is not prevented from continuing his
easteenery occupations.
A grand fête was given at Paris on Saturday
evening by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mme.
Drouyn de Limy,. Fancy drams being the rule, the geese
was of the most animated desoriptios. The Emperor and
Empress were present; the latter was is a black domino,
whilst the former changed his costume several times. The
Emperor went several times through the different salons,
acid thee going up to a group in the midst of which were
the family of the minister, took off his mask and asked
whether he had been recognised. Amcor the characters
the mast remarked were Mine. Gortchakoff, who was
dressed as a boyar& with a axonal covered with pearls
and diamonds; Mine. do Bois de Meng, who wore a Polish
costume ; Maw. Say, as Esther ; the Princess Dolgorooky,
as a beehive; and Mon. de Nee, as aa Egyptian. Mme.
Hesekeren was a complete ease•tree from head to foot,
and Mme. Delvel was enveloped in ivy.
M. Kolisch, who now writes on chess in the
Nord. has the following :—" A ebees-rieirlie took plea a
few evenings back at the midget" of the Countess de
Colbert. Amami the poems present were Yr. Baal
Norphy, IL de Riviera, one of the host French *yeah
and Y. Frani, the author of eeriest well-losswa woeful. We
comet unfortunately offer to our readers the games played
oa this Lad other orandons lately between Kr. Murphy and
N. de Itivihe ; we ma only aciacaures the result d dee
palm played—three wee* wort by IL de Rivi4e, and two
I by Mr. Mellb7-"