The Express.
London, England, 1847-07-08 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTORS BILL.

On the order of the day being read for the second read-
ing of this bill, which stood next on the paper,
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said he should move the second
reading, u there seemed to be no one else to do so.
Sir G. GREY said he did not understand that the hon.
member for Westminster (Sir De Lacy Evans) had given
the hon. member for Finsbury charge of this bill, but if it
were so, and he intended to proceed with it now, he (Sir
G. Grey) must oppose the further progress of the bill. In
the absence, however, of the hon. member who bad charge
of the bill, he had intended to move that the second reeding
be postponed until to-morrow (this day), with a view to its
being considered with the government bill, of a similar
character. .

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said he had no objection to the second
reasiiog being postponed until to-morrow (this day), hut as
the Ilan. gentleman who had charge of the bill seemed to
have abandoned it, the measure was now in the bands of
the house, and he had, therefore, waived the second reading.
Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN objected to the bill being
postponed, and said he should certainly divide the house
upon it.
The CHANCILLOR of the Excnecir en and Sir O. Goer
deprecated the house going to a division as a waste of the
public time.
Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN said he thought the gentle-
men who were sponsors for the bill ought to hare been pre-
sent, and moved that the bill should be read a second time
that day six months.
Sir 3. GRAHAM said that when the same bill was
brought under discussion last session, he felt it his duty to
move the previous question, and under ordinary circum-
stances be should still oppose it; but he thought it would be
a hard measure to throw out the bill on the second reading.
He would, therefore, move that the second reading be post-
paned until to-morrow (this day).
Sir D. L. EVANS (one of the sponsors for the bill) here
entered the house &wield much laughter.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said he felt sure that the right hoe.
gentleman opposite (Sir J. Graham) would now withdraw
his amendment. (Laughter.) He objected to the making
the payment of rates and taxes a condition of voting, and he
hoped his hon. and gallant Mend would persevere in the
second reading of his moderate reform.
Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN said that his reason for taking
the course which he had done was, that he thought the hon.
and gallant gentleman had been wanting in respect fee the
house in being absent one day when his bill stood second in
the orders of the day.
Sir J. GRAHAM then withdrew his amendment, on
account, as he stated, of the arrival of the hon. and gallant
member for Westminster.
Sir D. L. EVANS said that he bad been attending in the
house shortly before, when, observing that one or two gen-
tlemen were engaged in delivering very drawling speeches,
he thought he might safely go out for a short time to visit
kis constituents. (Laughter.) Having now arrived, he
should move the second reading of the hill. (Hear, hear.)
By the bill which he proposed, the principle of the Reform
Bill, as regarded the payment of rates and taxes, was not in-
terfered with. He wished that, instead of payment being
required in July up to the sth of April, it should only be
required up to the preceding October. At present many
persons were excluded from voting respecting whose right to
vote substantially there could be no possible doubt.
The house divided—For the second reading 67
Against it
POOR REMOVAL ACT AMENDMENT (No. 2) BILL.
Mr. BODKIN moved the second reading of this bill. The
hon. and leaned member observed that by an act of last
session it was provided that after a residence of five years in
a particular parish, paupers should be considered irremova-
ble. In a variety of caste the law as it stood premed with
great hardship on the rate-payers, and the paupers them-
selves were neglected. The object which he wished to effect
was that of providing for paupers who had resided in parti-
cular parishes for five years out of s common fund to be sup-
plied by the whole union ; and in order that no evil might
arise from the experiment, he proposed to limit the operation
of the bill to a single year.
Mr. C/IRISTOPHER objected te the introduction of a
new principle in a bill of so limited a nature. It was aster
towards the abolition of the ancient parochial system of this
country, and was open to the objection that it was a fur-
ther development of the principle of centralisation.
Sir W. JOLLIFFE did not believe that the evils of the
present system could be remedied by the bill before the house.
The present law of settlement operated with great severity
towards the poor, and he thought the passing of this bill
would only add to their sufferings. He must oppose the bill
unless in committee a dense were introduced, providing that
no person should lose his title to relief by reason of a change
of residence front one parish to another in the same union.
Mr. SPOONER suggested to the proposer of the bill that
he should give to towns which were unions in themselves the
same privileges as he gave to those which formed parts of
unions.
Sir G. GREY said the principle of the bill being that of
enlarging the area of the unions, he felt bound, in coolie-
tency with his previous declarations, to give it his support.
Sir J. PAKINOTON expressed his approval of the bill.
Mr. FLOYER objected to the bill on the ground that it
tended to destroy the ancient parochial system.
Mr. HENLEY said that aa his name was on the back of
the bill he felt bound to support it. The legislature haring
given the poor exemption from removal under certain cir-
cumstances, the simple object of the bill was to diffuse the
burden of their support over a wider area.
Mr. WAKLEY said that all the discussions on that sub-
ject showed that the support of the poor must be made a
national charge. (Hear, hear.) There was a principle of
justice involved which would over-ride all objections to the
establishment of a national rate on behalf of the poor. The
burden of supporting the poor was at present most uoequally
distributed, ranging between ed. and 10s. in the pound.
Such a state of things could sot be allowed to continue.
Mr. HABEAS was glad that the hon. member for Fine-

buy had come round to the opinion which he bad just
impreosed, as on a loran occasion he accused him (Mr.
Smokes) of wishing to remove the burden from the shoulders
of the rats-payers. (Hear, beer.) Everybody now admitted
that the Poor Remind Act could not be left in its present
state. He had no desire to see the poor of the agricultural
districts thrown for support on the manufacturing towns.
Mr. BORTHWICK said that the principle of calling
upon parishes to pay for an excess by means of what was
celled a rate in aid " was as old as the reign of Elizabeth.
The effect of the present hill would be strongly to increase
the tendency to ulnae settlements; and, as a comprehensive
measure would probably be introduced in the next session,
he hoped that the whole question would be postponed.
The bill was then read a second time.