The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-19 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVEI9ING, MAR,

having the least chance of becoming law. That
of Mr. HUBBARD is founded on the principle of
special exemption, which, it will be remembered,
was recommended some years ago by a Select
Conunittee of the House of Lords. In return for
thisimeMesion Mr. HUBBARD requires the right
of assessing and recovering church rates in the Name
way as those for the relief of the poor. The Bill
provides that every occupier who shall give notice
before the Bthof January in each year that he claims
exemption shall be exempted from payment of
rates, but in that case the owner of the property
is to become liable unless he also claims exemp-i
tion within twenty-one days. One consequence of
the enactment of this provision would be that in
many parishes of large towns when no rates have
been levied for years the ratepayers, who have
long since forgotten that church rates exist, would
be obliged to send in an annual claim for exemption,
or be liable to the unexpected imposition of rates
in a most stringent form. Mr. NEWDECATEN Bill
proposes a " Church Charge" instead of rates, but,
as it has always been rejected in the House of
Commons by large majorities, we need not discuss
it. Mr. HsancssrLE's is the only measure before
the House that deserves to be treated seriously,
as offering any chance of a final settlement
of the question, all other proposals
being irritating and inadequate. The Aboli-
tion Bill was carried repeatedly in the
House of Commons between 1856 and 1861,
when the political languor and demoralisation
which marked the closing years of Lord PALMER-
sros's administration prejudiced its success, with
that of many other useful and necessary measures,
and caused neglects and delays, the consequences
of which arc now suffered by the whole country.
After being sustained by majorities upon eight
divisions it was lost on the motion for the third
reading in 1861, the division list showing a tie.
The next year it was lost by one vote, and in
1863 was defeated by a• majority of ten. Last
year it was carried by a majority of thirty-three
in a house of 541 members, although between
thirty and forty liberal members were absent
impaired. The division to-morrow will no doubt
be a very full one, the critical stateof the Govern-
ment and the question of Reform retaining mem-
bers of parliament in town. It is in the power of the
liberal members of the lower House of Parliament
to carrythesecond reading of the Abolition Bill by a
majority's() large as to place it in a commanding posi-
tion, and if each member will bear in mind his own
individual responsibility on this occasion, the
question may be practically decided this session.
The subject is one in which the constituencies take
great interest ; and if it be not settled by the
present Parliament, it cannot fail to occupy a pro-
minent place among the topics to be mooted at
the hustings at the next general election, which
may be nearer than sonic of us think. It will be
much wiser, however, to remove it out of the
category of debateable subjects before the advent
of that crisis.

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.
(THIS DAY.)

THE GOVERNMENT REFORM BILL.

•
The following is a complete copy of the bill
troduced last night into the House of Commons by
the Chancellor of the Exchequer. It is entitled,
" A bill further to amend the laws relating to
the representation of the people of England and
Wales,' and it is backed by the names of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Walpole, and
Lord Stanley.
A Bill further to amend the Laws relating to the Re-
preser.tation of the People in England and Wales.
"Whereas it is expedient to amend the laws relating to
the representation of the people in England and \Vales:
" Be it further enacted by the Queen's most Excellent
Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords
Spiritual and Tempond and Commons, in this present par-
liament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as
follows :

" 1. This Act shall be cited for all purposes as ' The
Representation of the People Act, 11467.'
" 2. This Act shall not apply to Scotland or Ireland, nor
to the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge.

" PART 1.
" FRANCIIISL.S.

"3. Every man shall be entitled to be-registered as •
voter, and, when registered, to vote for a member
or members to serve in parliament fors borough, who is
qualified as follows ; that is to say: 1. Is of full age, and
not subject to any legal incapacity ; and 2. Is on the last
day of July in any year, and has during the whole of the
preceding two years been an inhabitant occupier, as owner
or tenant, of any dwelling house within the borough ; and
3. Has (luring the time of such occupation been rated in
respect of the premises so occupied by him within the bo-
rough, to all rates (if any) made for the relief of the poor
in respect of such premises ; and 4. Has before the 20th
day of July in the same year paid all poor rates that have
become payable by him in respect of the said premises up
to the preceding sth day of January.
" 4. Every man shall be entitled to be registered as a
voter, and, when registered, to vote for a member or mem-
bers to serve in parliament for a county, who is qualified
as follows, that is to say :-1. Is of full age, and not sub-
ject to any legal incapacity ; and, 2. Is on the last day of
July in any year, and has during the twelve months im-
mediately preceding been the occupier, as owner or tenant,
of premises of any tenure within the countyof the rateable
value of 15!. or upwards ; and, 3. Has during the
time of such occupation been rated in respect to
the premises so occupied by him to all rates (if any)
made for the relief of the poor in respect of the said pre-
mises ; and 4. Has before the 20th day of July in the same
year paid all poor rates that have become payable by him
in respect of the said premises up to the preceding sth day
of January.
" 5. Every man shall be entitled to be registered, and,
when registered, to vote at the election of a member or
members to serve in parliament for a county or borough,
who is of full age, and not subject to any legal incapacity,
and is on the last day of July in any year, and has durng
the year immediately preceding, been resident in such
county or borough, and is posse,..ed of any one or more of
, the qualifications following; that is to say :-1. Is, and
has been (luring the period of such residence, a graduate
or associate in sa is of any university of the United King-
dom ; or a male person who has passed at sny senior
middle-class examination of any university of the United
Kingdom. 2. Is, and has been during the period aforesaid,
an ordained priest or deacon of the church of England ; or
3. Is, and has been during the period aforesaid, a minister
of anyother religions denomination, appointed either alone
or with not more than one colleague to the charge of any
registered chapel or place of worship, and is, and has been
during such period, officiating as the minister thereof ; or
4. Is, and has been during the period aforesaid, a serjeant-
at-law or barrister-at-law in any of the inns of court in
England, or a certificated pleader or certificated con-
veyancer ; or 3. Is, and has been during the period aforesaid,
• certificated attorney or solicitor or proctor in England or
Wales ; or 6. Is, and has been during the period aforesaid, •
duly Lual fied medical practitioner registered under theMedi.
cal Act,lBsB; or 7. Is,and has been during the period aforesaid,
a schoolmaster holding a certificate from the committee of
her Majesty's Council on Education : Provided that no
person shall be entitled to be registered as • voter or to
vote in respect of any of the qualifications mentioned in
this section in more than one place.

" 6. Every man shall be entitled to be registered, and
when registered, to vote at the election of a member or
members to servo in parliament for a county or borough.
who is of full age, and not subject to any legal incapacity,
and is on the Ist day of July in any year and has durum
the two years immediately preceding been resident in such
county or borough, and is possessed of any one or more of
the qualifications following, that is to say : 1. Has
on the let day of July in any year, and has
had during the two years immediately preceding,
a balance of not less than 50/. deposited in
some savings bank in his own sole name and for his own
use ; or 2. Holds on the Ist day of July in any year, and
has held during the two years immediately preceding, in
thebooks of the Governor and Company of the Bank of
England or Ireland in his own sole name and for his own
use any parliamentary stocks or funds of the 'United King.
doe, to the amount of not less than 50r. ; or 3. Has due.
ing the 19 months immediately preceding the sth day of
Apr ain any year been charged with a sum of not less
than 20e. in the whole by the year for assessed
taxes and income tax, or either of such taxes,
and has before July 20 in that year paid all such taxes due
from him up to the preceding January 5 ; Provided, first,
that every person entitled to vote in respect of any of the
qualifications mentioned in this section shall on or before
July 20 in each year claim to be registered as a voter;
secondly, that no person shall be entitled to be register d
as a voter or to vote in respect of any of the qualifications
mentioned in this section for more than one place.
" 7. A person registered as a voter fora borough by rea-
son of his having been charged with and paid the requisite
amount of assessed taxes and income tax, or either of
such taxes, shall not by reason of being so registered lose
any right to which he may be entitled (if otherwise duly
qualified) to be registered as a voter for the same borough
in respect of any franchise involving occupation of pre-
mises and payment of rates, and when so registered in re-
spect of such double qualification he shall be entitled to
give two votes for the member, or (if there be more than
one) for each member to be returned to serve in parlia-
ment for the said borough.
" PART 11.
" DISTRIDUTIoN or SEMI.

" 8. From and after the end of this present parliament
the boroughs of Totnes, Reig►te, Great Yarmouth, and
Lancaster shall respectively cease to return any member
or members to serve in parliament.

" 9. From and after the end of this present parliament
each of the boroughs enumerated in Schedule (A) to this
act annexed shall return one member and no more to serve
in parliament.

" 10. Bach of the places named in Schedule (B) to this
act annexed shall be a borough, and shall each return one
member to serve in future parliaments, and until other-
wine directed by parliament each such borough shall com-
prise such places as are specified and described in con-
nexion with the name of each such borough in tho said
Schedule (B).
" 11. Registers of voters shall be formed in and after
the year 1868, notwithstanding the continuance of this
present parliament, for or in respect of the boroughs con-
stituted by this act, in like manner Wit before the pass-
ing of this act they respectively had been boroughs return-
ing members to serve in parliament.

" 12. From and after the end of the present parliament
the borough of the Tower Hamlets shall be divided into
two divisions, an.l each division shall in all future parlia-
ments be a separate borough, returning two members to
serve in parliament. Each of the said divisions, until
otherwise directed by parliament, shall comprise the
places mentioned in connexion with each such division In
Schedule (C) hereto annexed, and shall be called by the
name of the North,•ni RIO Southern Division of the Tower
Hamlets r speotively.
"13. Registers of voters shall be formed in and after the
year 186 S, notwithstanding the continuance of this pre-
sent parliament, in respect of the divisions of the said
borough of the Tower Hamlets constituted under this
act, in like manner as if such divisions had preciously to
the passing of this act been separate boroughs returning
members to serve in parliament.

"14. From and after the end of the present parliament
each county named in the first column of Schedule (D)
to this act annexed shall be divided into the two divisions
named in the second column of the said schedule, and
each of such divisions shall cousist of the hundreds,
lathes, wapentakes, and places mentioned in the

t rthe third column 4 the said schedule. o all
future parliaments Were shall be two members to . e for
each of the divisiOrrepecified in the said sewed nit,
and such 11116141111111 shall be chosen in the Emig manner.
and by the same description of voters, and in respect of,
the same rights of voting, as if each such division were a
separate county. All enactments relating to divisions of
counties returning members to serve in parliament shall
be deemed to apply to the divisions osisetrinhel psi afore-
said. Registers of voters shall be formed in and after the
year lieiti, notwithstanding the continuance of this present
parliament, for or in respect of the divisions of counties
constituted by this act, in like manner as if before the
passing of this set they had respectively been counties re-
turning members to serve in parliament.
" 15. In all future parliaments the University of London .
shall return one member to serve in parliament.
" lii. Every person whose name is for the time being on
the register of griduatus constituting the convocation of
the University of London shall, if of full age, and not
subject to any legal incapacity, be entitled to vote in the '
election of a member to serve in any future parliament for i
the said university.
~ 1
. -- -

" PART 111.
"SUPPLESZNTAL PROVISIONS.
" INCIDENTS OF FRANCHISE.
" 17. Different premises occupied in succession by any
person as owner or tenant shall have the same effect in
qualifying such person to vote for a county or borough as
a continued occupation of the same premises.
" 18. In a county where premises are in the joint occu-
pation of several persons as owners or tenants, and the
aggregate rateable value of such premises is such as would
—if divided amongst the several occupiers, so far as the
value is concerned—confer on each of them a vote, then
each of such joint occupiers shall, if otherwise qualified,
and subject to the conditions of this act, be entitled to be
registered as a voter, and when registered to vote at an
election for the county.