The Express.
London, England, 1867-08-09 00:00:00

CHURCH RAT= IN THE ROUSX OF LORDS.

The Times notices as a singular feature in the church
rate controversy that despite the profession on both sides
of an anxiety to settle it, nothing is done and every pro-
posed arrangement falls through. The halt is with the
churchmen who do not agree among themselves as to the
arrangements they think desirable. When they have
agreed upon their own plan they have • promise before-
hand that it will be accepted by their opponents. It is
greatly to be regretted that the House of Lords should
have disposed of the bill last night in so summary a fashion.
If, instead, they bad suggested • oompromise, it would
have been favourably received in the House of Commons
alike by the opponents and the supporters of the bill. Al
it is, they have placed the two parties once more in the
apparent attitude of direct antagonism. It is to be hoped,
however, that the conciliatory expressions which were so
universal will not be wholly void of results. The conclud-
ing words of the Duke of Marlborough may be taken to
indicate that the government are disposed to take into
consideration the simple abolition of compulsory powers—
the bailiff, the summons, and the imprisonment—leaving
the machinery as it stands. If this plan:he not at once
accepted, it can be only bemuse sonic misconceptions still
linger as to the real value of church rates and as to the
extent of the concessions already granted.

The Hon. Mrs. Herbert gave birth to a eon and
heir on Thursday, the lst inst., at Muskross Abbey, Kil-

At a special commencement of the University of
Dublin yesterday, held to confer the degree of Doctor in
Medicine (Aosoris cased) on the principal members of the
British Medical Association, Dr. H. Acland, Regius Pro-
fessor of Medicine in the University of Oxford ; Mr. Will.
Bowman, the oculist ; Dr. Paget, Professor of Medicine in
the University of Cambridge ; Mr. Ramsey, Dr. Sibson,
Sir James Simpson, Bart., Professor Syme, and Mr. Male,
fellow of the Royal Society, reosived that honour.

THE BUSINESS OF THE House OP LORDB.—The
select committee appointed to inquire into the expediency
of making such arrangements as shall enable the Rouse of
Lords to meet at 4 o'clock, instead of 5 o'clock, for the de-
spatch of business and to consider if any and what
changes may be desirable for the better transaction of the
business of the house, report that the committee do not
recommend any change in the hour of meeting. They are
of opinion that the exercise of the right of voting by
proxy by peers who have had no opportunity of hearing
the debate is objectionable. It diminishes the attendance
of peers in the house, and tends to weaken in the public
mind the authority of the decisions at which the house
arrive. They therefore recommend that the practice
of using them should be discontinued, and that •
standing order should be agreed to against their being
called ; and that, to prevent such order being lightly sus-
pended, twice the usual length of notice should be given
for the suspension of each order. With regard to en in•
creasing practice of asking questions on private notice only
the committee desire to express their decided opinion that
notice of questions should in all cases be given in the
minutes when there is no urgency, and in the event of the
house confirming this recommendation they trust that it
will also be supported by those to whom questions are
proposed to be put, bytheir declining to reply to any with-
out such notice is given, except where delay would be in-
jurious, or the answer is of a character not likely to lead to
a debate. With regard to committees on private business
they recommend that the house should order the commit-
tee of selection to exercise their discretion in calling for
the service of Peers, although they may be absent from the
house.