The Express.
London, England, 1856-03-08 00:00:00

PARISH OF PADDINGTON.

Yesterday a special meeting of the members of
this vestry war held at the vertry-hall, Harrow-road. The
Rev. Mr. CAXPETLL in the chair, to consider the question
of expenses—the churchwardens baying expressed their in.
tendon to levy a fresh r rte upon the parch.
The CIIIIIIOIIWARDINII moved that a church rate of one
penny in the round ter the ersuing year was required to pay
the interest and instalniuts on the church debt. After
some little diseassion, this retolution was speed to, a pretty
general opinion being expressed that, as the rite was to be
levied with a view to discharge liabilities sanely Wound,
it would not be advisable to oppose it.
A resolution was then moved by the oburchwsrlens to
the effect that the churchwardens of the parish condone to
defray the expenses of the churches of St. James, St. John,
St. Mi ry, the Holy Trinity, and A.l Sainte, aid that such
put of those expenses as exceed the amount of pew-rents
rrosived by the churobwerdens b 3 paid from the church
tab.

To this an amendment was proposed by the Rev. Mr.
BOCILZY, and seconded by Dr. THORN, that the manage-
ment of the different churches ought to be placed more di-
. ready in the hands of the churchwardens of the respective
churches and &strive ; and that the receipt and espeaditure
' of all moseys derived from tee congregations of the mina
churches, and spplioable to tie maintenance of divine service,
ought to be in the horde of the distr.ct churchwardens of the
respective churches.
A very long discussion arose near this motion, several
gentlemen availing themselves of the op rtucity of bring-
ing leeward the general question as to the abolition of church
rates. A great oifferenee of opinion ai peered to exist upon
this subject, end whilst a large number of the vestrymen
were strongly io f *Tour of the system, when contended that
the principle was unnecessary and adjust, and that the pariah
ought not to levy any further raw, eater such as were re-
quisite t o liquidate outstondine deb.,. The subject was
fully interact into by the Rev. Mr. 13 one, who strenuously
advocated the eontimeauce of the system. He contended
that the tease of the g evils of Ergland, and the sense of
this ; arise is particular, was in favour of the maintenance
of chore►k rates, and, in his opinion, the effect of their aboli-
tion would be to deprive the national church of incalculable
benefits (to which that church t ad a just claim, reeiog that
many hardens were amp oted upon at which all other de •
nominations of Christians were free from), to &Ivey the
parochisl system of England, and to strike a severe blow et
the spiritual and temporal intonate of the pot r. He could
net say that he approved of (hutch rites in the &tete, et ;
bet looking at their history and entecedents, and ccnsideriag
the very loog period they had been maintained, and seeing
that the churchwardens of this p wish bad agreed to concede
the principle, he thought it would be much better that they
shoold consent, f.r a year at least, to pay the rates, than to
withiraw them under circumventers which must entail
upon many clergymen a great deal of hardship and incon-
venience.
In direct antsgonirm to the argument of this gen-
tleman wee the Reverend Mr. Boars, a dissenting
minister, who contended that church rates were al-
together usuecesasry and unjust, inasmuch as a large
number of poor people were compelled to iay them
who were not provided with any church accommodation at
all. If all who p rid the rate were accommodated alike the
case would be deferent; but, is the present state of things.
he was strongly of upio:on, that $.5 the poor churetev, such
as be belonged to, w, re enathd to sal pot themselves with-
out any aid of this description, those churches which were
now under their immediate considerat on ought to do the
same.
Many other speakers expressed similar views, whilst
others thought teat as long as the law required the levying
of chtir.h rates the prineire ought *.o be supported.
The amendment was at length pat, and carried by a large
EDP nity, the effect of it being to pities the management of
each district in the hands of its own churchwardens rather
than under the control of the entire p fish.
A motion for levying an annual church rate of a half-
penny in the pound war then withdrawn, and • substantive
, resolution, which was oriole ally intended to be brought
forward as an amendmert, was proposed by Dr. THORN,
and seconded by Mr. DICIRNION, to the effect, that in the
present unsettled state of the thaveb rats question, it wee
inexpedient te make any church rat 1, except far the par.
pose of liquidating the church debt. This was c.reied by a
majority of 26 to 6, the number of vestrymen having con-
siderably thinned since the proceedings commenced.
The meeting then 'clowned.

BOSTON ELECTIOX.—The numerical advantage of
the liberal candidate was increased yester.lay as the poll
went on, and at its close, at 4 rich ck, tte number' wets
621 to 296. Majority for logr.m, 225.
THR GREAT SEWER AT WHITEHALL. For
several weeks past a vast number t.f workmen have been mi-
med in the con traction of a great stw•r from the Orna-
mental Wet( r in St. Jaairt's -park, end thence thiough the
parade and contra of the Bone guard., err sr Whitehall.
stoop Whitehall-place, &c. The whole of the works are
now yearly completed, and ti e grrarer portion of the sur-
face of the ground male good. Tb- arches have been con-
structed of solid briaw rk, and the iron tubing io of im-
mense strength. covered getewcy which connects the
Commander-in-Obit f's with the War-Jffite end forms the
carriage way, has, I. consequence of the cart yin out of the
works, been for some time rioted. Toot relay it was throws
open, having been et-std .i.h arphalte from the
Comp ley's Works, Star pct.. Nutwithranding the large
number of men em{ I+r ed, the depth of the ear ovations, and
the speed which vs- rendered tit cersory to p obstruc-
tion to the tr.thc, at has been brought to a dose wittoat •
'lngle occident.