The Express.
London, England, 1861-02-08 00:00:00

THE EDUCATION COMMISSION.

Mr. ADDEKLEY wished to ask the vice-president of the
Committee of Council on Education, when the report of the
Education Commissioners was likely to be presented to the
house ; and, whether the government intended giving au early
opportunity, after its presentation, for its discussion.
Mr. LOWE said the report would bs presented in the
course of the present month. As to the second part of the
question, the government would have to consider carefully
• document of such importance and such length, before au.
nouncing to the house what course they were prepared to
take. . .

Mr. GRANT DUFF gave notice that he should move on
an early day for a royal oummission to inquire into the state
of education in England and Wales.

BANK OF ENGLAND.

The house having resolved itself into committee.
P The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, after a pre-
liminary statement, placed in the hands of the chairman
the two following resolutions relative to the method of
account with the Bank of England, which were then
agreed to:
" That it is the opinion of this committee that any gonna
which are or may be by law payable to the Governor and
Company of the• Bank of England, on account of the charge
for management of the unredeemed public debt, shall hence-
forward be paid without deduction out of the Consolidated
Fund of the United Kingdom.*
"That it is the opinion of this committee that the pay•
meats now made by theiGovernor and Company of tho Book
of England, as prescribed by the Act of the 7th and Bth of
Victoria, cap. 32, by way of deduction from the charges of
management of the unredeemed public debt, shall hence-
forward be payable and paid by the said Governor and
Company of the Bank of England as fcllows—that is to my,
the sum of 60,000/., being a composition for stamp duties to
her Majesty's Inland Revenue ; and the whole allowance
out of profits of issue, being at this present time 1V,078/.,
to the Exchequer, to form part of her Majesty's miscel-
laneous revenue."
Pon OFFICE SAVINGS BANKS.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER again rose,
and said he had now to propose another resolution, which
was also of a character strictly preliminary, and which re-
lated to a point entirely distinct from the former one,
although both were connected, and both involved considera-
ble liability for the Consolidated Fund. The reeolutions
which he had now to propose related to a subject on which
great interest was felt in the country, and relative to which
he entertained a sincere hope there would not be found any
irreconcilable or very serious difference of opinion. Her
Majesty's government had been for some time bock prepar-
ing a plan by means of which a very effective and easy ma-
chinery of the Post-office in connection with money orders
might be made available for effecting a great extension of
the facilties now—

The eirifiiitAN (Mr. Massey) called the right hon.
gentleman to order. The present committee could only
consider a resolution relative to the Consolidated Fund.

The CHANCELLOR ot the EXCHEQUER said be would
then give notice for a committee for tomorrow.
The house then resumed.
PAROCHIAL RATING.

Sir G. C. LEWlllreseTo ask for leave to introduce a bill
for the amendment of parochial amessmeut in England. He
did not intend to propose any alteration in the existing law
of rating, nor any alteration in the rules which determined
the liability of property to local rat.h, or which defined the
different proportions in which that Lability affected different
kinds of property. He proposed to introduce an improve- I
meet in the mode of assessment. It was well known that
the present mode of assessment was defective, and it was
in the power of the parish officers to depart from the general
assessment of the parish and to adopt an arbitrary assess-
ment of their own, and his object was to introduce
greater uniformity and greater certainty in the
mode of making the amassment on which rates
were levied, and depriving pariah officers of the power '1
of departing from the general assessment. The measures
would be confined to the poor rate and the county rate.
With regard to the county rate, be proposed that the county
justices should appoint a board of their number, of not less
than 5 or greater than 11, to be called the assessment board
of the county, and be proposed a similar board for boroughs.
These boards would be empowered to require returns from
the pariah officers, and to enforce their peoductiou, and
to examine witnesses. The board would have the power
to direct a revision of the lists, and in case
of necessity to appoint valuers whose valuation would be
open to inspection. Persons would be allowed fourteen
days to make objections, which the board were to hear.
Appeals to the sessions would be allowed on questions of
law, hut not on questions of fact or value. The valuation
so arrived at by those bawds would be the assessment of
the respective parishes, and from that assessment the pa-
riah officers could not depart, and upou it every rate would
have to be made until such valuation should be revised and
new property had grown up. In the discus-
sion which bad taken place last year on this
subject it would be recollected it was stated that in rural
parishes the assessments varied from 10 to 20 per cent. be-
low the proper rateable value. The right hon. gentleman
concluded by moving for leave to bring in the bill.
Mr. DEEDES said he agreed it was desirable that a
uniform system of rating should be established, as r here
were very great discrepancies in the existing system,
especially in the rural districts. With regard to the
county rate he could not gather that the proposed plea-
sure would materially anieud the present system. In the
county which he had the honour to represent there was at
this moment a standing committee of the justices charged
especially with the supervision of the assessments of the
different parishes, in order to see that wherever new pro-
perty had grown up, or property bad become of greater
value, it was properly assessed.
Sir G. C. LEW IS mid the object be had in view was to
assimilate the system throughout the country. (Hear.)
In reply to Mr. S. LITMUS?,
Sir G. C. LEWIS said the bill would not extend to high-
way rates.
Leave was given to bring in the bill.