Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-02-22 00:00:00

CHURCH RATES

Mr. Secretary Walpole rose to call the attention of ,the
House to certain papers, relative to church rates,, which
have been laid upon the table of the House, and to
submit a motion on the subject. He passed.-in record
the several attempts that had been made to settle the
question since twenty-five years ago. A first minister of
the Crown had declared that its settlement admitted of no
delay. Six administrations had succeeded, and yet
nothing had been done, except a renewal of the
agitation. It appeared from the returns which had
been presented to the House, that church rates had
been refused in not more than in one-tenth of the
parishes 'in which it had been demanded. Was it there-
fore fair, in, deference to.so small a minority, to abolish
church rates altogether ? From °then returns it appeared
that in the vast majority of parishes 'in which church
rates were
,now raised, • belong almost 'exclusively to
churchmen. It further appeared that a very large
part of the sums now raised for church rate pur-
pose, were raised :by voluntary. contributions Mr.
Walpole then reviewed successively the various
measures that had been proposed for the settlement of
the question, pointing out in detail the defects of each.
There were some points on which he trusted they would
all agree they would agree in rejecting any measure
transferring the payment of church rates from property
now liable to it to the Consolidated Fund, or
what was the worst proportion of all, to pew-rents,
creating a charge for what ought to be free to all.
He then proceedd to give an outline of his own measure.•
He proposed, in the first instance, that the owners of land,
notwithstanding the law of mortmain, should have the
power of charging their lands with the sums now paid for
church rates, for periods to be specified in the bill; that
the same powers should be given to tenants for life as to
tenants for fee ; that to prevent the waste of money so
raised, the incumbent and churchwardens should be
appointed a body corporate for the management. He
further proposed that, in aid of these charges, all possible
encouragement should be given to voluntary contribu-
tions, that these benefactions should, at the pleasure of
the donors, be kept in fee, so as to contribute to- the
exoneration of lands now charged to the rate. When
the income so raised should amount to the average of the
rate, the Queen in council should have the power of
declaring the rate for ever abrogated in such parish ;
finally, .to remove all grievances from the con-
scientious Dissenter, he proposed that when the
collector went round for the rate, he should take
a paper with him containing a declaration .that the
person signing it conscientiously objected to the rate
after signing the document, such person should be free
to refuse the rate, but should not be allowed to vote at
meetings of the vestry. By the measure thus proposed,
the compulsory was changed into a vlountary rate, and
the rate itself was not abrogated without an equivalent.
He called upon the house to sanction a bill, which he
believed in his conscience, in every respect, to be fair
and satisfactory.'

Sir J. Trelawney demanded for his own bill a formal
second reading on Wednesday, as he .ought not to be
called upon to give up his present advantage. After this
they might see how far they could meet the right hon.
gwatieia.zu.awr ey; on fa

consider his rather— complicated proposition. Alter ar-
guing at some length in favour of the voluntary princi-
ple, he expressed a hope that the present parliament
might have the honour of settling it.
Sir G, Grey declared that the measure should have his
fair and candid consideration, and promised his aid to all
attempts to reconcile the conflicting parties. He depre-
cated all attempts to restore church rates in those
parishes where they were now abolished. He could not
join in the reprobation urged against pew rents by Mr.
Walpole ; the character of many of the most important
parishes in the country were supported by this means,
and were yet freely open to all.
Mr. E. Ball considered the proposal to be a very fair
one, and thought that it might be supported by the most
strenuous opponents of church rates. He objected at the
same time to the exclusion of dissenters from the vestry.
Mr. A. H. Elton declared the best mode of rousing the
liberality of landlords to be the final abolition of the
rate. He would trust the voluntary contributions to the
middle classes, and even to the poor, of whose
liberality for religions objects he gave several instances.
He, too, thought the denunciation of pew rates by Mr.
Walpole somewhat too sweeping. '
Mr. Packe gave instances where important ecclesiastical
edifices were falling to pieces for want of funds.
Sir G. Lewis asked if, as the rate was now to be put
upon the landlord, the vestry was to consist as heretofore,
of occupants or of owners ? What, again, was to be done
when there was a ground landlord and the ordinary
landlord ? .

B. Hope approved of the'Bill as practical 'and
moderate. _

Lord J. Russell made many objections to the Bill, and
observed that he'preferred the precedent of Lord Derby
when he threw the Church Cess in Ireland upon Church
property, to the principle adopted in the measure. After
all, perhaps,- the Bill offered them the best resources out
of these difficulties, but he felt sure that, in a few years
after the Bill passing, Church-rates would cease altoge-
ther. He bore strong testimony to the activity, efficiency,
and soundness of the Church of England at the present

time.
After.a few words from Mr. Newdegate, •
Mr. Miller expressed, some doubts as to the success of
the measure,.
Mr. D. Griffiths hoped that the House would not be
induced to pass any sweeping measure • against church
rates. He gave great credit for the bill.
After some remarks from Alderman Cubitt, in faiour
of the bill,
Mr. Hadfield protested against it. It would excite as
much dissatisfaction in the Establishment as out of it.
The House had already declared its opinion against
church rates altogether, and he believed that the church
would flourish more than ever without them.
After some observations from Sir B. Bridges and Mr. Ker,
Mr. Walpole replied: He disclaimed the intention of
altering the law in places where the rate had ceased to be
collected, though it was intended by his bill to encourage
voluntary contributions in such places. When the tenant
threw the rate upon the landlord, he would cease to have
a voice in the vestry. The exemption, from conscientious
scruples, would not apply to the property, only to the
pair, and would continue but for the year in which the
declaration was made. He defended himself from the
objection of giving up the principle of church rates alto-
gether,. by consenting to this exemption. In reference to
the bil of Sir J. Trelawney, he proposed that the two
bills should be placed together, on Monday, for second
reading, and considered one after the. other.
Sir J. Trelawney having consented to this arrange-
ment, leave was given to bring in the bill.
TEE EAST INDIA BILL.
The report of the East India Bill was then brought
up, and leave given to found a bill upon it.
THE. MARKETS (IRELAND) BILL.
Upon the motion for the second reading of the Mar-
kets (Ireland) Bill, exception having been taken to the
compulsory clauses,
• Lord Naas explained that the object of the bill was
simply, when a market was necessary, to provide means
by way of tolls for its maintenance.
The bill was then read a second time.
INMATE POOR (IRELAND) BILL.
On the motion for the second reading of the Inmate
Poor (Ireland) Bill,
Mr. Bagwell, alleging the difficulties of detail which it
involved, moved that it be referred to a select committee.
Mr. Hansard, Mr. Sergeant Deasy, Mr. Gregory, and
other members, approved generally of the bill.
Lord Naas explained that the object of the bill was to
do away with centralisation, 'and to place the Lunatic
Asylum under local management.
the bill was then read a second time.
The other business was disposed of, and the House
adjourned at :.2.55 a.nr.