The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-12 00:00:00

CHURCH RATES.

Sir C. DOUGLAS, in the absence of Sir J. Trelawny,
moved for leave to bring in a bill to abolish. church rates.
Mr. S, ESTCOURT gathered tbit the 'll was a coun-
terpart of that which had been rejected ear, and there-
fore he did not think that introducing it making any
real progress. He sincerely wished to see the question set-
tled. (Hear, hear.) He would not meet the present mo-
tion with a direct negative, but on the second reading
would move a resolution objecting to the crude character of
the proposed measure, and pledging the house to some
principle upon wtich final and satisfactory legislation might
be founded. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. GRIFFITH heard with great pleasure the ot serve-
tions of the right hon. member who had just sat down, and
was sure that all moderate men on both sides of the house
were most anxious for a settlement of the question. (Hear,
hear.) He believed that fanaticism on the one side and
high-church feeling on the other would now be found in
the minority, and that the majority would gladly seize the
opportunity for settling the question.
The SPEAKER pointed out the irregularity of introduc-
ing a measure which was likely to be opposed by deputy.
The indulgence was only granted in the case of unopposed
motions.

Leave was then given.
METROPOLIS LOCAL MANAGEMENT ACTS
AMENDMENT.

Mr. BRISTOW moved for leave to re-introduce his bill
of last session on this subject.
Mr, LOCKE observed that since the introduction of the
bill last year the report had been published of a very im-
portant committee which had sat on the local taxation of
the metropolis. Amongst other questions which that com-
mittee had considered was one connected with the Metro-
politan Board of Works, and the mode of electing its mem-
bers. It would be a moot point whether the board repre-
sented the ratepayers at all, for it was elected, not by them,
but by the vestries. It was true that the vestries them-
selves were chosen by the ratepayers, but the mode Of
election at second hand had been found defective in every
case in which it had been adopted. Ho hoped, therefore,
that during the progress of the bill through the house either
the hon. member for the Tower Hamlets or himself would
be prepared to introduce provisions for establishing a direct
representation of the ratepayers.
Leave was then given.
CONVEYANCE OF VOTERS.

Mr. COLLIER obtained leave to bring in a bill to pro-
hibit the payment of the expenses of conveying voters to the
poll in boroughs. The hon. gentleman stated that his pro-
posed measure was founded upon the report of a select
committee. i n two successive sessions he had introduced it
before, but he had been asked to withdraw it in cense.
quence of a statement from the right hon: gentleman the
Secretary of State for the Home Department to the effect
that he was about to bring in a more comprehensive mea-
sure. That comprehensive measure, however, had never
been passed ; and he begged to say, therefore, without the
slightest disrespect or discourtesy to the right hon. gentle-
man, that it was his intention to press the bill irrespective
of any more comprehensive one. (Hear, hear,)