The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-06 00:00:00

MPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(YESTERDAY-)
PULLIC LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS BILL.
On the order of the day for the second reading of
this bill,
Mr. EWART reviewed the exertions which had been
made in France and the United States for the establish-
ment of free libraries and museums, and reminded the
house that, acting upon this experience, an act of Par-
liament had been passed for facilitating the establish.
ment of similar institutions in this country. No less
than 3,000 towns, including all the large towns in the
country, had availed themselves of the provisions of the
act to establish free libraries, and he was happy to say
their effects upon the people had been most gratifying.
They had served to improve their taste for reading, and
the question had naturally arisen as to whether it would
not be advisable to extend the provisions of the act. At
present the act only applied to towns municipally
governed, while it neither extended to Scotland nor
Ireland. Now the object of this bill was to extend the
act to towns and places governed under the Improve-
ments Bill, or by select vestries, as well as to Ireland and
Scotland, with the additional provision that
the authorities acting under the act should have
power to increase the rate to a penny in the pound, and
to purchase books and works of art. Such were the
main provisions of the bill, and he hoped, as they were
approved of generally, there would be no objection to
adopting them.
Mr. HIENLEY objected to the rating clause, and
thought mat was a question which well deserved the
serious attention of the Government.
Mr. HUME reminded the right hon. gentleman that
the bill was simply permissive, and before it could be
put in force it must receive the sanction of the local
authorities. At the same time bethought education ought
to precede the establishment of these libraries, as the
vast mass of the people, as the coroners' returns fully
proved, were unable to read.
Mr. SPOONER thought a larger limitation ought to
be placed on the power of rating, and since no Minister
was present to give his opinion, he should move that the
debate be adjourned.
Mr. BROTHERTON regretted to see this opposi-
tion to a bill which was very popular out of doors, and
which was so much calculated to improve the social
condition of the people. It was much better to prevent
crime than punish it, and the effect of the establishment
of these libraries would decrease crime, and consequently
the local rates.
Mr. MILES opposed the rating clause.
Mr. FITZ ROY, on the part of the Government, an-
nounced his intention to resist the proposed alteration
of the existing law which gave the local authorities power
to raise the rate to a penny in the pound without the
consent of two-thirds of the ratepayers. He must, there-
fore, oppose the bill.
Mr. M. MILNES supported the bill in its entirety,
and hoped it would he pressed to a division. Surely,

as improvement commissioners, town councils, and se-
lect vestries were elected by the ratepayers, what ob-
jection could there be to giving them power to increase
and levy the rate ?
_ _

Mr. G. BUTT opposed the bill, and wanted to sub.
stitute another amendment for the one proposed by Mr.
Spooner—viz., that the bill be read a second time this
day slx months.
Mr. SPOO.NER had no objection to withdraw his
amendment.

Mr. lIL ME trusted he would not, for if they adopted
the amendment suggested by Mr. Butt it would be
holding out to the country that the house disapproved
of the principle of this biil, when they only objected in
point of fact to the rating cause.
The house then divided on the amendment, when
there appeared,
For th,,, adjournment 4
Against it
134
Majority -130
Mr. FITZROY then moved that the bill be read a
second Case this day six Trionths.
Mr. HUME and Mr. M. Mums hoped if the bill was
thrown out that another and a larger measure would
be brought in by the Government.
Captain SCOBELL supported the bill, as he had no
confidence in the professions of the Government with
regard to education.

Lord STANLEY approved of the principle of the bill,
but he could not support the bill while it contained the
fourth clause, transfezrin, the power of raising the rate
from the ratepayers to the town-council.
Sir C. WOOD insisted that the existing act, which
had only been in operation four months, had not yet had
a fair trial, but the Government opposed this bill on the
ground just stated by the noble lord.
Mr. BRIGHT thought the town council was a far
more fitting body to decide upon the rate than the rate•
payers, and to say they were not was tantamount to de-
claring that the house had no right to decide upon par-
ticular measures until they had been first discussed and
decided on by the whole of the constituencies through-
out the country.
Mr. CRAUFURD said Scotland was favourable to
the adoption of the Libraries Act, and it was to be re•
gretted that the Government should stand in its way.
Mr. C. FORTESC UE reminded the house that a short
bill was passed last session, extending the Act to both
Ireland and Scotland.