The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-09 00:00:00

HORSES AND PUBLIC CARRIAGES.

Sir HENRY HOARE asked the Secretary of State for the
Home Department whether it was true that the services
of the Veterinary Surgeon of the Metropolitan Police,
whose duty it was to inspect the horses in public car-
riages and examine as to their fitness for use, were to be
discontinued in future : and if so, for what reason.
Mr. BRUCE said it was quite true that the services of
the person in question had been discontinued, because it
was the opinion of the late Sir Richard Mayne, with which
the present authorities entirely agreed, that the work could
be done much better by an arrangement laid down, and
which was now in force.
CHURCH RATES (SCOTLAND) BILL.

Mr. D. MEAnnx moved the second reading of this
bill, the object of which was to make the payment of
rates voluntary in Scotland, precisely in the same manner
as was followed in England. It might be
said that there were no church rates in Scotland, but
there were church assessments, which he contended were
the same, but only in a more aggravated form, and if the
bill was read a second time he should not object to the
title of it so altered. He denied that the abolition of the
rate would be to relieve landed property from its just
burden, and he could not agree with those who looked up
on the passing of this bill as obtaining an improvement
by making a present to the landowners of a large sum of
money for the repair of parsonages. The hon. member
then proceeded to trace the origin of the imposition of the
rate, the abolition of which he now sought, ancleoncluded
by saying that the present proposition was but a begin-
ning of the end. They might refuse to read the bill a
second time ; but he felt certain the time would come
when the bill, however much it might be objected to now,
would receive the approval of the House of Commons.
Mr. GORDON moved as an amendment that the bill be
read a second time that day six months. He did not
think that there was any occasion for the passing of the
bill as there had scarcely been a petition complaining
of the operation of the tax presented to the House.
He could not agree that the case of the collection
of the rate in Scotland was looked upon at all in the
same light as it was in England, and as to the bill relative
to Church rates, which was passed in the House in 186 S,
for England, it was set out in the preamble that there was
great difficulty in collecting the rate, but in Scotland lie
knew of no parish in which there had been a difficulty in
levying the rate. There might have been a case or two in
which some disagreement Lad arisen, but then it was
entirely a money question—a disagreement as to the
amount of the burden, but when that was settled no
further difficulty arose. He did not see there was the
slightest occasion for such a bill as that now brought for-
ward by the hon. gentleman opposite, and therefore he
hoped the House would refuse to give its assent to the
second reading.
LOrd GARLIES seconded the amendment. He thought
the hon member for Edinburgh, in bringing forward the
measure, hacicliscovereds a mare nest. !rea:4'..14,A..

Captain CArNEGIE thought Than-luting the observations
of the hon. gentleman '(Mr. Gordon) he should have
heard some arguments to shew why it was neces-
sary to maintain a law enacting the compul-
sory payment of Church rates in Scotland,
and to pass a bill making the payment of those rates
voluntary in England—(hear, hear,)—but he hail not been
so fortunate, and thought the right hon. gentleman had
gone into a very minute argument of some of the pro-
visions of the bill, but had entirely overlooked the most
important part. (Hear, hear.) He must say he could not
_

see the justice of maintaining church rates, or, if it was
thought more correct, church asses:lnents, in Scotland
when those rates were not levied in any other part of the
country. It was said that the property in Scotland ought
to pay the rate, because it had been bought liable to the
burden ; but had not property been purchased in England
under precisely the same circumstances ? (Hear, hear.) It
was said that there was no grumbling on the part of the
landowners with respect to the imposition of those rates,
but experience led him to a different conclusion because
in any case in which he had had a conversation with any-
one interested in the matter, he had always fonnd it to be
quite the contrary. (Hear, hear.) He hoped the House
would give its assent to the second reading of the bill.

Lord %TORN IIANNEn3 said those imp,: itions as they
were called were the result of having an established Church,
and if it was the desire of thchon. members representing that
country that tl at Church should no longer contin se they
ought to come forward and say re, as that was, in his
opinion, the legitimate issue they had to try that after-
noon. If that course were to be adopted there would be
an end at once and for ever of such questions as
Church-rates and annuity taxes, which they had now
to discuss on Wednesday afternoons. (Hear, hear.) He was
not then prepared to vote for further disestablishment,
and therefore he should give his vote against the second
reading of the bilL

Mr. GRAHAM thought that no law was just that inflicted
an injustice upon him because he had, by industry, self-
denial, and intelligence, amassed a certain amount of
property. It was a great hardship to make the payment
of these rates compulsory in Scotland, whilst they were
voluntary in England, and therefore he should cordially
support the motion of the hon. member for Edinburgh.

Sir E. COLEBROOKE thought that it would be well to
consider whether the grievance could not be redressed by
some other means than that proposed by the hon. member
for Edinburgh. He thought it would be highly desirable
that some inquiry should be in ti uted as to the nature
and amount of the tax in the same way as bad
been done in England prior to the abolition of church
rates. He wrs not prepared to consent to any measure
looking towards the disestablishment of the Church of
Scotland, but it was the interest of those who were subject
to the tax that its present uncertain and irregular inci-
dents should by commuted for a fixed and regular charge.
Mr. CANDLisu supported the bill.

Mr. MAx‘iELL and Sir It. ANSTRUTHER objected to the
bill.

Mr. CRAWFORD supported tho measure.

The LORD ADVOCATE strongly objected to the bill, be-
cause he felt certain that it would disendow the Church of
Scotland to a very largo extent.
Mr. M`LAREN having replied,
The Houso divided, when there appeerod_
For the second reading lOB
Against it 225
Majority
-117
The House adjourned at ton minutes to six.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE-1 HI; PAY

LIVERPOOL SPRING MEETING.

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
AINTREE PLATE.

Honesty...
Candour
Duchoss of Athol

Leases..

La Mousse
Giantess

Four ran.
WELTER HANDICAP.

2

Six ran.
THE GRAND NATIONAL.

Colonel..
Doctor...

Primrose..

3

Twenty-three ran.
LATEST BETTING.
GRAND 'NATIONAL.
4 to 1 agst Doctor (tnkel))
6to 1 agst Color:el (takon)
10 to 1 apt rr:rnrose (tnkcn)
12 to 1 ngst (Z. C. (Wien)
12 to 1 ngst Ctistal (taken)
Tlinlaisius scratch:A at 10 o'c-o:k thin d,y.

FOURTH E DITION.

SU\• OFFICE, 7.30 P.M.

LIVERPOOL RACES—'lots DAY.
(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)

SWEEPSTAKES.

Parma
Deceitful
Truth ..

3