The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-09 00:00:00

LORD HARDINGE AND LORD GOUGH'S
ANNUITY BILLS.

On the motion of the Earl of RIPON, the further con-
sideration of these Bills was postponed until to-morrow (this
day) se'nnight.
Earl GREY presented a petition from the parish of
Wokingham, which, he said, referred to a matter of some im-
portance. The petition stated, that the parish extended over
a space of 8,500 acres, and contained a population of 3,500
inhabitants. The parish was under the jurisdiction of the Doan
of Salisbury. The tithes had been commuted to 1,698/.
There were thirty acres of glebe land, which produced 601. per
annum. With these advantages, the Rev. Thomas Morris re-
ceived the small stipend of 1501 per annum, including what
he received from Queen Anne's bounty, and only 40/. of the
amount arose from tithes. Some years since he appointed an
assistant-curate at a salary of 80/., leaving himself the yearly
amount of 70/. Since that time, the assistant-curate being
unable to continue at the salary of 801., received an increase,
which diminished the sum to 401. The petition
went en to state that in consequence of the smallness of that
income tl.e Rev. S. Morris had been compelled to accept the
appointment of master of some alms-houses, for which he re-
ceived a salary of 1001. per annum. The duties of that ap-
pointment made great calls on his time, and he had, therefore,
less leisure to attend to his parochial duties. The petition
also complained that in 1843 the church was declared to be in
5..) bad a state as to need either extensive repairs or rebuilding.
Application was made to the Dean of Salisbury, with regard
to the means of repairing or rebuilding the church. He
(Earl Grey) would not trouble them with the painful cor-
respondence that had taken place on the subject. He would
only state, as the petition went on to say, that the parishioners
were obliged to repair the church ; and yet, from the impossi-
bility of coming to an arrangement with the rector, or lessee
of the tithes, they were obliged to spend 7001. on an inefficient
repair of the church, while they were prepared to expend a much
larger sum on rebuilding it. The petitioners stated that the
condition of the church arose from the want of sufficient
ecclesiastical visitation. while at the same time it admitted of
some neglect on the part of the parish officer. The yearly
revenue available to the parish was 1,7001., and yet, with that
large sum at its disposal there was an insufficient spiritual
accommodation for the parish, which in one part contained a
rapidly rising population, who gained their subsistence by
precarious means, and necessarily felt the want of spiritual
attendance, which encouraged vice and immorality to a great
extent. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners had more. power
than any ether body to do something nn this subject, and it was
absolutely necessary that something should be done. They
might find the means of doing so without any alteration of the
law, but if they would not an Act of Parliament would be
necessary. These were the reasons why he wished to recom-
mend the petition to the notice of their Lordships.
The Bishop of SAI ISBURY wished to thank his Noble
Friend for the courtesy he had shown for suffering the presenta-
tion of the petition, and he would also express his views
of the firmness he had shown in thus abstaining from a cor-
respondence which would necessarily lead to a long correspond-
ence. He admitted the state of the parish of Wokingham,
but it was only one of a number of parishes which were in a
similar condition. The means of specially providing for those
grievances had been furnished under the late Act 3 and 4 Vict.,
chap. 113, which stated that tithes being separate estates en-
joyed by the corporation of souls, the power of di-posing of them
should be vested in the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, always
subject to any existing lease. He thought, therefore, this
matter should be referred solely to them, as it was in their pro-
vince.
Ordered to lie on the table.

The other orders of the day were then dispo'ed of, and their
Lordships adjourned at a quarter past Seven o'clock till Thurs-
day next.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, June 8.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
MORAYSHIRE RAILWAY BILL.
This Bill-was read a third time and passsed.
STAINES AND RICHMOND RAILWAY BILL.

Colonel WOOD moved the order of the day for the ad-
journed debate on motion for the re-commitment of this Bill,
and took the opportunity of remarking upon the difficulty which
had been thrown in the way of the Company by the length-
ened delay of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, in giving
their negative to the measure. He also complained that the
Committee who had been appointed to inquire into the
merits of the Bill had net received sufficient evidence.
Mr. SOTHERON said it was not his intention to vote in
any way on the matter before the House. In consequence of
the vacillating conduct of the Board of Woods and
Forests, the Committee of which he was a mem-
ber, bad considered themselves justified in making
a special report on the Bill, which, as they thought, would
have the effect of delaying further proceedings, at least for the
present session. Whatever decision the House might come to,
he was of opinion that in no case should any public body, to
which a Bill might be referred for its assent, be allowed to
offer any opinion, or throw any obstacle in the way of the pro-
gress of the Bill at any time after the second reading of the

Mr. H. BERKELEY observed that when the debate was
adjourned, it was with the express understanding that the
opinion of the Woods and Forests on the Bill was to be given.
The Hon. Member was proceeding with his observations,
when he was interrupted by
Mr. HUME, who spoke to order, and said that as a mem-
ber of the Woods and Forests was present, the required in-
formation could be obtained. _ _ _

Sir G. CLERK said that proposals had been made by the
company to make drains for the town of Richmond, and other-
wise to improve it. These proposals had met with the appro-
bation of the Board of Woods and Forests, and they had in
consequence withdrawn their opposition to the line on the part
of the Crown property.
Mr. VILLIERS observed that the delay had been occa-
sioned by the Commissioners, and that it was owing entirely
to the Woods and Forests. The present motion was not
intended to be an appeal from the Committee, and he should
support the motion.
A desultory conversation then took place, in which Mr. F.
Scott, Lord G. Somerset, Mr. Bailey, Mr. Wakley, and Col.
Peel joined, and the gallery was ordered to be cleared.
On our re-admission the numbers were—
For the re-commitment of the Bill 6l
Against it 6B
Majority against the re-commitment —7

This Bill was consequently lost.
THIRD READINGS.
The following Bills were read a third time and passed :
Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Railway ; Cambridge
and Oxford Railway ; Dunblane, Doune, and Callander Rail-
way ; East and West Yorkshire Junction Railway ; Glasgow,
Strathaven, and Lesmahagow Direct Railway ; Kil-
marnock and Troon Railway ; Liverpool Improvement ;
London and South Western Railway Acts Amendment;
Slamannan Railway (Bathgate and; Jawcraig Branches);
Thames Haven Dock and Railway (No. 2.) • Wilsontown,
Morningside, and Coltness Railway (Bathgate iranch) : Wil-
sontown, Morningside, and Coltness Railway (Caledonian
Junction) ; Wilsontown, Morningside, and Coltness Railway
(Improvement and Branches).
CULLEN'S ESTATE BILL.
This Bill was read a second time and passed.

REPORTS.
The following reports were brought up, the amendments
and alterations agreed to, and the Bills ordered to be en-
grossed : —Clitheroo Junction Railway ; Earl of Blesinton's
Estate Bill; London and Birmingham Railway (Newport Pig-
nell Branch); North Gravesend Railway; Oxford, Worcester,
and Wolverhampton Railway ; Sheffield General Cemetery ;
Shropshire Union Railways and Canal (Newton to Crewe,
with Branches) ; South-Eastern Railway (Maidstone to
Strood, near Rochester); South-Eastern Railway (Canterbury
to Dover) ; South Wales Railway; South Yorkshire Coal
Railway and Canal.
WEXFORD, WAKEFIELD, AND VALENTIA