The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-02 00:00:00

ANNUITY TAX (EDINBURGH) BILL.

Mr. Aid:,ALIEN moved the second reading of this bill. Ile
said the bill did not interfere in any way with the
stipends of the ministers. It merely sought to reduce the
number of ministers. There were 127 churches in Edin•

burgh of all kinds, Protestant and • Boman Catholic.
Twenty-eight belonged to the Established Church, and
13 of those 28 received no portion of the annuity tax. The
Free Church had double the population attached to it
that the Established Church had, and justly complained
of being taxed for the support of a Church opposed to
their own.

The LORD-ADVOCATE moved that the debate be ad-
journed, believing that such a course was more likely than
a,-iy other to lead to a settlement, upon some lasting and
sati.factory basis, of a question which in times past had
produced much angry and irritating discussion. To-
morrow, with the sanction of the Government, he would
bring in a bill on the subject. He objected to the mea-
sure proposed, because it would not settle the
matter, and because he was sure it would give
satisfaction to none of those interested in the matter.
He asked the hon. gentleman to consent to the adjourn-
ment of the debate, in order to afford the Government
time to introduce a measure so framed, he thought, as to
prevent any further disturbance of the matter taking place in
their time— (hear, hear)—a measure founded on a modifi-
cation of the arrangement of 1860, but so modified, he
said, as to satisfy both parties whose interests were
involved.

Mr. MCLAREN said after the observations of the right
hon, gentleman, ho should not press his motion.
Mr. MACFIE hoped that as the Government had ai
izounced its intention to take the subject in hand, they
would not do so in a. partial manner, but in such a way as
would lead to the total extinction of the tax.

Mr. ANDERSON hoped that when the bill of the Govern-
ment was before the House, it would be found that they
had abolished the tax in an equitable and just manner.
The bill of the hon. gentleman the member for Edinburgh
did quite the reverse of that—it was, in fact, a bill want-
ing both in honesty and justice, and as such he should
give it his most strenuous and determined opposition.

Mr. CRAUFORD denied that the bill of the hon. member
for Edinburgh was one to settle purely a local squabble.
He thought the course taken by the Lord Advocate wars
singular, and it was, to say the least of it, very
peculiar to hear him finding fault with a measure
63 most objectionable and unjust, and yet not moving the
rejection of the measure, but merely asking the hon. mem-
ber for Edinburgh to consent to an adjournment of the
debate until the Government measure was before the
House. He hoped that the bill to be brought forward by
the Government would be one that would put the Church
in Scotland in the same position as the Church in Ireland,
and give it perfect freedom from the trammels of the State;
and such a measure, he was sure, would be received
with the greatest pleasure, and lead to the best possible
results.

Mr. BRucx said the bill of last session was supported
upon the understanding that alterations were to be made
in committee. The measure that the Government had
promised to introduce was, he felt assured, one that would
give satisfaction to all those who valued the peace of
the Church in Scotland. The measure, he might say, would
be Lpunded on a different principle to that now before the
House; but he felt it would be such as to give general
satisfaction; znd to meet with acceptance from the
olergy of the Established Church in Edinburgh.
Mr. M 'LAREN said, after the remarks of the Lord-
Advocate, he felt it would be the wisest course to adopt
the suggestions of the right hon. gentleman, but he did
hope that in any measure that might be brought forward,
Edinburgh would be placed with respect to her ministers,
on quite as good a footing as Glasgow.
Mr. HADFIELD felt that if the bill of the Government
was not a full and complete measure, it would give
satisfaction to no party in Scotland, and that being the case,
the next movement would be, not against the annuity tax,
but against the Established Church in Scotland.
The debate was then adjourned fur a fortnight.
GAME LAWS (SCOTLAND) BILL.

The motion for the second reading of this bill was, at
the request of the Secretary of State for the Hotnb De-
partment, postponed for a fortnight.
RAILWAY TRAVELLING BILL.

Mr. PLIMSOLL moved the second reading of this bill,
which, he said, affected a large amount of property.
Happily, a change had come over the modes that were
adopted with respect to the carrying of third-class passen-
gers ; some time ago they were huddled together like
cattle, in carriages entirely unprotected from the weather,
and frequently they were not favoured even with
a seat. The railway companies, he felt, would
themselves benefit as largely as any class of
the public if they were to adopt the arrange-
rangement set out in this bill—viz., to place foot-warmers
to second and third-class carriages. It had been objected
that the carrying out of this proposition would entail great
additional trouble, but he had it from the best authority
that the beating of a sufficient quantity of hot water, and
placing it in proper receptacles, could be very easily
managed. He had been told that the proposal of this bill
was a matter too trifling to submit to Parliament—
(hear, hear)—but he might remind hon. members that it
had not been thought beneath the dignity of Parliament
to provide smoking-carriages—(hear, hear)— and they
had under their deliberation arrangements for the
iomfort of cattle—(hear, hear)—surely the House would
think men and women were equally as important as cattle.
(Hear, hear.) He knew of cases were the denial of a foot-
warmer had been the cause of the greatest pain to a poor
traveller ; and therefore he asked the House to give the
bill a second reading, as its object was to obviate great
cluttering to a large number of the public.
Mr. DILWYN objected to the bill. He thought if they
passed such a bill as the present they would very soon
have propositions to give third-class passengers hot
brandy and water—(laughter)—extra clothing—(laughter)
—and railway rugs—each of which was far better than
either of two miserable foot-warmers. He thought that
railway shareholders did not receive too high dividends,
and as he considered the matter not of sufficient impor-
tance to occupy the attention of Parliament, he moved
that the bill be read a second time that-day six months.
Mr. NEVILLE-GRENVILLE seconded the motion. He
thought it was trifling with the time of Parliament in dis-
cussing whether they should or should not put warming-
pans into third-class carriages.
The House then divided, when there appeared
For the second reading 76
Against lO3

Majority against the second reading... 32
LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANIES BILL'.

The House then went into committee on this bill.
Clause 1 was agreed to. Clause 2 being proposed, au
amendment was made explaining the meaning of the term
" registrar," after which the chairman reported progress,
and the House resumed. -
EAST INDIA (LAWS AND REGULATION)
BILL

The report of amendments to this bill was considered
and agreed to.
STEAM BOILERS.

Mr. H. SHERIDAN obtained leave to bring in a bill t•
provide for the inspection of steam-boilers. The bill was
accordingly brought in and read a first time.
The house then adjourned at ten minutes past five.

ib
"'D CHANGES IN THE BOARD OF
Pnoro-
-blished copy cf correspondence between
RALTY,—I rom p- mreasury relative to alterations in
the Admiralty and the department, it seems that
th orgaillzatnt the constitution and
Th;.Arsdmiralty,
Mr. Childers tell' much fuze:
business of his board of fellow-workers.
A.l
.t Lord,
as now constituted, consist; of the
of arar
four Naval Lords, with a salaq
each and a house, a civic lord, with a satity of El tO a
year, the First, or Parliamentary Secretary, wifit k 2,00,
a oar, allowances, and a house, and a Second SeCytarY
with moo a year, allowances, and a house. The 13oEtvd
meets daily for the business of the Admiralty.
The First Naval Lord performs duties of an important and
confidential character. The remaining Lords have each
share of general business. Now Mr. Childers flu some to
the conclusion that one lord or secretary should be spl-
eially charged with the finance department ; that the posi-
tion of the Controller of the Navy is most anomalous, and
that other matters require reorganisation. He proposes
to alter the Board of Admiralty to the First Lord, the First
Naval Lord, the Third Lord and Controller, and the
Junior Naval Lord., besides the two Secretaries. Each of
the last three Lords will be responsible for separate and
distinct branches of the service, and will be enabled to
satisfy their leader, the First Lord, better when attending
to specific business than when mixed up in all sorts of
various subjects. Th. Rirst and Second Naval Lords will
re..:eive au increased salary of £1,500.
Alfred Gorton, leading man of butchers at the
Royal Clarence-yard, having been convicted of
systematically taking gifts from contractors was
yesterday dismissed the service. It cannot be too
Sri dely known that all contractors who may be
ascertained to have paid douceurs or bribes to
officials in any of the departments will in future be
struck out of the list or prosecuted, as the case
msy be.