The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-10 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

- -
ROUSE OF COMMONS.—Tms DAT.
The Speaker took the chair at twenty minutes past
twelve o'clock.
The Lords' amendments to the Navan and King's-court
Railway Bill were considered, and agreed to.
The Kilkenny Junction Railway (Abandonment of Kil-
purcell Branch) Bill was ordered to be read a third time.
The Rathkeale and Newcastlo Railway Junction Bill
was read a second time.
The Lords' amendments to the Great Eistorn Railway
Bill, as amended by the Commons' Committee to which
they had been referred, wore agreed to.
SALE OF LIQUORS ON SUNDAY BILL.
Mr. NEWDEGATE presented a very bulky petition
from Birmingham against this bill, and in doing so re-
ferred to the loss sustained by that borough iu the death
of Mr. Schelefield.
EDUCATION OF THE POOR BILL.
Mr. 11. A. BRUCE moved the second reading of this
bill, and asserted that the previous efforts made in this
direction had been insufficient. In this bill ho had acted
on the principle that provision should be made for one-
sixth of the population, and at this rate there would be
1,200,000 children to provide for. The progress of popu-
lation was far in excess of the increase in the number of
children attending national schools, and this showed the
necessity of some action being taken. In the la-ge
towns especially was it seen that education was not keep-
ing pace with the population. There were very few
reliable statistics on this subject, but he would select
those on which most reliance could be placed with re-
spect to a iarge centre of population. First, taking the
metropolis, it appeared from information collected in the
diocese of London that there w pu-
ere in that diocese a popu-
lation of 2,129,000. Supposing that one-sixth of the po
lation should be on the books of schools, the non
would h
be 362,0C00.urch The
schools returns,thero were however, shoretho names a o o
the books of of
129,0 0, and on the books of non-Church schools sn3o,tohoer,
giving a total of 182,000. There were thuthsna
books.
180,000 whose names ought to have btorensolnie
population
From London he would go to Manchester.
00 .
Applying
of Manchester and Salford in 1866 was
scho, 0
nhwicehreshnowt
showed
number was 55,000, but deducting 7,000
his rule there ought to be 80,000 rtt os .
belonging T e act u
to
l
school.t e e a
Some
cml zetscs ea si
c, u therehaion
swbearde
baeol'n°°work
made,w h
that out of 110 children 52 wore at or so 001, and 58
neither at work nor school. Passing to the case of Birming-
ham, hero again a most minute inquiry had been made,
and it was found that between the ages of five or ten the
attendance at school was 16 per cent. of the children, and
between the ages of 10 and 15 only 9,000 or nearly 29 per
cent. Examinations had bean made of the children working
in the factories, and the ignorance was found to be very
great. With regard to Bristol, ho would quote a report of
Stansfield, who stated that out of 890 young persons
examined by him, 425 were totally ignorant.
A long discussion ensued, iu which Mr. A. Egerton, Mr
Henley, and Mr. Foster took part.
Mr. HARDY said ho was aware of the defects of the
present scheme, but it could not be denied that it had
Been brought about by the most extraordinary and
gratifying results. There was much ignorance iu
the larger towns, but whatever might become
of - the present bill, he thought that the
bill involved a principle which had not been sufficiently
discussed in that house. On the part of the Government
ho could not assent to the motion for the second reading
of the bill, neither was be prepared to give a pledge that
the Government would bring in a bill on this subject next

session.
Mr. GLADSTONE supported the second reading of tho
bill, the object of which was in effect to eall in the local
community to do all in their power to supply the want of
education. The system in operation, beneficial as
it was, was not sufficient to meet the increas-
ing demand for education, and therefore in his
opinion it became a matter of the highest importance
that a system of local arrangement should come to help on
the great scheme. The opposition to the bill on the part
of the Government did not rest upon the objection which
had been stated by the Secretary for the Home Department
but it arose from the ditilike entertained to the 01166%10

clause, and thereforo the only course open to his hon,
friend who introduced the bill was to ask the house for
its decision, aye or no, as to the second reading of the
bill.

Mr. BAZLEY was of opinion that compulsory educa-
tion must beadopted before anything of an efficient nature
could be arrived at. (Hear, hear.) The factory system of
education was to an extent compulsory, but pro-
duced no great hardship, on the contrary ho knew for
a positive fact that it had boon productive of the greatest
benefit, and therefore he hoped the house would give its
assent to the bill now before it.

Mr. HUBBARD was addressing the house in opposition
to the passing of tho bill at a quarter to six, at which
time the debate was suspended iu accordance with the
standing order of the house.

The other vrdere of the day were then postponed, and
the house ndjeurued.

HOUSE OF LORDS—I,Asr EVENING.

Lord STANLEY of ALDEIILEY, having moved the
second r aling of the I tilway (Guards' and Passengers
Comnmication) Bill,
a 1.3 Duke of BUCKINGHAM raiAed objections to somo
portions of the bill, and recommended its reference to a
Select Committee.

This suggestion was resisted by Lord STANLEY of
ALDERLEY and by Lot d CAIRNS, who remarked that a re-
ference to a Select Committee would be tantamount to the
loss of the bill for the present session—an event he should
very much deplore..
Ultimately the bill was read a second time and ordered
to be referred to a select committee, upon the understand-
ing that evidence should be limited to the improvement of
the measure, without opening the question of the particu-
lar mode of communication to be adopted.
. . . . .

.. .
The sitting was closed at 20 minutes past six o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—YESTERDAY.
The SPEAKEII took the chair at two o'clock, when, the
house having resolved itself into committee, the further
consideration of the bill for the amendment of the Repre-
sentation of the reoplevas proceeded with.
Mr. LOCKE moved the following clause :—" (Notice
of rate in arrear to be given to voters.) Where any poor
rate due from any occupier in respect of any premises
within a borough ou the fifth day of January in any year
shall remain unpaid on the first day of June following, the
overseers whose duty it may be to collect such rate shall,
on or before the 20th of such month of June, give a notice
thereof in the form set forth in Schedule (X) to this act to
every such occupier as would on payment of such rate be
entitled to vote in the election of a member or members of
Parliament for the borough in respect of his occupation of
the said premises ; the notics shall bo deemed to be duly
given if delivered to the occupier or left at his last
or usual place of abode, or with some person
on the premises of which the rate is payable,
or the notice may be sent by the post, free
of postage, or the sum chargeable as postage for the
same being first paid, directed to the occupier at
his place of abode as described in the rate book; any over-
seer who shall wilfully withhold such notice with intent
to keep such occupier off the list or register of voters for
the said borough ahallbe deemed guilty of a breach of duty
under the Registration Act."
The clause was read a second time, and a variety of
amendments were moved by Mr. Hardy. A discussion
followed, during which Mr. Gladstone thought the most
convenient course was to adopt the amendments with the
understanding that they would be open for discussion on
the bringing up of the report.
Mr. SCHREIBER said he had an amendment to move,
that for a second member for Cheltenham; but, after the
declaration which had been made on a previous occasion,
that there were no means in the possession of Government
of complying with the request, ho should withdraw the

motion.
Mr. NV. COWPER moved that the borough of Hertford
should comprise the towns of Ware and Hoddesden.
Mr. DIMSDALE spoke strongly in favour of the pro-
position, and said such an arrangement would be agree-
able to all parties.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
the discussion of this question showed clearly that
members were not aware of the power of the Boundary
Commissioners. They had power to deal with such mat-
ters, and, if necessary, to enlarge the borough of Hertford ;
they would recommend, and Parliament would take care
that that recommendation was carried into effect.
The clause was withdrawn.
Captain HAYTER withdrew a similar clause that he
had on the paper, to add Shipton }Lanett and Glastonbury
to the borough of Wells.
Mr. HARVEY LEWIS said, after the declaration of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, he should withdraw his
motion for the giving two additional members for 31aryle-

bone.
Sir E. DERING then moved the following clause :
That the county of Kent be divided into three divisions,
each division returning two memhers.
The propoSition. was negatived without a division.
Mr. CORRANCE gave notice that when the schedules
wore taken into consideration he should move that Lowes-
toft be inserted instead of Stockholm.
The .ahnouncement of the chairman (Mr. Dodson)
that thole were no further clauses to move elicited
a loud cheer, and the committee then proceeded to a con-
sideration of the schedules of the bill. The four original
schedules having been struck out of the bill,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved that
the following boroughs return ono member only in future
Parliaments :—Honiton, Thetford, Wells, Evesham, Marl-
borough, Harwich, Richmond, Lymington, Chippenhant,
Bridport, Stamford, Chipping Wycombe, Poole, Andover,
Leominster, Tewkesbury, Ludlow, Ripon, Huntingdon,
Maldon, Buckingham, Newport, (Isle of Wight.), Now
Molten, Tavistock, Lewes, Bodmin, Great Marlow, Devizes,
Hertford, Dorchester, Lichfield, Cockermottth, Bridg-
north, Guildford, Chichester, Windsor, Eluaresberough,
and Andover.
The now schedule having been road a second time, and
ordered to stand part of the bill,
Schedule B, which enumerated the 'following new
boroughs to return one member each, viz., Darlington,
Hartlepool, Stockton; Gravesend, Baruley, Staleybridge,
Wednesbury, Middleborough, and Dewsbury, was
agreed to on the understanding that Mr. Ayrton's motion
to strike out Darlington for the purpose of inserting " Sur-
rey, Wandsworth, Tooting, Streatham, St. Mary, Batter-
sea, Putney, and so much of the parish of Lambeth as was
not included in the borough of Lambeth," should bo
taken on the bringing u though the report, as it was desirable
that the bill should pass committee that evening.
(Hear, hear.)
The remaining schedules having been agreed to, the
bill passed through committee.
The announcement was received with loud cheers from-
both sides of the house.
At the evening sitting, •
Mr. M'KENNA called attention to the enormous and
disproportionate increase of Irish taxation since 1841, as
compared with the increase in Great Britain, and canvas-
sing critically the chief budgets in that interval, ho showed
that while in Great Britain the taxation bad increased be-
tween 1831 and 1861 at the rate of 3s. 3d. per head, in Ire-
land the increase amounted to 105.2 d. per head, and main-
tained that the imposition of new taxes unaccompanied by
any countervailing advantage lay at the root of much of
the political discontent of Ireland. Tracing next the
causes which impeded the national prosperity of that coun-
try, he argued that the almost simultaneous establishment
of free trade and the construction of the system of Conti-
nental railways, on such principles that agricultural pro
duce could be carried on them at a much lower rate than
on the Irish railways, placed Ireland at a disadvantege in
supplying the English markets. lie concluded by moving
a resolution (after urging that the Government should
Ngviovuel Yeinn: 1)1 tdhoefi ug tou r:culdtu: theirto th
ter f fir schrarte ici)weaxypsr ewe shiincgh
an opinion that this disproportionate increase of taxation
requires the immediate attention of Parliament.
The motion was seconded and supported by Mr. POL-
LARD-URQUHART and GCD. DUNNE, but
Mr. MONSELL opposed it, insisting that whatever was
done with the Irish railways, that question ought to bo
treated on its own merits. Controverting Mr. M'Kenna's
argumOnts, ho assorted that the imposition of the income
tax on Ireland was part of a fair and liberal arrangement,
and as to free trade he showed that the land under culti-
vation and the price of agricultural produco had increased
since that measure. lie advocated equality of taxation
as the foundation for perfect religious equality—the want
of which, and not taxation, was the cause of Irish dis-

content.
Mr. Runt, after requesting Mr. M`Kenna not to press
his motion in the unavoidable absence of the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, remarked that the increase of taxation per
head was generally accepted as a proof of increased pros-
perity or power to bear taxes, and pointed out the great
increase that bad taken place in the article of spirits. At
the same time considerable relief had been afforded under
such heads as coffee, tea, sugar, and wino ; the grants in
aid of local taxation, as well as the loans for public works
had been much larger in Ireland than in Eagland —quot-
ing tit) figures in detail iu each case—add the committee,
moreover, which had considered this subject very minutely
and carefully for two sessions, had reported decidedly that
there was no impost in Ireland which impeded the develop,-
ment of any branch of industry, except the spirit distiekal
which were entirely exceptional in their characte.
of ro
After a digression by Mr. Whalley on the subject
ligious equality, provoked by some remarks of Mr. Mon-
sell, the motion was supported by Lord Dunkellin, who
replied that the increase of the spirit duties did. not imply
increased prosperity, inasmuch as nearly all the distillers
were ruined; by Sir F. Ileygate, who was in favour of
some measure fur the relief of tho railways; by Mr. Synan
M
and Mr. Breen ; and r. llaukey remarked that the
interests of England and Ireland in this, as in other
matters, were identical, as was proved by the report of
the committee.
The resolution was then withdrawn.
Bills were brought in by Lord NAAS to amend the laws
relating to the custody of dangerous lunatics in Ireland,
and to the superannuation allowances of the Dublic police.
Tho Banns of Matrimony Bill passed through Committee,
and the House adjourned at 10 minutes to 1 o'clock.