The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-07 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS-THIS DAY
The SPEAKER took the chair at twelve o'clock.

ARMS OF VOLUNTEERS.

Major DICKSON, on, behalf of Colonel Lindsay, gave
notice of his intention to call the attention of the house to
the present unprotected state of the places devoted to the
care of the large amount of arms in the possession of rifle
volunteers.

CHURCU RATES BILL.

Mr. HARDCASTLE rose to move the second reading of
this bill, the object of which was to abolish the collection
of church rates. In introducing the measure the hon.
member reviewed the different bills that had been unsuc-
cessfully submitted to Parliament to deal with the griev-
ance, and said ho had come to the conclusion that
the only way of dealing effectively with the matter
was to totally abolish church rates. It had been
said that the total abolition of church rates
would weaken the connexion between the Church
and State, but this he could not admit. As an illustration
of his view he asked hon. members whether church cess in
Ireland had weakened the Irish Church ? Tho commuta-
tion of tithes, he contended, had not weakened the clergy.
He was of opinion that the reform of certain arrangements
did not as a necessity weaken those arrangements ; on
the contray, he believed that reform had tended to
strengthen them, and therefore ho could not think that
the connection of the Church with the State would in the
slightest degree be endangered by the total abolition of
church rates. The Dissenters had no desire to interfere
with any voluntary fund that might be contributed for the
repair of the Church. As long as church rates existed it
was a source of bitterness amongst Churchmen and Dissen-
ters, and an evil of a social nature greater than that
there could not be. (Hear, hear.) He was in posses-
sion of information with respect to the collection
of church rates that showed they were calculated to do the
greatest damage to the Church. In one case a poor labourer
had had his home nearly all swept away and sold by auc-
tion because he refused to pay Is. 3/d. for church rates.
Believing the present system fraught with the greatest
evil, he moved the second reading of the bill.
j. Mr. GILPIN seconded the motion. He congratulated
the house upon the manner in which the seconding read-
ing had been moved, and also upon the respect and high
position of the right hon. gentleman who was that day to
lead the opposition (Mr. Walpole). Ho thought the time
had arrived when the Church ought to assent to the pro-
posal. (Hear,, hear.) He (Mr. Gilpin) was no enemy to
the Church of England except to her supremacy. Those
with whom he was associated did not desire toleration—
they did not want it. (Hear.) What they required was
equality, and that, he contended, was their right. Free-
men should ask for nothing more—freemen should be con-
tent with nothing less. He therefore hoped the house
would agree to the second reading of the bill.
Mr. WALPOLE moved as an amendment that the bill
be read a second time that day six months. If the law
was oppressive and unjust, steps could be taken to remedy
it without actually repealing the law itself. The last Par-
liament had come to a resolution that it would not be ex-
pedient to abolish church rates without providing an equi-
valent., and that decision, ho considered, ought to
be respected. He thought the true object of the
agitation on the motion was not an amicable
settlement of the motion in dispute, but tho
great aim and object of the Liberation Society, the great
promoters of the agitation, was the severance of the con-
nection that at present existed between the Church and
State. The bill, he considered, was calculated to defeat its
intended object, that it would impair the Church and be
productive of the greatest evil rather than the slightest
good. He therefore hoped the house would not give its
sssent to the second reading.
Mr. DU CANE seconded the amendment, and, in doing
so, remarked that his side of the house had hold out the
olive branch to the abolitionists until their arms had fairly
ached, and all to no purpose.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he did
not rise on that occasion to speak on the part of the Go-
vernment, because it was thought injudicious to bring for-
ward a measure on this subject without there was some
clear view of arriving at a successful conclusion. He there-
fore spoke as an individual member of the house, and in
doing so he must be permitted to say that he had never
known a matter so much debated as that now under dis-
cussion upon which so little legislation bad take place.
He deprecated the discussion of the matter as to the theory
of Church and State, and he also objected to the intro-
duction of the question of the franchise being introduced
into the present complicated question. (Hear, hear.) Ac-
cording to the speech of the hon. member who had just sat
down, his argument came in brief to the following, vie.,
that the Church was quite safe within the walls of that
house as long as they kept tho nation out. (Loud
laughter.) Ho thought it hardly creditable to the
country—hardly creditable to the Legislature or to the
good sense of the house that such a state of things should
have so long existed. He thought that if some plan could
be decided on.for retaining the machinery of church rates,
but rejecting the compulsory power of enforcing them,
then a solution of the question might be looked for. (Hoar,
hear.) He could not vote for the bill of his hon.
friend, because its object was the simple abolition of
church rates without any other provision ; but he suggested
to the hon. gentleman opposite to say, now the door was
open, how far they wero prepared to go, and then per-
haps there would be some hope of arriving at a satis-
factory termination of this much-vexed and long talked of
subject.

Mr. B. HOPE suggested to the hon. member, who had
moved the second reading, the advisability of postpon-
_

ing his motion in order to ascertain whether some mea-

sure acceptable to both parties could not be brought for-
ward.

Mr. BRIGHT said the discussion had shown one thing
most conclusively, the church rates could not be main-
tained upon good and solid argument. The right hon.
member for Cambridge University had admitted them to
be a tax on Dissenters, and that being so it had been ex-

pressed in other quarters that a compromise might
b 3 made, but he felt certain all compromise was

now impossible. Without compromising the prin-
ciple he thought there might be a way of doing it.
For years ago ho himself had done pretty much the same

as the Chancellor of the Exchequer had done that day, as
at that time he made a proposition to the house to get rid
of the magistrate, the summons, and the bailiff—in fact
s
getting rid of the compulsory power of collecting church
rates. (Hear, hear.) If they agreed to that aththneoo the
present
time, he was certain that in five years
v churchesat
presentould. be
(Hear,in ag
hear.)oo d
as state, if notn years hence the
churches would be in a good state, if not bettebetter u
ltedh than Ther
were a
ho so
they had had
tom edann sf be
fisvpea spared dsthe d taryosu
forblthe
e
oft discussing,ithatthere t time,
it,
five and as
twenty years,
this miserable subject of the abolition of church rates.
Theto alclonnw it
herse
tn proposedgoto was to
teeaed, the
and
bd I a second
might bo so altered that the compulsory powers
might be altogether and entirely removed. (Hear, hear.)
If this course was adopted, he was certain that an end
would be put to those unhappy bickerings and heartburn-
hags which have so long existed. (Hear, hear.) 'The
Church would not be injured, and the glrtstly spectre of
the Liberation Society would at once be laid. (Laughter.)
Mr. G. HARDY said he could not consent to the course
proposed by the hon. member for Birmingham. With re-
spect to the suggestions of the Chancellorof the Exchequer,
he would like to know if the:hon. gentlemattwould embody
them in a bill, and submit the measure for the approval,of
Parliament. He thought it idle for the right hon. gentle-
man, holding the distinguished position which he did in
the Government and the country, to come fcrward and say
he made the suggestion merely as an individual member,
and not as the organ of her Majesty's Government.
Mr. MORLEY said he was quite prepared to accept the
suggestion thrown out by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Mr. HARDCAS rLE said he should be inclined to give
every consideration to the course that had been proposed,
but he did not think that he was the proper person to draw

out the resolution.
Mr. DISRAELI said the house would do well to know
the exact queition upon which they were called upon to

HOUSE OF COMMONS—LAST EVENING.
The SPEAK.EIt took tho chair at four o'clock.

LONDON (CITY) CORPORATION GAS BILL.
On the motion fox/the second reading of this bill,
Mr. CRAWFORD said that after the second read-
ing ho should move that the bill be then com-
mitted to a select committee of twelve members,
of whom five shall be nominated by the committee of se-
' lection, and that it bo an instruction to the coznmitteo
inquire into the operation and results of the Metrop ohs
Gis Act, 1860, in order to ascertain whether they, have
divided more than 10 per cent., as settled by that
Act. The honourable gentleman then stated the ob-
jectionable manner in which the City of London
had been supplied with gas, and that all complaints were
useless. The corporation had determined to take the
matter into their hands, and the present application to
Parliament was the result. Many of the' great
companies made considerable profits, and had divided
more than the maximum allowed by the act ; therefore the
public had boon precluded from all reduction of the price of
the article. He could not see why the gas companies should
object to the committee, provided they had not divided
more than 10 per cent. profit as allowed by the act. if
they had divided more than that sum they had, in
point of fact, charged the public more than they had a right
to do, because the act expressly laid it down distinctly
that after that percentage had been paid all surplea
should go in reduction of the price to be charged for ..he
article to the consumer. The Corporation of London feel-
ing that the grievance had become unbearable—that the
article supplied was of the commonest description, Whilst
the price charged was much higher than the companies
had a right to charge—had thought it eight to come for-
ward and ask Parliament for powers to deal with such am.
oppressive monopoly.
Viscount CRANBOURNE thought the house had agreed
to certain proposals with respect to the existing companies,
and therefore it would be a breach of faith for Parliament to
sanction this bill. He was by no moans satisfied about the
quantity of the article supplied to the consumer. Yet he
could not consent to the bill, which would only disturb
without improving, the matter complained of. ,
Mr. ADAIR strenuously opposed the bill being read a
second time.
Alderman LAWRENCE supported the second roadin

He said the great gas companies seemed to be afraid
of going before a committee, or else they would not object
so strenuously to the bill going before a committee. The
gas companies supplied a pure article to the House of
Commons, whilst that supplied to the general consumer
was of a greatly inferior quality. The groat gas com-
panies might depend that demands would continue to be
made to Parliament until the present monopoly was
broken up.
Sir G. GREY thought there would be no breach of
faith in reading the bill a second time, and he thought
the best course to adopt was to allow the bill to go before
a committee as proposed.
Mr. ROEBUCK said, from the appearance of the house,
it was quite clear it had been packed for the occasion,
(Hear, hear.) And by whom had it been packed ?
Why, by the gas companies. (Hear, hear.)
They had taken members by the button and asked them to
vote, and, such being the case, he asked the house
if it was consisent with its own honour that
they should allow such a proceeding ? He asked
the house, therefore, to study its honour before they con-
sidered the propriety of extending the existence of a very
intolerable monopoly.
Mr. CRAUFURD opposed the second reading of. the
bill. (Divide.)
Mr. AYRTON rose amidst loud cries of " Divide," and
said he should support the proposition, because he was cer-
tain without some parties possessed of large funds appeared
before the committee little good would be done. The
City of London wanted to combat the gas companies, they
said, in the benefit of the public generally, as it was the
first time they had ever passed from gastronomy to gas.
(Loud laughter.) He hoped the house would give them
the opportunity of spending this money usefully, and agree
to the second reading of the bill. (Loud laughter.)
The house then divided, when there appeared--
For the second reading
Against it
Majority
-26
The bill was then road a second time, and ordered to be
referred to the committee as proposed by the hon. member
for the City of London.
MID-LONDON RAILWAY BILL.
On the motion for the second reading of this bill,
Earl GROS VENORohjected to the proposal, and moved
as an amendment that the bill be read a second time that
day six months. Ile said it passed through the metropolis
for about three miles, all of which ground was now covered
with houses, it would cross Bond-street and Hanover-
square, and it was possessed of capital to the amount
of £3,000,000, but he thought that there were certain
lines yet to be completed before they could judge of the
advisability of Parliament giving its assent to the bill now
under discussion.

Lord STANLEY said until the inner circle of railway,
which had already received the sanction of Parliament,
had been constructed it would be impossible to arrive at
the conclusion that the present railway was required.
The Mid-London Railway would interfere greatly with
private property and trade, and create the greatest incon-
venience. He thought at present it would not be advisable
to sanction the second reading of this bill.
Mr. T. CHAMBERS supported the bill because the
line of railway was much required, and because the pro-
moters proposed very liberal compensation to all those
disturbed in their homes by its construction.
The amendment of the noble earl was agreed to, and
the bill was rejected without a division.
On the motion of Mr. BRAND, a new writ was ordered
for the election of a member for the county of Kerry, in,
the room of Colonel H. Herbert, deceased.
legalise Mr. CHAMBERS
marriage with deceased wife's
obtained leave to bring in a bill to
Leave was given to Mr. CoLviLLE to introduce a bill to
prevent clerks to justices in counties conducting the pro-
secution of any offender committed for trial by the justices
for whom he is acting as clerk.
Mr. HIBBERT asked leave to bring in a bill to permit
capital punishment to be carried out, under certain regu-
lations, within the interior of prisons. These regulations
wore that the punishment of death should be inflicted only
in the presence of the high sheriff, the gaol authorities,
and the representatives of the public press, and that a
coroner's inquest should be subsequently held on the body.
Sir G. GREY did not oppose the introduction of the
bill, but stated that a measure was in preparation by the
Under Secretary of State embodying the principal recom-
mendations of the Royal Commissioners on capital punish-
ment.

Mr. GILPIN regarded all measures of this partial cha-
racter as concessions to public opinion. What was really
wanted was the abolition, not the concealment, of the
gallows.

Mr. EWART and Mr. B. CARTER supported the bill, and
themotion for leave was agreed to.
Leave was also given to Mr. CHAMBERS to bring in a
bill to explain the act of the2oth and 2lstyears of her pre-
sent Majesty, chap. 85, " to Amend the_Law relating to
Divorce and Matrimonial Causes in England," and tho
Legitimacy Declaration Act, 1858,
It read a
And to Mr. 11. LEWIS, to bring in a bill to enable ves-
tries and district boards within the metropolis to grant
superannuation allowances to officers law Inv 1.),(mu0
i Bill
r
disabled by infirmity or ago to discharge the duties of
their offices.
The Qualification i
a;
l wass Abolition
passed on
through wasouolti
third time and passed.
P
rince Alfred's Annuity
com-
mittee ; as was also the Marine Mutiny Bill.
for Offices
The house adjourned at a quarter to ei •
ght o'clock.

LAMBETH UNITED ROWING CUM.—The members
and friends of this well-known club, numbering nearly 50,
celebrated their annual dinner at the Fleece Tavern, Duke-
Street, Stamford-street, yesterday ; Mr. Robert Bain in the
chair ; Mr. Cross, the secretary, in the vice-chair. The
usual loyal toasts having been given and responded to, the
Chairman gave an interesting account of the rise and pro-
gress of the club. lle then passed a high eulogium on the
services of Mr. Cross, the secretary, and concluded an
admirable speech by proposing " Prosperity to the Club.'
The remainder of the evening was spent with great
hilarity, and the party separated, the members resolving to
do their uttermost for the future prosperity and renown of
the club.

Died, at Derby, on the 21st ult., Mr. W. Denham, in the
G4th year of his age. The deceased, who for many years
had the management of Derby Races, was much respected
by a large circle of friends, and will be universally re-
gretted. Ho was a good judge of horse flesh, and in his
younger days a first-flight man across country. He was
the owner of several first-class animals—Discount, Mr.
Assheton Smith, Old Fire King, Decen3ber, and many
others being purchased of him.
THE FIRST LONDON OMNIBUS started from Pad-
dington to the Bank of England on Saturday, July 4,
1829 ; and the experiment of lighting by coal gas was first
tried in Cornwall in 1792, gas lighting being first intro-
duced into London streets at Golden-lane, August 16,
1807, in Pall-mall 1809, generally through London in 1814
while in 1860 there were upwards of 2,000 miles of gaspipe
in and around London.

The course of exchange at New York on London for bills at
60 days' sight is about It 7i per cent. At these rates these
is no profit on the importation of god tram the IJuittl
States

vote. The bill was for the total and unconditional repeal
of church rates. That was the issue before them, and tel that policy he was entirely opposed.
The house then divided, when there appeared--
For the second reading 285
Against it
252
Majority -33
The bill was then read a second time.
[The Chancellor of the Exchequer, as he entered thO
house with the " ayes" in favour of the bill, was received
with loud cheers.]
Tho other orders of the day were then disposed of, and
the house adjourned.

Railway and other Companies.

LYNN AND HUNSTANTON.

The half-yearly meeting was held at Lynn on
Saturday ; Mr. L. Simpson in the chair.
'The report stated that the receipts on revenue
account for the six months ending Dec. 31, 1865,
amounted to £5,454, and after providing for work-
ing and other expenses and debenture interest, a
balance of £2,033 remained available, out of which
the directors proposed a dividend at the rate of 61
per cent. per annum, leaving a balance of £B3. The
capital account showed that £80,669 had been ex-
pended, leaving a balance of £1,064.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the
report, and the dividend for the corres
cepnt. ondpe
ing
period of 1864, was at the rate of 5 per
annum, now proposed. The Midland Company
would promote excursions to llunstanton from
their whole district during the coming season. The
opening of the Lynn and Sutton line would also
bring a large district into communication with
Hunstanton, at which place it was important that
additional accommodation should be provided.
Mr. DURRANT seconded the motion for the adop-
tion of the report, which was carried unanimously,
and the dividend, at the rate of 6i per cent., de-
clared.

Mr. E. Self was re-elected a director ; Mr,
Thorley was re-elected auditor.

WEST NORFOLK JUNCTION.

The half-yearly meeting was held at Lynn on
Saturday ; Mr. L. Simpson in the chair.

The report stated that an agreement had been
concluded with the Great Eastern for working the
line for a period of 10 years at 50 per cent. of the
gross receipts. The engineer (Mr. J. S. Valentine)
reported that great progress bad been made with
the works, and that the whole line would be finished
by the Ist of June, or three months before the pe-
riod named in the contract. The capital account
showed that £77,980 had been expended, leaving a
balance of £2,641.
On the motion of the CHAIRMAN the motion was
adopted.
Major Hare and Mr. H. E. Blyth were re-elected
directors, and the auditors were also re-appointed.

SOUTHAMPTON AND NETLEY.
itis short line, which places the Royal Victoria
Hospital at Netley in direct communication with the
London and South-Western Railway, was opened
for public traffic yesterday. Its length from the
Portsvrood Junction, where it leaves the main line,
is five miles and five chains, the total length from
Southampton to Netley being nearly seven miles.
The river Itchen is crossed by an iron girder-bridge
with three openings of 108 ft. each. The foundations
are in some instances bedded in concrete at the
depth of 6Oft. below the surface. About 270 tons of
cast iron have been used in constructing the cylin-
ders for the piers, and above 300 tons of wrought
iron in the girders. The entire cost of the bridge
has been about £14,500. The works generally have
been heavy, necessitating continuedbridges, embank-
ments, and cuttings, but the Itchen viaduct is the
chief engineering feature of the line. Eight trains
are to run each way daily, and three or four on Sun-
days. Mr.W. R. Galbraith, of the firm of Galbraith
and Tolme, is the engineer of the line, the, whole
superintendence of the engineeering work having
been entrusted to Mr. T. 11. Nicholls, and Mr. J.
B. Snowden has officiated as superintendent engi-
neer for the contractors. It is contemplated to con-
tinue the line from Netley, over the Ramble river,
by a swing bridge, and through Warsash and Titch-
field to Fareham, joining the South-Western at that
place, the bill for this extension being before Par-
liament in the present session.

WEST CORNWALL.
The half-yearly meeting was held at Penzance on
Wednesday—Mr. L. Vigurs in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the
report, regretted that up to the present time the
amount which they were to receive as 35 per cent.
of the receipts for the last half-year had not been
agreed upon with the associated companies. The
question was what should be deducted from the
receipts before paying the percentage; it was pro-
posed to submit the matter to arbitration. If the
associated companies paid the amount claimed they
would have a disposable balance of £2,448 ; out of
this the directors proposed to declare the usual 5
per cent. dividend on the preference shares, and
leave the surplus in abeyance. The associated com-
panies proposed to deduct £1,720 from the receipts,
which would diminish the proportion to be paid to
the West Cornwall Company by £6OO.
The report was adopted, and a resolution passed
at a special meeting held at Bristol was confirmed,
presenting Mr. Vigurs, in recognition of his services,
with 250 of the £lO preference shares of the com-
pany, fully paid up.

MANCIIESTER, STIEFFIELD, AND LINCOLN-

SIMIE.

The total expenses of this company's railways and
canals, including rents, tolls, duty, &c., from Jan.
1 to Feb. 25, 1866, amounted to £78,241 as against
£69,759 for the corresponding period of 1865. The
proportion of the South Junction receipts accruing
to this company from Jan. 1 to Feb. 25:amounted
to £6,005 as against £5,228 for the corresponding
period of 1865, and the expenses to £3,530 as
against £2,668.