The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-18 00:00:00

INJ?ERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS—TIIIS DAY.
Tho SPEAKER took the chair at twelve o'clock.
RYDE STATION AND RAILWAY BILL.
This bill was considered, and ordered to be read a third
[me.

STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE.
Mr. Edward Egerton was discharged from further
attendance on this committee.
DOWNPATRICK, DUNDRUM, AND NEWCASTLE
RAILWAY BILL.
This bill was ordered to be road a second time.
SALE OF SHARES BILL.
In reply to Mr. FILDES,
Mr. LEEMAN said he intended to adopt the amendment
of which he (Mr. Fildes) had given notice, and to limit the
operation of the bill to joint stock banks and assurance

companies.
LEGITIMACY DECLARATION, &c., BILL.
Mr. T. CHAMBERS said in consequence of the late
session, and the vigorous opposition which it was likely to
sustain, he wished to withdraw this bill. He accordingly
moved that the orderfor the second reading be discharged,
and intimated that he would reintroduce the measuro at an
early period next sassion.

After some observations from Mr. E. CRAUFORD, tho
motion was withdrawn.

ELECTIVE FRANCHISE BILL.

On the order of the day for the adjourned debate on the
amendment of the second reading of this bill,
Mr. J. CLAY expressed his unwillingness to continue
the discussfon on this bill, which he was afraid he could not
carry to a successful end. The measure had one serious dis-
advantage, namely, its novelty, and he was sure the right
hon. gentleman, the late Chancellor of the Exchequer, who
moved its rejection neither comprehended its principle, nor
had mastered its details. As he had no opportunity of
replying to the arguments adduced against the bill on that
occasion, he would now make a few observations. The

right hon. gentleman had objected to the bill that the stan-
dard of examination was too high. In answer to that he
could only say that the subject was simple, and that seve-
ral members had thought the test too simple. The ex-
amination would only last half an hour, and would takelie
Place in the town in which the candidate resided. The
expenses to the person who did not
the
a shilling, while all that would be required from .
sarninatzon
candidates who did succeed in passing
the
was the maxi-
was 2s. 6d. It had been said that the bill
w of Liberal
mum of Liberal profession, but the minimumaisoteded that
pass would be
performance. On the contrary, it. wiasau
ffrage.
His
(mr.
hHateihnitmel:
the bill would create an
yldt. suffrage,
iCi
gl Clay's) 'es
0) intention
might
e representedw was to ctreautane is
v edl
Any objection to getting
but he did not think there
One of his chief objects, there-
self should prefer at oncheereo
down toit by gwoa
sda•owis universal
lutiolsehpotreloissptisr
household
gentleman concluded
for e , was to a t
introducea the
by
advertingelementoneo of f
which
tehorincitiaihnewe permanency.
petitions :S iTg
nh
ee
signed
on .
by
five and six thousand clerks, and said that it
between
would have received even more general support had there
not pre-
sentedbeenin afr4gyelureroafl t.ihdeeabiltlhat a private member was not
likely to carry a Reform Bill, but ho had reason to know
that there was a considerable feeling among the work-
ing classes in favour of the bill. Should it ever
be his good fortune to carry this bill further,
there were several details which would require farther
consideration, such as the length of residence which would
entitle the candidate to a vote, age, &c. In addition to
that, ho was of opinion that a more difficult test should be
introduced than that contained in the present bill. Re moved
that the order for the adjourned debate be withdrawn.
Mr. GLADSTONE thought the hos. member had exer-
cised a wise discretion in not proceeding to a division on
this bill, which would only create a bitterness of feeling.
The bill was then withdrawn.

ELECTIONSS) BILL.'
Mr. JULIAN GOLDSMID moved that tho house go
into committee on this bill.
f f e effect
ef
loi
members
af reducingte positioofnt.
Parliament,hel
nn uimbbee
e soi
;tf
telectionshe e
Mr. LOWTHER said that while he did not think this
pbeiltlitiwonosuladgahianvste
would cause great inconvenience to the returning officer,
of placing him in a very
of there being an equal number of votes there could bo
no doubt that he would give his casting vote . accord-
ance with his own political leaning. He moved that they
go into committee upon this day three months. -
Mr. DUTTON seconded the amendment.
Mr. G. DENMAN said the object of_ the bill waft not as
the mover of the amendment seemed to think, to assimi-
late the law of England to that of Ireland.
Mr. BERESFORD HOPE objected to the bill on ac-
count of the position iu which it would place the sheriff
who appointed the returning officer.
Mr. WALPOLE adverted to the injury done both to
candidates and constituencies by a double return as a rea-
son why there should be an amendment of the law. Ho
apprehended the principles they had to go upon was that
there was no law to deprive any person of the right of vol..
ing. In the case of the returning officer he was not wholly
disfranchised, and it was for the general convenience that
he should not exercise hisright of votingunlessthere vms au
equal number of votes for both candidates. Individually,
therefore, he (Mr. Walpole) was in favour of the proposal
of the hon. member for Honiton (Mr. Goldsmid).
Mr. BRETT opposed the bill. His idea was that it put
the returning officer in the most agreeable position of all,
because it gave him the absolute opporturdty of serviug
his party. (Hear, hear)
Mr. DENT alluded to the inconvenience caused by a
double return.
The house then divided on the motion to go into corn.
mittee :
For the motion 122
For the amendment
Majority
--55
The house then went into committee, Mr. Dodson in the
chair.
Sir. ROUNDELL PALMER explained that he and many
on that side of the house had supported the motion for
going into committee on this bill, because they thought the
manifest differenoe of the law in the three kingdoms ought
not to be continued. They thought it desirable., however,
that in no case was it desirable to give the casting vote to
a non-elector. If the committee concurred in that view,
the objection as to Scotland was done away with.
Clause 1 was agreed to.
On clause 2,
Mr. KNATCBULL-HUGESSEN moved that the re-
turning officer on all occasions should be a duly qualified
elector.

Some further discussion having ensued,
Sir G. GREY said he had voted for the second reading
with a desire to assimilate the law of the three king-
doms, but the debate which had taken place showed that
there were a variety of considerations to be taken into ac-
count. In these cfrcumstances he thought the best course
was to refer the bill to a select committee.
Mr. E. CRAUFURD moved that they report progress,
which was afireed to, and the house resumed.
COMPULSORY CHURCH RATES ABOLITION
BILL.
Mr. GLADS TONE, in moving the second readin of this bill, stated that in consequence of the late period ofg the ses-
sion and the understanding that it would not be opposed
by the Government, he did not intend to press the bill
beyond a second reading this session. In consequence of
this proposal being somewhat novel, some arrangement of
details might be necessary, but the length of time that
would elapse before the measure was considered in com-
mittee would allow a sufficient opportunity for their set-
tlement.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
Government would not oppose tho second reading, but he
reserved his right to oppose the bill even as regarded its
principle.
Sir G. GREY said, the understanding was that the Go-.
vernment would offer no opposition to the principle of the
bill.

Mr. NEWDEGATE considered the principle of the bill
most vicious, and expressed a preference for the bill of the
member for Bury St. Edmund's.
Mr. NEATE moved, as an amendment to the motion of
Kr. Gladstone, that no scheme for the total, or partial, or
absolute, or qualified abolition of church rates will be satis-
factory to this house which does not contain sonie legal
and certain provision for supplying any deficiency which
may ensue from such scheme, in the funds applicable to
the maintenance of the fabric of the Church.
Colonel BARTELLOT seconded the amendmen, and
said that the bill of the right hon. gentleman (Mr. Glad-
stone) unsettled everything and satisfied nobody. It Was
not a compromise, but quite the reverse ; it was unfair to
the Church and unfair to the majority of churchmen who
chose to raise a rate for the repair of the fabric. The bill
did not at all come up to what was expected, and therefore
he most strenuously objected to its further progress.
Mr. B. HOPE opposed the bill, which was not the mea-
sure which he had undertaken to agree to, for it did not
contain the provisions for retaining church rate; but its
sole object was for the obolition of compulsory levying of
the rates.
Sir R. PALMER said he acceded to the bill, because ho
considered it combined the principle of abolition with that
of a retention of the means of providing for the mainte-
nance of the fabric of the church. He thought the mea-
sure an adequate substitute for the existing state of thing;
which was not to be justified.
Mr. HUBBARD was addressing the house at a quarter
to six, when the debate was stopped in accordance with
the standing order of the house.
ROCHDALE VICARAGE BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
OYSTER BED LICENSES (IRELAND) BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and
the house adjourned.

=PRET AT, PARLIAMENT

ROUSE OF LORDS.—LAST EVENING.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

COLONIAL BISHOPRICS.

In reply to a question from Lord Sr. LEONARDS,
The Earl of DERBY said it was the intention of Go-
vernment to obtain all the information they could in respect
to the subject of the endowment of colonial bishoprics,
and to lay the same on the table as early as possible.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Imperial Gas Company (No. 3)1:Bill was read a
second time.
The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Forth and Clyde Navigation, Sheffield Water, Merthyr,
Tredegar, and Abergavenny Railway, East London (East-
ern Extension) Railway, London, Chatham, and Dover
(Chatham Dockyard Branch) Railway, Great Western
Railway, North British (Glasgow Branches) Railway,
London, Chatham, and Dover (Various Powers) Railway,
London, Brighton, and South Coast (Various Powers)
Railway).
LAND TENURE (IRELAND) BILL.
The Martinis of CLANRICARDE, in moving the second
reading of this bill, said that he believed the principle of it
was never generally understood and its proposed object
recognised. The subject had undergone considerable dis-
cussion in and out of Parliament, and particularly in Ire-
land, and it was very desirable that the question should be
satisfactorily settled. One of the principal provisions of
the bill was that which proposed to repeal all existing acts
on this subject. Another was that which related to im-
provements or alterations in land by tenants for which
they claimed compensation. To the principle of that com-
pensation he consented, but did not think that it should be
left to the discretion of the tenant without reference to the
wishes of the landlord. He contended that considerable
ignorance prevailed in reference to the agricultural con-
dition of Ireland, for the farmer or peasant proprietor was
not in the anomalous state generally described. For instance,
although some peasant proprietors possessed from 5 to 20
acres, still there was a large class who hold farms of consi-
derable extent in Ireland. He denied that there was
any hostility between landlord and tenant in Ireland,
such as was supposed in this country to exist. He con-
tended, further, that the doctrine of the relation between
landlord and tenant in respect to land should rest on vo-
luntary agreement, and not on legal compulsion.

The Earl of DERBY did not think that was a suitable
occasion to enter into a general discussion, but great credit
WAS due to the noble marquis for the trouble and time he
had devoted to this difficult subject. Whilst agreeing in
the main with the noble marquis as to the pernicious effect
of the agitation which prevailed, he was willing to redress
any really valid grievances of the occupiers, and secure to
them a fair and an equal compensation for improvements.
He saw no objection to the principle of the bill, and would
not oppose the second reading, but ho could not pledge
himself to the details.

Earl GRANVILLE also observed that he would not op-
pose the bill at that stage, but he protested against its
being considered as a settlement of the question.

The bill was then read a second time.
The Duke of Buckingham moved the second reading of
the National Gallery Enlargement Bill, which Lord Har-
ding° recommended should be delayed, as the whole ques-
tion was shortly to come before the House of Commons.
The suggestion was concurred in by Lord Houghton, but
after a brief discussion the motion for the second reading
was agreed to.
The order of the day for the second reading of the
Public Companies Bill was discharged, and the bill with-
drawn.
A motion of the Marquis of Clanricarde to go into com-
mittee on the Dogs Bill was opposed by Lord Cranworth,
and on a division was negatived by 37 to 14. The bill
was, therefore, lost.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—LAST EVENING.
The Speaker took the chair at 12 o'clock.
LORDS' AMENDMENTS.

The Lords' amendments to the following bills were

agreed to :

Caledonian Railway (Greenock and Gourock Extensions),
Great Eastern Rail way(additional powers), Great Yarmouth
Haven, Port, and Rivers, Llantris'sant and Taff Vale Junc-
tion Railway, London and North Western Railway (new
works), Mold and D en bighJ u action Rail way (branches, !cc.),
North Eastern Railway (Yorkshire New Lines), Ogmore
Valley Railway (No. 1), Waverney Valley Drainage, Wy-
combe Railway.
The Anglesey Central Railway bill, the Central Ireland
Railways bill, and the Metropolitan Sewage and Essex
Reclamation bill were read a third time and passed.
The Belgravia and South Kensington New Road bill,
Rawson's Estate bill, and the Waterford, New Ross, and
Wexford Junction Railway bill were read a second time.