The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-13 00:00:00

CHURCH RATES.

Sir W. CLAY rose to move for leave to bring in a
bill for the abolition of Church rates, the bill to be limited
to the total abolition of such rates, and a provision say•
ing existing legal obligations. The bill, he said, had not
only the same object, but was identical in terms with the
measure which he had introduced on the same subject
during the last session of Parliament, and the only dif-
ference was that a portion of the former measure was
omitted from the present bill. He therefore felt it un-
necessary to trouble the house with any observations,
but when he moved the second reading he would explain
the reasons which had induced him to make the omission
to which he had referred, and he would also feel it his
duty to comment upon the important returns relating to
the subject which had been laid upon the table in com-
pliance with the motion of a noble lord opposite.
Mr. SPOONER said that, although he and his hon.
friends on that side of the house would not oppose the
motion, it must not be supposed that they gave any
assent to the bill which the hon. baronet asked leave to

introduce, and which provided for the simple, ab,olute,
and unconditional abolition of Church rater. He thought

it would be convenient to the house and to the country to
learn what course her Majesty's Government intended
to take on this subject. They had already stated that
they did not themselves intend to bring in a bill, and
that they were not prepared to say that they would
move amendments to any measure which might be in-
troduced. •
Mr. LABOUCHERE observed that his right hon.
friend the Secretary for the Home Department had stated
on a former occasion that the Government nad no inten-
tion of introducing any measure on this subject during
the present session ; but he said that when the question
was brought before the house that would be the proper
time for the Government to declare what course they
intended to pursue. He (Mr. Labouchere) hoped the
hon. gentleman would not expect the Government now
to go out of the way to express their opinion, but when
the second reading of this bill came on, no doubt his
noble friend (Lord Palmerston) or the Home Secretary
would state the views entertained by the Government.
Leave was then given to bring in the bill.
GENERAL POLLOCK.

Captain L. VERNON moved for a copy of all cor-
respondence relating to the removal of General Pollock,
G.C.8., from the direction of the Hon. East India Cam-
pany. The hon. and gallant member gave a sketch of the
brilliant services of Gen. Pollock from his first victories in
India down to the time he received the thanks of Parlia-
ment, and quoted " Kaye's History of the War" in sup-
port of his statements. When it came round to the Go-
vernment to appoint three directors, of course Sir George
Potl)ck was placed at the head of the list, because no man
had better led the Indian army ; but while he was only
nominated for two years, his colleagues, who had never
saved an Indian army, were nominated for four and six
years. Everybody expected that the gallant general
would have received the appointment for the longest
period, but he did not ; and on the 20th March, 1856,
h• received a letter from the India Board intimating
that he would not be re-appointed, the only reason given
being a subterfuge, that the act of 1853 required, not a
re-appointment, but a new appointment, whereas two
clauses in the act expressly contemplated re-appointments.
(The hon. and gallant member read the correspondence
between Gen. Pollock and the India Board.) He was. an
Indian officer, and of course his advancement was cavilled
at by the Horse Guards, and he (Captain Vernon) con-
sidered the general had been very unworthily dealt with.
(Hear.) He expected no redress in making these state-
ments to the house of the treatment experienced by
that distinguished soldier at the hands of the Presi-
dent of the Board of Control. He knew what the
answer would be. The right hon. gentleman, if he made
any reply at all, would thank him for the opportunity of
explaining the transaction. His (Captain Vernon's) only
object was, to complete the general history from the
time he received the thanks of that house until the time
when his great services were so unworthily ignored by
the Government. The records of that house would
show to posterity the history of his great deeds, and
they would likewise testify to the small esteem in which
those great deeds were held by the Board of Control.
Mr. VERNON SMITH said there was no such offi-,
vial correspondence in existence as that for which the
hots, member had moved, as to the removal of General
Pollock, and further than that, Sir G. Pollock never had
been removed from the office of director, nor had such a
thing been ever contemplated. With regard to the tett,os
that had been read, everybody who knew anything of
Government patronage was aware that those communica-
tions were always considered to be private. That was the
fit
hr Batt timea
eh,e
ahhadd knownhe dd not
he
tt t
he
er
eo
vf
et ht and kind
general
t b o
he
arde ad
everin
sanctioned their being read. He was quite ready to ac-
knowledge Sir G. Pollock's services, and no one could
have felt more pain than he did when be felt it to be his
duty to refuse to re-appoint the gallantgeneral. His reason
for refusing was the conviction in his mind that the spirit
of the act required new blood to be infused into the di-
rection of Indian affairs. He considered Sir E. Rawlin-
son, whose diplomatic and military character was well
known all over the work:, a better person to fill the ap-
pointment, and by the advice of the noble lord at the
head of the Government Sir E. Rawlinson was appointed.
Shortly after, on the vacancy caused by Mr. Melville's
retirement, Gen. Vivian was recommended for similar
reasons. He hoped the house would observe the difficul-

ties by which toe Government were surrounded. On one

side were a ❑umber of gentlemen who announced their
inte❑ti•n of watohing every appointment that was ina4e,
in order to see that the right man was put in the right
plane, while on the other side were gentlemen who, on
every occasion when this principle was acted upon,
brought charges against the Government of neglecting
distinguished services. But Gen. Pollock lad never
been dismissed. His term had expired, and he ceased to
hold his appointment when his time was out as a matte,
of course. He. had only t• say that he did not regret
the appointment he had made, and never should as long
as he lived, and with reeard to official c.ffrespondence,
there was none in existence.
Mr. DISRAELI opposed the Indian Bill in 1853, be-
lieving that it would not work satisfactorily or improve
the administration of our Indian affairs. And all that
had occurred since had confirmed him in that impres-
sion. And he believed that on this point the Presi-
dent of the Board of Control concurred with him.
He had at that time been somewhat reconcilef to the
measure by the manner in which the Governineut
power of appointing directors was exercised. He was
not surprised that Sir George Pollock should wish
to have his case brought under the consideration of
Parliament. But in what a strange position did they
Ind themselves f He gave the President of the
Board of Control full credit for having acted con-
scientiously in not re-appointing General Pollock ; but
in vindicating himself he had virtually censured his
colleague (Sir C. Wood), who had appointed the gallant
general. It could not be that in three years the great
abilities which he was said to have possessed, and must
have possessed, could have passed away. The letter which
he had written, and which had been read to the house,
was manly and dignified, and struck him as the produc-
tion of a man fully competent to the discharge of the
duties of an Indian director. He believed the appoint-
ment of Sir G. Pollock three years ago was a satislacwry
one ; he had heard nothing which caused him to think
that the gallant general was less able than'at any previ-
ous period to discharge the duties of the direction, and
therefore, although he was not prepared to contest the
right hon. gentleman's exercise of his respousibiiity, he
nevertheless must declare his regret that Gen. Pollock
was not a director, and that he (Mr. Disraeli) entertained
for him that respect which he believed was entertained
for him by the people at 1 rge.
Lord PALMERSTON said it was quite a misrepre-
sentation to describe the course pursued by the Presi-
dent of the Board of Control as derogatory either to Sir
G. Pollock, or implied that Sir C. Wood was wrong in
appointing him three years ago. He hoped the hon. gen.
tlsma❑ would not place on the records of the house a
statement contrary to fact, for Gen. Pollock had not been
dismissed. He was appointed by law for two years, and
was capable of being re-appointed. But if at that
time his right hon. friend thought that another person
was, from age or other circumstances, capable ~f more
efficiently filling the office, he was only doing his duty
in appointing him. Nor could he admit that the high
professional character of Sir G. Pollock was at all dis•
paraged by the step which was then taken.
Captain L. VERNON would withdraw the word
"removal."' As to the manner in which he got posses-
sion of the letters he had read, it was sufficient to say
that they fell into his hands, and he thought he had a
right to use them. As, however, there were no other
documents in existence save those which he had read
there was nothing for which to move, and he should
therefore withdraw his motion.
The motion was then withdrawn.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

Mr. L. DAVIES submitted to the. house the neces-
sity for legislation to prevent the gross inequalities in
the weights and measures of the United Kingdom. The
present law was quite inadequate to meet the evils
which arose from the great inequalities of weights and
measures which prevaited in different parts of the coun-
try. If the Government would not bring in a bill he
would himself introduce a measure rendering it compul.
sory that in every part of the kingdom sales should be
made by imperial weights and measures alone, and by
no others. The loss caused. by the present system
amounted to hundreds of thousands per annum between
the producer and the customer: He begged leave of the
house to introduce a bill to amend so much of the sth
and 6th Wr.n. IV. as related to weights and measures.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that no doubt could exist as the desirableness of having
an uniformity of weights and measures, but hitherto
legislation bad in vain contended with.the inveterate
habits which had fixed the adoption of varying weights
and measures in different parts of England. He did
not know whether in regard to corn it would not be
better to discard bushel and quarter altogether, and sell
only by weight. But then the tithe commutation rent-
charge
was fixed by the bushel and quarter, and if the
change were made it would be
necessary also to alter
our legislation on this subject. When the of the hou.
member was introduced it should have his best atten-
tion.

Mr. ADDERLEY contended that nothing of any im-
portance had yet been done to enforce an uniformity of
weights and measures. The act of Wm. IV. was practi-
cally rendered inoperative by a proviso which defeated
the rest of the measure. The evils of the present aye

tern were very great. It ought to be undertak en by the
Government, but as they would not bring i❑ a bill, he
was glad the hon. gentleman (Mr. Davies) had done so ;
and he hoped that the feeling of the country and the
opinion of that house would support him, and either
enable him to carry his measure througb or force the
Government to leg:slate. All that was wanted 'was that
a stone, pound, bushel, yard, or foot shoed be the
same, and should be a fixed quantity in all parts of the
country. That was surely a simple thing, and one that
could be easily effected. All that was requisite was to
repeal the proviso in the Act of Wm. IV., by which
it was enacted that sales should not be void if the mea-
sures used, though not imperial, were yet what they
professed. If this were done, and if some machinery
were provided for enforcing the penalties imposed for
the use of illegal weights, he believed that the imperial
weights and measures would soon be in general opera-
tion throughout the country.
Mr. WCANN suggested that the difficulty might be
solved by insisting that dry goods should be sold by
weight, and liquid goods by measure, all over the empire.
Mr. L. DAVIES having replied,
After a few words from Mr. ROEBUCK and Mr. Bess,
Leave was given to introduce the bill.