The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-12 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS—LAST EVENING
The SPEAKER took the chair at twelve o'clock.
CHURCH RATES ABOLITION BILL.

Mr. lIARDCASTLE postponed the second reading of
this bill until the Bth of April.

CHURCH RATES REGULATION BILL.

On the motion for the second reading of this bill, which
is brought forward by Mr. lICTBBARD, the object of which
is plainly set forth in the title,
Sir STAFFORD NORTHOOTE suggested that the bill
should be postponed until the Bth April, in order that the
house might be enabled to go into committee on the
bill brought forward by Mr. Gladstone. Tho hon. mover
of the second reading felt indisposed at first toagree to the
suggestion, but, oa the urgent appeal of Mr. Walpole, ho
eventually consented to postpone proceeding with the bill
until the day mentioned.
CHURCH RATES COMMUTATION BILL.

Mr. NEWDEGATE also Fistponed the second reading
of this bill.
COMPULSORY CHURCH RATES ABOLITION

BILL.

The house then went into committee upon this bill,
which was brought forward by Mr. GLADSTONE.
On clause 1 being read,
Mr. HENLEY moved its omission. He was opposed to
the unconditional abolition of church rates, and therefore
he could not agree to the clause, which proposed that all
compulsory church rates should be abolished.

The house divided, when there appeared—
For the clause
Against it
Majority in favour of the clauso —l37

The consideration of the seven remaining clauses occu-
pied the rest of the sitting, the discussion in every case
turning upon the terms used in the construction of the
different sections of the bill. As a specimen, a long period
of time was consumed considering whether the title of
the bill should be Compulsory Church Rates Abolition
Bill," or, "Compulsory Payment of Church Rates Aboli-
tion Bill."

The bill finally passed through committee, was reported
with amendments, and was ordered to be reprinted.
THE COVENTRY ELECTION PETITION.

The committee, viz., Mr. Corranoef Mr. Greenall, Mr.
IL Hodgson, Mr. P. Urquhart, and Mr. Egerton, were
called to the table and sworn.
ARTISANS' AND LABOURERS' DWELLINGS

BILL.

On the motion for the second reading of this bill,

Mr. H. LEWIS said ho did not rise to oppose the
motion, but to express a hope that certain objectionable
provisions which the bill contained would be altered in
committee, else it would become an intolerable burden
upon the taxpayers.
Mr. POWELL also expressed a hope that the bill would
be fully considered in committee, in order that injustice
was not inflicted upon those who did not deserve it.
The bill was read a second time, and ordered to be
committed.

The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and
the house adjourned.

THE ALLEGED MURDER OF A BOY BY

BURNING.

Yesterday afternoon, at half-past 1 o'clock, Mr.
William Payne, the coroner for London and South-
wark, resumed, at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, the
adjourned inquiry respecting the death of a child
named John Hunt, aged 4 years, who, it was al-
leged, had been wilfully burned or scalded to death.
Mr. Horsford, the house-surgeon, said that he
had, since the jury last met, made a further exami-
nation of the body, and also the clothes. The
saucepan now produced, if full of water, and it had
fallen over the child, might have produced the inju-
ries on the body. The hands and arms of the child
were not scalded at all, but the lower part of
the frame was as high as the navel.
If the child had been pushed into the boiler and
had sat in the hot water it would produce the ap
pearances he found on the body. lie did not think
th it the child could have fallen on its face and up-
set the saucepan without scalding its hands and
arms. if the child had sat in the water it would
have been only instantaneous.

Mrs. Newell was positive that the child was acci-
dentally scalded by its falling into the water, which
was boiling hot.
Mary Duncannon said that she was gent for, and
found the deceased scalded. It died in the hospital.
Mrs. Newell said that the child had fallen over
the washing-stool into the saucepan of water. She
always appeared kind to the deceased.
After some other evidence, the jury returned a
verdict of manslaughter against the female Newell.

TILE STEAMSHIP CITY OF WASHINGTON.—We are
requested by the owners to contradict the statement that
this vessel proceeded from Queenstown to Liverpool under
canvas, in consequence of damaged machinery. She
steamed the whole Cli4tance, and is now in dock,