Star.
London, England, 1830-05-08 00:00:00

CHURCH RATES.

The evils of the church rates are fully demonstrated in three pe-
titions which have lately been laid before the House of Commons.
The petitions came from the inhabitants of Taghadoe, Ballyma-
kenny, and the union of Moleary and Monasterboice.
The petition from Taghadoe states that the petitioners arc inhabi-
tants of the parish of Taghadoe, in the county of Kildare, in which
parish there never has been remembered to be a church, no Pro.
testant residing in it until some years back, when a Mr. Orierson
came to reside there; that the distance from the said Gricrson's
house to a church, which is in the town of Alaynooth, is about one
mile and a half; that it is now in contemplation to build a church
in said parish, which is a particularly small and poor parish. Not
only all theßoman Catholics of the parish have signed this petition,
but Mr. Orierson, the only Protestant gentleman, has also signed it ;
the petitioners therefore respectfully implore the House to prevent
said church from being built,witich they submit would almost he the
ruin of more than half the parish, who, after paying their rents, are
scarcely able to support their families.
The petitioners of Ballymakenny state that that parish is simi.
laxly situated like many others in Ireland, having a population of
many thousands, while there are but two Protestant families re.
siding in the parish, who, at will of the minister, assess and tax the
lands to any amount they please at vestries, while all power of re-
dress is taken from them, in depriving them of voting at vestries by
the new act ' • that their church eras this year is fourpcnce halfpenny
an acre, and is often six and sevenpence an acre, for useless expen-
diture on a church seldom occupied.
The petitioners of Moleary and Monasterboice say that they la.
bour under the severest oppression from the late vestry act, which
leaves the entire taxation of their lands at the disposal of the Prates.
tent minister 1 that although the population is upwards of 5,000,
there is not one Protestant residing in the two parishes ; that the
rector, the Honourable and Rev. Dean Trench, resides at Ballinas.
loe, on another living (at a distance of ninety-five miles,) and re-
ceives from the union of parishes there above one thousand pounds
a year in tithes, yet never contributes one shilling towards the re-
pairs of the Church, from which lie derives so enormous a sinecure
emolument,while :hey, the landholders, are forced to pay tourpence,
and even sixpence per acre church cess, for the support of a useless
and unfrequented church ; the petitioners further observe; that the
churchwardens and clerk reside out of the parish.

The Magistrates of Devonshire have adopted so rigid
a system of economy, that they have reduced the county
expenditure from 20,0001. per annum to 16,0001.
The expenses for the county of Wilts defrayed from
the county rates, for the year 1829, amounted to 15,7281.
14s. 7d. The expenses of prosecutions at the assizes and
sessions were 1,6001. 16s. 9d.

Yesterday the new road in St. James's Park, leading
from Storey's-gate to the new entrance in St. James's-
street, Westminster, was opened to the public. The first
carriage entered the moment the guns were fired in ho-
hour of his Majesty's natal day.
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—The ballot for the officers
and for the council took place on Thursday, at the rooms
of the ticeltural Society in Regent-street. The Mar-
quis of Lansdowne was elected president, James Mor-
rison, Esq. treasurer, and N. A. Vigor., Esq. the secre-
tary ; Joshua Brooks, Esq. G. B. Greenough, EN.
Sir Robert Heron, Bart. James Morrison, Esq. and the
Earl of Winchilsea, were elected into the council, in the
room of the Earl of Egremont, Sir Everard Home, Bart.
R. C. Jenkinson, Esq. the Marquis of Lothian, and the
Earl of Mountcharles. A most feeble opposition to the
above was attempted by Mr. Haviland Burke, who most
industriously distributed his list, elegantly printed on
pink paper, which was defeated by the good sense of the
meeting, and the majority was triumphant.