The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1876-11-10 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

THE HALIFAX VICAR'S RATE.  The report to the Home Secretary of Mr. R. e. Smith, Crown receiver, on the Irquiry he held recently at Halifax into the revenues of tile vicarage on the 10111 was received in Halifax lest week. The Crown Receiver discusses the question of the vicar's rate at considerable length, and says that had the rate continued to be levied on the premiees that undertook the charge in 1830 without beteg estencled to new bowies there would have been no room for the present irritation. He shows that the prank* of charging all houses wits the rate, and no house with less than 6d. has resulted hi 8624 occupiers in Halifax township being troubled • rate of 1:200 a year, and other townships are affected in a like manner. He thinks no part of the vicarage grounds should be sold ; and ale it is not for the permanent interest of the perish that the reiersions the Ovenden estate and of the premises in Halifax should be auticipe,ed in relief of the payment if liability regarded at the time as a settlement very favourable to the proprietors. In conclusion, he say, " I think that the alternative of repealing the preset.* Act and reviving the claim to tithe, stQgested by the, Commons' Cotutuittee in the 21st paragraph of their report, should only be adopted in the last resort, snit that the rigbt arrangement would be :he extinction of the charge upon houses of £8657. I(ts. tid., in eoneideration of the pa)ment of a moderate sum, say £lO,OOO or .£12,000. The odium of the eollectien attaches to the vicarage, although not effect:id Ve. vicar or hie &vents or under his instructions, nnd nin,t materially Interfere with the usefulness of the vicar's ministratious but the aereetnent of lts2ll was confese. edly an arrangement favourable to the propriwors sad confirmed by Act of Parliament, and therefore cannot be set aside without s me material compensation foe the loss of the revenue,"  4b.- The mansion at Berlin whlob formerly belonged to Dr. Strousberg will be ready next mouth for its new des ins ion as the British EuibaFity. The leaders for raising the Vanguard were opened at the Admiralty last week, and, o‘ntrary to expects. Vl.lll, they %ere considerable in number, Tem SUFFERERS HT Tan WAR IN IHR EAST —At 11 meeting of the Mans on House Easter.. War Saffe e Ittlief Fund, last week, it was reported that the total amount received was £14,850, '""  ------ The Coroner's jury recently returned a verdict' of wilful weeder against James O'Donnell for the murder of his wife iu Itawlinson street, Chelsea. It was stated that the accuse o man had recovered hem the effects of drink, and was perfectly sane. Cenetune CaareLESseESB. A serione explosion of gunpowder took place at South telilelds, lass week., it appears that a pitman named Thomas I mkip, living at Dock street, Tyne Docks, kept a small barrel of gunpowder in • coal house attached to his dwelling, aid in obtaining powder from the cm& unknowingly spilt some I en the door. Shortly afterwards a women camel Guthrie had occasion to go luta the coal hoase, carrying I with her • lighted candle, which accidentally fell on the ground. The light igniting the spilt powder communicated to the barrel, which isonteined a quantity of powder. A violent explosion instantly foil ,wed. The oe,l I house was destroyed, part of • house damaged, awl Guthrie eaverely burned about the body, she narirowl escaping being killed. Seerecs