§ THE EARL OF DERBY(in presenting some petitions against the abolition of church rates without a substitute), observed that he was glad to find that the petition was unnecessary, inasmuch as the objectionable Bill had been withdrawn. He wished to ask a question of the noble Earl opposite (Earl Granville) in reference 730 to the course of public business. In consequence of the peculiar character of the Session his noble Friend the Chairman of Committees had abstained from proposing any Resolution as to a day after which Bills should not be received from the other House, except those of an urgent character. The month of August had now arrived, and it was hoped, if not expected, by all that Parliament would not have to sit more than a fortnight longer. He, therefore, wished to know whether the noble Earl was prepared to name any day after which second readings should not be taken, except in cases of public necessity or importance. He believed there were only two Bills with respect to which any difference of opinion was likely to arise. One of these was the Endowed Schools Bill, which would require to be very carefully considered. There was a general desire to rectify the inconveniences which had recently occurred; but the Bill as introduced into the other House went so far beyond what was needed that it was referred to a Select Committe of the other House, by whom the measure was so much altered that, except the preamble—and he was not sure even of that—scarcely a word remained of the original Bill. The matter was one of considerable importance, but was not one that pressed for a decision for three, four, or five months, and he trusted that if there should be a difference of opinion on the Bill when it came up, the Government would not take advantage of the present state of the House to press it during the present Session. The other Bill was the Roman Catholic Charities Bill, which was also a subject of considerable importance. The Roman Catholic charities were exempted from the operations of the general Act by an annual Bill. Last year he (the Earl of Derby) consented to renew this Bill for one year, on condition that at the commencement of the present Session the Roman Catholic body would he prepared to submit to the Government the regulations they wished to see adopted. If no Bill were passed in the present Session the Roman Catholic charities would come under the general Act. It was very desirable that some permanent measure should be passed; but ample opportunity ought to be given for its consideration, and it would be better to introduce a continuance Bill for another year than pass an ill-digested measure. Perhaps the noble Earl would be prepared to name an early day after which their Lordships would not be called upon to pass 731 a measure upon which any great difference of opinion might exist.
§ EARL GRANVILLEsaid, that the noble Lord the Chairman of Committees had consulted him some time ago whether it would be advisable that he should renew his usual Resolution fixing a date after which their Lordships should not give a second reading to Bills from the other House. He (Earl Granville) replied that in his opinion the circumstances of the present Session were so anomalous that it would not be expedient to renew the noble Lord's Resolution. The noble Earl had correctly stated that no Bill likely to give rise to opposition would come before their Lordships, except those to which the noble Earl had referred. The Endowed Schools Bill in its original shape had been very much objected to, and had been referred to a Select Committee. This Committee—which comprised among its members the Solicitor General of the late Government—had taken considerable pains with the Bill, and had come to a unanimous agreement upon the subject. He trusted that the arrangement thus made would meet with the approbation both of Dissenters and Churchmen, and it would be a matter for regret if the amended Bill did not pass both Houses of Parliament with the least possible delay. If, however, the Bill, when it arrived, should meet with any large amount of opposition the Government would not press the measure during the present Session. With regard to the Roman Catholic charities, it was not desirable that they should be legislated for by a Bill renewed from year to year, and it was very important that a permanent Act should be passed. The Government had introduced a measure for this purpose, which would pass an important stage in the other House to-morrow, and it would depend upon the result of that discussion what course the Government would take in their Lordships' House with regard to it. If there were a general feeling of disagreement with regard to that Bill, he should say, as an individual, that it would be desirable to adopt the suggestion of the noble Earl, and have a continuance Bill for another year, leaving the subject to be considered next Session. He would consider the suggestions of the noble Earl, and give him more information to-morrow.