Commons Sitting of 1 February 1828

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.
Lord Palmerstongave notice, that on Monday he would move, that the House should resolve itself into a Committee of Supply.
Mr. Humeasked, whether it was the intention of the noble lord to call upon the House to vote any of the supplies for the current year before, the chancellor of the Exchequer had taken his seat?
Lord Palmerstonsaid, it was his intention to move only for certain supplies out of funds, which were not strictly available without the authority of the House. His object was to prevent the obstruction of the public service from the want of those funds.
Mr. Humesaid, that with regard to any balance which might remain in the Treasury from last year, he had no objection that government should bring it forward to meet the current expenses.
Mr. Maberlytrusted, that when the estimates were brought forward, they would evince a due attention to economy in every department of the state. It would be impossible for the finance committee to make any report until a late period of the session. In the mean time, he would urge upon government the adoption of as severe a system of economy as if that report was before the House.
Mr. Calcraftsupposed that as the new administration had not had time to prepare fresh estimates, they would bring forward those which the late ministry had left behind them. If that was the case, he had no doubt, that a due attention would be paid to economy and retrenchment. He understood it to be merely the noble lord's intention to propose on Monday to render available certain funds, to do which the authority of the House was necessary.
Lord Palmerstonsaid, that the hon. member had correctly stated the object of his motion.

FINANCE COMMITTEE.
Mr. E. D. Davenportwished to know, whether any steps had been taken towards the appointment of the Finance Committee, and whether the noble lord could state the names of its intended members.
Lord Palmerstonsaid, it was impossible for him to anticipate the names of the members, whom the House, in its wisdom, would nominate upon the committee.

CORN-RENT TITHES.
Mr. Greensaid, he rose to bring in a bill "to enable clergymen and their parishioners to commute for Corn-Rents the Tithes within their respective parishes." The hon. member dwelt upon the beneficial effects which would flow from such a measure. The principle upon which the bill was founded was not a novel one. It had frequently been applied in the instances of private bills; and he wished to extend
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it to parishes. At present, no parish could adopt this useful system of commutation without making a special application to parliament; and the enormous expense attendant upon such application rendered it, in many instances, impracticable. By the intended bill commissioners would be appointed; and to prevent fraud or collusion, one of those commissioners would be the clergyman of the parish: all their proceedings would be public, and every party interested would have an opportunity of informing himself of the acts done by the commissioners and the tithe valuators
Leave was given to bring in the bill.