Mr. Hodgespresented a Petition from Hawkhurst, for an inquiry into, and alteration, of the Law relating to Tithes. The petition was signed, he observed, by nearly all the respectable inhabitants of the parish; men of all parties, who united at least upon one point, viz., that the present tithe system must be speedily amended. The tithes of Hawkhurst belonged to the Dean and Chapter of Christchurch, Oxford, who let them on lease to their attorney, while the officiating minister was very inadequately provided for. The exactions had been so severe that out of forty-eight renting farmers in Hawkhurst, no fewer than 1077 twenty-three had become insolvent, a proportion unequalled in any other part of that or the adjoining county. He contended that unless relief was given by a change in the tithe system, other parishes would soon suffer, and the agricultural interest be reduced to the lowest state of poverty. It appeared that there had existed a modus at Hawkhurst, but the tithes were now taken in kind, and the impropriator under the Dean and Chapter of Christchurch lived at Oxford, and as he would not pay rates but upon compulsion, whenever a poor-rate was imposed due notice was obliged to be sent to him at Oxford to the great expense of the parishioners. The poor-rates in the parish were necessarily very considerable, and they had been increasing during the last five years. He trusted that in the next Session some measure would be brought forward to meet and remedy the evils of the present system. The hon. Gentleman concluded by asking what course his Majesty's Ministers intended to pursue with respect to the question of English tithes?
§ Sir Edward Knatchbullagreed with his hon. Friend in thinking a material and extensive alteration in the English tithe-laws absolutely necessary. It would afford him great pleasure, therefore, to hear from the noble Lord opposite that his Majesty's Government had it in contemplation to introduce some measure upon the subject.
§ Lord John Russellhad, on a former occasion, stated the reasons why his Majesty's Ministers did not think it expedient to proceed with a measure on the subject of the tithe-laws in England during the present Session. He now begged to add, that he should be prepared, on the part of the Government, early in the next Session of Parliament, to submit a measure on the subject to the consideration of the Legislature. On a former occasion he had stated, that he thought it would be advisable that the subject, after it had been laid before Parliament, should be referred to the consideration of a Select Committee, in order that the different bearings of the question, and the different amount and operation of tithes in different parts of the country, might be duly and properly considered. He would only add, that he still retained the same opinion as to the propriety of that course.
§ Petition to lie on the Table.