§ LORD JOHN MANNERSsaid, he would beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether he has prepared Amendments to the Bill for the Abolition of Church rates; and, if so, when he proposes to lay them on the table of the House?
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, in reply, that clauses had been prepared for the purpose of embodying in a formal shape the suggestions which he had submitted to the House in an informal manner upon the second reading of the Church Rates Bill; but he should wish to have a very few days more to enable himself and his Colleagues to judge what prospect there might be of attaining a useful purpose by the production of those clauses as a Government measure, either in the form of clauses, or in the form of 2073 a Bill, whichever course might be deemed the more convenient; but he hoped on Monday to be able to give a formal answer to the Question, and as the Church Rates Bill stood for Wednesday in the week after next, he thought there would be then ample time for the consideration of the Amendments previously to the discussion on the measure.
MR. BRIGHTsaid, he wished to know, whether the clauses have been prepared in consultation with the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmund's (Mr. Hardcastle), or whether the Government intend to propose them without reference to the Mover of the measure?
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, that it was his first endeavour to get the clauses into form, and then to submit them to his Colleagues, and he certainly should wish to have the opinion of the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmund's before committing himself by taking any steps in the House with reference to them.