Commons Sitting of 11 August 1869

Preamble
The House met at half after One of the clock.

APPOINTMENT OF REVISING BARRISTERS.—QUESTION.
MR. WESTsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether the Government intend to introduce a measure next Session, in accordance with the recommendations of the Select Committee on Registration, and which would have the effect of relieving the Judges having the Summer Assize Circuits from the appointment of the Revising Barristers?
MR. BRUCEsaid, in reply, that the subject was under the consideration of the Government. The recommendations of the Select Committee were alternative, and it was impossible to say, if the Government should propose to alter the present system of making the appointment, which of these alternative propositions they would adopt.

LICENSES ON CABS AND OMNIBUSES.

  QUESTION.
  MR. GOURLEYsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he will, before fixing the sum to be paid by the owners of omnibuses and cabs for the new Police Regulation Licenses, consider the arrangement existing in provincial towns, and so adapt the charges that the burden of local taxation may not fall heavier on the owners of public vehicles in the metropolis than in other places, the Secretary of State being empowered by the present Metropolitan Act to fix £2 2s. as the license on each public carriage, which in other places was only 10 s. per annum?
  MR. BRUCEsaid, in reply, that the last thing he should wish to do was to intercept any portion of the benefit which would accrue both to the owners of vehicles and the public from the diminution of the duties upon public vehicles. The charges for inspection, which had amounted to about £13,000 a year, had hitherto been borne partly by the Imperial revenue and partly by the metropolitan police rate. It was stipulated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer that this charge for inspection
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  should be levied on the vehicles themselves. It was his desire that this charge should be as low as was consistent with effective supervision. An inquiry was now going on in all the provincial towns as to the cost of supervision, but whether he should be able to reduce the charge to the level of the sum found sufficient in provincial towns he did not know.

  BURGLARIES AT STAINES.—QUESTION.
  MR. GOURLEYsaid, he would beg to inquire, Whether the attention of the authorities of the Home Office has been drawn to the commission of a succession of burglaries, seven having taken place within the fifteen days preceding this notice at Staines and the immediate neighbourhood?
  MR. BRUCEsaid, it was not quite accurate to say that seven burglaries had occurred within fifteen days, in and about Staines. There had been two burglaries and three larcenies by stealing out of houses in the day time, in consequence of the windows being left open. The value of the property taken in one case was only 2s. 6d. In consequence of the burglaries two mounted policemen and one detective had been sent into the neighbourhood.

  JAMAICA CLERGY ACT.—QUESTION.
  MR. M'ARTHURsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, What course the Government intend to take in relation to the Jamaica Clergy Act, which would shortly expire, and what are their intentions in reference to the future ecclesiastical arrangements for that island?
  MR. MONSELLsaid, in reply, that the Jamaica Clergy Act would expire this year. Under that Act more than £20,000, raised out of the taxes of the colony, was appropriated to religious purposes. By the Census of 1861 it appeared that there were in Jamaica 40,000 members of the Anglican Church 42,000 Methodists, 51,530 Baptists, and 30,000 belonging to other religious denominations. Of this sum of £20,000, all, except £370, went towards the maintenance of the Church of England. Under these circumstances it had been determined to introduce religious equality into that colony, and instructions had been issued to the Governor to the effect

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  that Her Majesty's Government were of opinion that the moral and religious culture of the subject-race of the island, and not the ascendancy of any one portion of the community, should be the object of the Government, and that it would, be desirable to avoid all appearance of showing exclusive favour to any one denomination. No scheme had yet been submitted by the Governor, but one was expected to arrive by the next mail, and it would be founded on the principle just mentioned.

  PROROGATION OF THE PARLIAMENT.
  Message to attend The LORDS COMMISSIONERS.
  The House went;—and the ROYAL ASSENT was given to several Bills.
  And afterwards Her Majesty's Most Gracious Speech was delivered to both
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  Houses of Parliament by The LORD CHANCELLOR, in pursuance of Her Majesty's Commands.
  Then a Commission for proroguing the Parliament was read.
  After which,
  THE LORD CHANCELLORsaid—
  My Lords, and Gentlemen,
  By virtue of Her Majesty's Commission, under the Great Seal, to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in Her Majesty's Name, and in obedience to Her Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Thursday the 28th day of October next, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Thursday the 28th day of October next.