Lords Sitting of 18 June 1832

MINUTES.
Papers ordered. On the Motion of Lord SUFFIELD, a Copy of the Despatch from Viscount GODERICH to the Earl of BELMORE, dated 1st November, 1831.
Bills. Read a third time:—Norfolk Assizes.—Read a second time:—Consolidated Fund.
Petitions presented. By the Earl of WICKLOW, from the King's County, in favour of the Bill for Removing the Assizes to Tullamore.—By Lord KING, from Kilrossenty;—and by the Earl of DARNLEY, from three Places in Ireland,—against Tithes.—By the Duke of GORDON, from Exeter against,—and by a NOBLE LORD, from the Political Union of Enniscorthy,—in favour of the Ministerial Plan of Education (Ireland).—By the Marquess of ABERCORN, from Linlithgow,—against the Scotch Reform Bill.

TITHES (IRELAND).
Lord Kingpresented a Petition from several Parishes in Cornwall, praying for a better distribution of Tithes, which, he was happy to say, they called, as he did, public property. He was very glad to find, that that notion was getting very prevalent in the country, because he thought that no man ought to doubt for a moment that the Church pro-
762
perty was not the property of the clergyman, but of the congregation—of the whole Church. While on his legs, he should like to ask, what had become of the Tithe Composition Act? It had undergone all sorts of delays in that House—though why he could not tell, unless because it was thought advisable to wait and see what became of the Reform Bill. But, at all events, he would take on himself to say, that every one who examined that Bill would see its utter futility, and that it was merely a sort of pretence for a Bill—as much as to say, "Only see how ready we are to do something, though we will take very good care to do nothing." The Reform Bill, however, had passed; a real improvement had taken place in the State, and he was therefore willing to hope, that the time was at hand when a real improvement would take place in the Church also. Schedule A of the State, the strong hold of corruption, was gone; and he, therefore, saw no reason why the schedule A of the Church should not go too. With respect to the unjust distribution of the income of the Church, he had already, on previous occasions, called the attention to their Lordships to a case at Exeter, and a case in Oxfordshire; and he might now mention a case in which one of the Prebendaries of Lincoln held the living of a parish near Yeovil, and, receiving from it 600 l. or 700 l. a-year, allowed his curate 30 l. a-year. The noble Lord also presented a petition on the same subject from a parish in Waterford.

COURT OF EXCHEQUER (SCOTLAND) BILL.
On the Motion for the third reading of this Bill,
The Duke of Buccleughrose to move several Amendments, the effect of which was, to continue the Court with only one Judge, and at a reduced salary. He was sure that neither the State nor the public would benefit by the total abolition of the Court, and he could not believe that handing over its business to a Lord of Session, who was unacquainted with it, could promote the public service. He was convinced that if the Junior Baron as well as the Chief Baron were to retire, some new Court would be necessary to carry on the business. As a saving of 6,000 l. a-year would be effected by abolishing the office of Chief Baron, and the office of one Junior Baron, he should hope that his Amendments would be agreed to.
The Earl of Roseberrywas surprised at the course followed by the noble Duke, which was most unusual. The Amendments moved by the noble Duke struck at the principle of the Bill which was to abolish prospectively the Court of Exchequer in Scotland, on the death or retirement of the present Barons. The noble Duke bad laid no ground whatever to induce their Lordships to follow the unusual course recommended by the noble Duke.
Amendments negatived.
The Lord Chancellorsaid, that his attention having been drawn to the subject, he thought it then right to state that restrictions might be imposed on granting pensions to Judges in future. What the provision for them, as well as the retiring provision for the Lord Chancellor, ought to be, it was not for him to say, but he hoped that this observation would be considered a notice to all those who might hereafter have applications to make on this subject.
Bill read a third time and passed.