§ LORD PORTMANpresented a Bill to abolish Church Rates, and to make Provision for the Maintenance of the Fabrics of Churches. The noble Lord said, that in the then condition of the House and of the right rev. Bench he would not enter into any statement concerning church rates. He would merely ask the House to read his Bill a first time, with a view to its being printed before the debate should take place on the proposed Committee on this subject, which had been postponed by the noble Duke (the Duke of Marlborough) to a future day. Meanwhile he would only say that the difficulty of settling this question was becoming greater as the delay of doing so grew, and that, were it longer postponed, it might become impossible to settle it on the basis which at present satisfied the great majority of the House of Commons.
§ Bill read 1a.
§ House adjourned at half-past Seven o'clock, to Monday next, Eleven o'clock.