The Tithes Bill, which has undergone a complete transforma- tion
since its introduction, has brought a nest of hornets about the ears of the Government. They originally proposed merely to do away with the present barbarous system of enforcing tithe by seizing the produce of the land, and to make it instead recoverable in the County-Court. On Monday night, how- ever, a number of instructions were moved from both sides of the House raising the whole tithe question, and refusing to confine the Bill to a reform of the legal process of enforce- ment. Mr. Herbert Gardner, a Gladatonian, desired to press the subject of redemption, and his motion was only defeated by 138 to 120. Mr. Gray, a Conservative, who wished to make the tithe recoverable from the landlord alone, went still nearer defeating his own party, and lost his instruction by but four votes,-141 Members supporting him, and 145 the Government. Mr. Osborne Morgan's proposal to reopen the settlement effected by the Tithe Commutation Act of 1836 in its entirety was, however, more decidedly negatived, the numbers for closing the discussion being 165 to 124, and against the motion itself, 155 to 133.
Previous page
