26 JUNE 1852, Page 1

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

As the close of the session'approaches, the House of Commons despatches business with increased and increasing speed. This week, Poor-law Continuance, Patent-law Amendment, Outrages (Ireland) Continuance, General Sewers, Board of Health Bills, and the like, have been knocked off in no time. Thus, two-thirds of every session are spent by Members in looking at the work before them and talking of other matters ; the rest, in finishing off any way the jobs they have been so long in beginning. Part of a sitting was occupied by Lord -John Russell's insisting upon once again vindicating his claiths to the Opposition leader-

ship. by a review of Ministerial misdoings. The theme selected

was the Minute of the Committee of Council on Education relative to the management-clauses; a -topic which Lord John left pretty much where he found it. The Minute remains to out out work for the present Ministers or their successors in a future session ; for matters will not be allowed to stand as it has placed them. With this conviction, we, much meditating, place on record, in a later page,' a contribution towards the solution of this knotted difficulty : we endeavour to show, not how the Minute

of Connell may be-amended, for that would be waste of time, but how the control of the clergy, over "the religious training of their flocks may be provided for, in combination with free unsectarian secular education. This would put an end to all the wrangling about " management-clauses," by rendering them unnecessary. A " gentle passage at arms " took place between Mr. Gladstone and the Secretary of State for the Colonies with reference to the

.Colonial Bishoprics Bill of the former. Mr. Horsman attacked the bill, on the grounds that it came from a suspicious quarter, that it went to vest despotic powers in the Bishops, and that legis- lation on the subject was unnecessary. As in the debate on the Frome Vicarage case, Sir William Page Wood brought his legal knowledge and superiority to partisan feelings to the aid of Mr. Gladstone ; showing that the bill was needed, and that it made ample provision for securing the rights of all members of the Church of England, without encroaching on those of other com- munions. The amended bill—not to legislate in Church affairs for the Colonies, but to remove obstructions to their legislating for themselves—is to be printed and sent to the Colonies during the recess, in order to its reintroduction next session with the benefit of local criticism and suggestions.

These brief episodes of discussion notwithstanding, the House has made such progress that the Chancellor of the Exchequer thinks another week may suffice to finish its labours. In the House of Lords, Mr. Mather's ease has again been venti- lated; but nothing was elicited to throw new light on the case. Lord Campbell, in his capacity of relative, undertook the defence of Mr. Scarlett ; and Lord Malmesbury astonished the Peers and the public by gravely enumerating among courses open to Mr. Mather in the first instance, that of challenging his assailant. Apropos of the New Zealand Bill, some not nninstructive discus- sions were raised, but rather relating to the general interests of colonies than to the special measure ; which passed the second reading without opposition.

• " New Starting-point for Churclfaud State Education," page 609.