The Week.

in those departments , ancl insisted that a " revolutionary reform" was required . Mr . Neate seconded the motion , which was opposed by Mr , F . Peel , and negatived without a division . —Mr . Monsell obtained leave to bring in a bill for the abolition of "obnoxious oaths "—a subject upon which something like an " agitation" has been got up among the Roman Catholics of

Ireland . —Mr . H . B . Sheridan moved a resolution declaring it to be " expedient that the reduction of the fire insurance duty be extended to houses , household goods , ancl all descriptions of insurable property . " Mr . Gladstone moved the previous question ; but on a division the Government was defeated by a majority of 72 in a H < vnse of 202 . The House soon afterwards

adjourned . Ou Wednesday , on the motion of Sir H . Cairns , the Small Benefices ( Ireland ) Act ( I 860 ) Amendment Bill was read a second time . —On the motion of Mr . Longfield , the Married Woman's Property ( Ireland ) Bill was read a second time . —Sir C . O'Loghlen moved the second reading of the Railway Travelling ( Ireland ) Bill . Its object was to secure the

privilege of travelling on Irish railways on Sundays , and to put third-class passengers on the same footing as in England . After some discussion , the bill was rejected by 42 votes to 39 . —In committee of ways and means a sum of £ 15 , 000 , 000 was voted from the Consolidated Fund on account of the public service . GENERAL HOME NEWS . —The rate of mortality in London

and nine other principal towns fell last week from 29 to 23 in the thousand ; but the Registrar General neglects to tell us this week , as he did before , of the rate of mortality in each town . The whole number of deaths was 2 , 982 ; the births , 4 , 368 . Of these , 2 , 310 were born , and 1 , 538 died in London . The mortality in the metropolis is 39 in excess of the ten years ' average . The return of pauperism in the cotton manufacturing unions for the second week of March is tbe most

satisfactory that has been issued for some time past . Of the 28 unions included in Mr . Purdy's report , it appears that one only ( Preston ) showed any increase . Four experienced no change , and the remaining 23 decreased in the aggregate by 3 , 730 . Ashton-under-Lyno had 370 fewer paupers ; Blackburn , 470 ; Bolton , 130 ; Chorloy , 180 ; Fylde , 220 ; Glossop , 370 ; Manchester , 400 ; Oldham , 170 ; Saddleworth , 130 ; and Rochdale ,

440 . At the same time the adult able-bodied decreased 1 , 250 . The Guardians spent £ 5 , 909 in outdoor relief , or £ 271 less than in the week immediately preceding the last . The balance sheet presented at the meeting of the creditors of Attwood ' s bank showed liabilities amounting , in round numbers , to £ 060 , 000 , of which £ 718 , 000 is due to

depositors . The assets are estimated at £ 618 , 000 , ancl the creditors look forward to a dividend of something like 12 s . in pound . A resolution was passed in favour of taking the bank out of the Bankruptcy Court , and of winding up the concern by private arrangement . A committee was also appointed to receive tenders for the transfer of the business and estates .

The Gazette contains the names of the commissioners appointed to inquire into the state and working of the marriage laws in the three kingdoms and tho colonies . Lord Chelmsford is at its head ; and the rest of the list appears to be fairly composed of men selected for their knowledge of tbe marriage law in England , Scotland , and Ireland , and who are likely to secure the

confidence of the different classes of religionists interested in the present laws . The authorities at the War Office have given their consent to the Easter volunteer review being held at Brighton , and have issued a request that the commanding oflicers of regiments that mean to take part in the proceedings should apply as early as possible through the lords lieutenant of their respective counties . The Owl states that Parliament will positively be dissolved in

July , that Lord Chief Justice Cockburn is to be made a peer , and that the vacant Garter has been given to the Duke of Cleveland . At the Manchester assizes , Edward Stanier was sentenced to fifteen months' imprisonment for uttering a forged bill of exchange , ancl William Archer . Tenner , a member of the Salford Town Council , was found guilty of perjury—sentence ,

however , being deferred . Two youths , who were each sentenced to seven years' penal servitude by Mr . Justice Shee , on Tuesday , made their escape from the Assize Courts , in a most daring manner , a few hours after judgment was pronounced against them . After the passing of sentence , they were removed to a cell beneath the court , and from this

place they managed , in broad daylight , to get clear away . Mr . E . W . Pritchard , a Glasgow surgeon , is in custody , pending an examination as to the sudden death of his wife . A post mortem examination of the deceased's body was made on Tuesday , ancl the appearances were such , that ifc was decided to analyse the contents of the stomach . The result

of tbe analysis will not be made known for a day or two . An influential meeting of the citizens has been held at the Guildhall to petition for the reduction of the fire insurance duty on all descriptions of property to Is . Gd . per cent . The Lord Mayor presided , and the meeting was addressed by several gentlemen , members of Parliament , and others , who concurred

in the object of tho meeting , though some of the latter declined to pledge themselves positively on the subject till they had heard the budget . The select committee appointed to inquire into the best means of preserving the open spaces round the metropolis met on Tuesday , and took the evidence of Mr . Wingrove Cooke , one of the commissioners . According to that gentleman the Enclosure Act , under which they proceeded , was a very rigid one ; in considering the propriety of enclosing a

common they had only to consider the interests of the parish in which ifc was situated—not those of a town of 100 , 000 or 1 , 000 , 000 inhabitants in the immediate neighbourhood . The witness also stated that tbe rights of the public acquired by custom were gradually encroached upon , ancl that at present there was no remedy . -The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council have at length given judgment on the appeal

of the Bishop of Natal against the sentence of deposition pronounced against him by the Bishop of Capetown . It will be remembered that Dr . Gray disputed tho jurisdiction of the Privy Covncil , and submitted that an appeal coulcl lie only to the Primate . This " protest" their lordships have set aside j they " will humbly report to Her Majesty" " as tho head of the

Established Church and the depository of ultimate appellate jurisdiction , " " their judgment and opinion that the proceedings taken by the Bishop of Capetown and the judgment or sentence pronounced by him against the Bishop of Natal are null and void in law . " The decision of their lordships having thus gone against him , Dr . Gray , we presume , will act up to tbe intimation

made by him , through his counsel , that " he shall not appear to any further proceedings" in this case . The committee of the Court of Aldermen of the City appointed to inquire into the charges of inefficiency against the police in connection with the recent burglaries has made its report . This report thoroughly acquits the police—declares the charges against them to be

unfounded , and urges that those who have property in their places of business should take better precautions against robbery . The prisoners charged with being concerned iu the jewel and silk robberies in the City were again brought before the Lord Mayor on Tuesday ; but , in consequence of the absence of some material witnesses , the case was not proceeded with , and the case was adjourned . It is said that the witness , whose information led to the apprehension of most of the prisoners , will