The Week.

consolidation of the bankruptcy laws . —Ifc having been stated in a circular recently issued by Mr . Gladstone ' s Committee at Oxford , that the general election would take place in the second week in July , Sir Robert Clifton asked whether information to that effect had been furnished to Dr . Jacobson by any member of the Government . Mr . Gladstone saicl ifc had not ; adding

that the statement in the circular ivas nothing more than a speculation as to the period afc which the general election would take place . Sir W . Gallwey moved a resolution on the subject of railway companies providing means of communication between passengers and guards ; but , after , an explanation from Mr . Milner Gibson and Mr . H . S . Thompson , the chairman of the

North -Eastern Bail way , the motion was withdrawn . —A Select Committee was appointed to inquire into the complaints of the minors of Great Britain . On AVednesday , Mr . Newdegate moved the second reading of the Church Rates Commutation Bill . The measure proposed the substitution of a charge of 2 d . in tlie pound on real property in lieu of church

rates . The assessment was not to extend to property except such as had been assessed to church rates within the last seven years , nor to parishes which had manifested their dislike of church rates by tliree successive rejections of such rates at polls . This would give relief to the whole occupying body , and would exempt those parishes where church rates were refused . Sir

Charles Douglas moved the rejection of the bill . Sir G . Grey opposed the bill . Ifc was understood that the question should rest for the present . The compromise which was proposed might have been accepted at one time , but now ivould only be regarded as giving a new sanction to church rates . After some discussion the bill was negatived by 126 votes to 42 . The County Voters Registration Bill passed through committee ivith several amendments . Mr . Locke ivas moving the second

reading of the Theatres , < tc „ Bill , when a quarter to six o ' clock arrived , aud the debate was suspended . GESEHAII HOME NEWS . —The Registrar-General has added Hull to the number of towns from which weekly returns ol births ancl deaths are made . The rate of mortality has fallen considerably during the iveek , as ifc is reported to be only 24 in the 1 , 000 on the aggregate of the eleven towns . London shows

to advantage in the return , as the average here is only 21 per 1 , 000 . Bristol alone is one lower , and only Hull and Salford as low . Liverpool , ns usual , is highest , followed by Glasgow , the rates being 3-t in the former case , and 30 in the latter . The total number of deaths in the eleven is 2 , G 2 G , to which London contributes 1 , 23 G , or 81 less than the average ol the

last ten years . The births were 40-14 , of ivhich 2 , 074 belong to London . His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge , with their respective suites , left Euston-square railway terminus on Monday morning about half-past seven on their way to Dublin , to be present at the opening of the Dublin Exhibition . Tlie Prince was attended

to the platform by the Crown Prince of Denmark , with whom ho remained in conversation till the train started . Holyhead was reached a little after two o ' clock in the afternoon , and the Royal party landed afc Kingstown at six , where they were received with immense enthusiasm by the crowd of persons assembled , and again at Dublin . The city was gay with

illuminations on Monday night , and the principal streets were thronged with sightseers . The thoroughfares wero in many cases impassable from the crowds of people , hut the greatest good humour prevailed , and there were no accidents . There hacl been a silly seditious meeting on the previous day , at which the people were recommended to treat the Prince with silent contempt , advice which found no favour from the crowds on Monday night and Tuesday , when the Exhibition was opened

amidst great popular enthusiasm . The ball given by the Lord Mayor in the evening was numerously attended , the Prince opening it by dancing with Lady Wodehouse . The illuminations in the streets were general , bufc the effect was marred by the rain , which , threatening all day , fell heavily at night . The Poor-law Board ' s return of pauperism iu the cotton

manufacturing unions exhibits but little change this week . Sixteen unions are reported to have experienced no alteration ; four have more paupers , amounting in all to 4608 ; eight fewer , the decrease being 710 . This , therefore , shows a net diminution over the whole district of 210 . There ivas an increase of 240

paupers in ( he Chorlton union , and of ISO in the Rochdale union . There ivas au increase of 180 paupers in Manchester , and of 270 in the Preston union . The adult able-bodied decreased by 203 ; and the guardians expended in outdoor relief £ ¦ 10 less than in the iveek immediately preceding tbe last . Mr . Maclure ' s monthly report , read at the meeting of the Central Relief Committee , shoivs thcit during tho past month there has

been an important increase of employment in the cofctonmanuftictiAi-ing districts , ancl , of course , a corresponding diminution of pauperism . Earl Granville presided , on Tuesday , afc a meeting for lulmission to degrees in the University of Loudon . His lordship made an appropriate address on the occasion . Earl Russell presided afc the meeting of the British and Foreign

School Society . His lordship spoke strongly in favour of the beneficial working of the society . The Festival of the Metropolitan Schools took place afc the Crystal Palace on Wednesday . Notwithstanding the bad weather it was a complete success . Tho annual dinner of tlie Royal Literary Fund took place on Wednesday evening . The Archbishop of Canterbury presided ,

and , iu proposing the toast of the evening , rated the power and influence of literature very highly . His speech ivas warmly applauded . A meeting was held in St . Paneras Vestry Hall on Wednesday evening , to take steps for the erection of a statue to Richard Cobden . The churchwardens presided . The vestry have granted a capital site for the statue , and lasfc evening it was unanimously resolved to raise the necessary funds . The Brompton boilers are to be broken up , and the

Government has formed the benevolent project of presenting them in pieces to different parts of London . A meeting in reference to the subject was held ou Saturday , presided over b y Earl Granville , and attended by a large number of gentlemen interested in obtaining local museums for different parts of London . Earl Granville explained that that the " boilers " would make tliree good-sized buildings , aud the Government

would deliver them on sites to be fixed , provided the parties interested would pay for their re-erection and for the site . Claims were at once put in by different gentlemen for afc least five local museums . As only three aro to be given , somebody will certainly bo disappointed . The ceremony of laying the foundation-stone of the new Surrey Theatre ivas

performed on last Saturday morning . The building , it is confidently expected , will be completed in five months . 'Die Rev . Dr . Manning , formerly Protestant Archdeacon of Chichester , has been appointed to succeed the late Cardinal Wiseman in the Roman Catholic Archbishopric of Westminster . In making this appointment tlie Pope is said to have passed over

the nominations of the Roman Catholic chapter of Westminster altogether . The report of the Lords' Committee on the Edmunds ease lias been issued . The most interesting paragraphs of the document arc those which deal with the conduct of the Lord Chancellor ancl Lord Brougham . With regard to the former , the Committee are of opinion that when the question of granting a pension fco Mr . Edmunds was submitted to the proper Committee , it ivas incumbent upon him to have e