The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-02-07 00:00:00

niumsDAY.

Mr. WISE moved a resolution that it would be desi-
rable to appoint every year a Select Committee to in-
quire into the Miscellaneous Civil Service expenditure
of the preceding year; into the payments made out of
the Con.lided Fund ; and into those on account of the
Woods, Forests, and Land Revenues, lie believed, be
said, that he re.echoed the opinion of the country when
he asserted that the expenditure fur the Miscellaneous
Civil Service Estimates was increasing too rapidly, and
the country desired and deserved the control and cheek
of an inquiry by a Select Committee each session into
the expenditure of the preceding year, which, lie con-
ceived, would lead to a very considerable reduction of
the Eatimates.

The motion was seconded by Mr. A. SMITH.
Mr. LAING admitted that the subject au a very im-
portant one, and excited great interest out of doors. It
was must desirable that economy should be introduced
into the Civil Service expenditure, and if this proposi-
tion fir a Standing Committee would effect that end it
would be of great advantage. He doubted. iiowever,
whether a measure that would divide the responsibility
between the Committee and the Government would
attain the object, lie could assure the House that the
attention of the Government during the recess had been
most earnestly devoted to the subject, and he hoped
that when the Estimates for the year were before the
House it would be seen that their exertions had nut been
altogether fruitless.
Mr. BA snot was not satisfied with the speech of Mr,
Laing. He believed that the expenditure could be
greatly reduced without disadvantage to the public am,
vice, and it was the opinion of the country that it must
be checked.
The CHANcebboa of the EXCHEQUER said he hoped,
when the Estimates were upon the table, it would be
seen that the Government bad given their best attention
to this subject. The vast mass of increase in the Mis-
cellaneous Estimates was due to a small number of
items, WWII of which it was extremely difficult to con-
trol; but tile Government had endeavoured to ascertain
the reason of the increase, and to wake every possible
diminution. With regard to the motion, lie was of
opinion that it was not one that could be adopted by
the Howie. A Select Cousruittee appointed every year
would not only be not • good measure, but would be a
decidedly bad one, taking away responsibility frniu the
Executive Government.
Mr. BRIGHT said lie believed that by a Committee,
fairly appointed, an effectual check might be given to
many items of expenditure; but, unless the Govern-
ment, contrary to past examples, backed the committee,
and acted upon their report. there would be no change
.1, its extrsv.mmit awl growing amount. If there was
By man in that House of a truly Conaervative spirit,
lie smuni not show it more or better th•ii by helping any
Chancellor of the Eschequer to lessen the vast expendi-
ture and the vost taxation of the country.
Sir H. WILIMUGHBT supported the motion, which he
thought had been inisunderatood. The appointment of
the Committee would not touch the responsibility of the
Executive at all, since the object was to inquire into the
expenditure of the past year.
Upon a division, the motion was carried by 121 to 93.
Mr. POLLARD•GRQUHARC moved for a Select Com-
mittee to inquire whether it be not possible to adopt
mime mode of assessing the Income-tax, whereby the
injustice and vexations now generally complained of
may be wholly or partially obviated.
The CitxtscemAni of the EXCHEQUER observed, that
ths motion anticipated one of the most important ques-
tions connects's' with the finances of the year—whether
the Income-tax should be continued, and whether or
not it should be a permanent tax. He hoped Mr.
linjuhart would not persist in his motion.
The motion was withdrawn.
Mr. Consirrr moved a resolution, "That, in pursu-
ance of the lecominendation of the Select Committee
appointed to try the petitions against the return for the
borough of Beverley, Her Majesty's Attorney-General
be ordered by the House to proaecute I)aniel Boyles and
Hobert Taylor for bribery committed by them at the
last election for the said borough." Ile stated the
reasons why the Committee (of which he was chairman)
had concurred unanimously in this recommendation.
Mr. 1)IGBT SEYIioIIR moved, RS amendment, a reso
"That the inquiries before committees of this
House, and under the recent commissions which have
sat in various places, having clearly demonstrates' that
many persons of higher social rank have been involved
in grave criminality, it would not he expedient to limit
the direction to Her Majesty's Attorney-General to the
prosecution of Daniel Boyles and Robert Taylor for
bribery co 'tted by them at the last Beverley elec-
tion.' He did not impugn the judgment of the Coin-
inittee, but he put it to the House whether it would con
suit its own dignity in limiting the prosecution to these
two persons, others having been proved to be equally
guilty in the same borough, mid guilty of acts of graver
criminality elsewhere.
Mr. SELWYN, as • member of the Committee, defen-
ded their recommendation. No other persons were
found by them guilty of such open, systematic, and un-
blushing bribery as Boyles and Taylor.
Mr. Cotbieu said he should support the original
motion. The committee, in his opiniou, were quite right
in making the selection they did.
Sir G. LEWIS questioned the propriety and the policy
of the course proposed by Mr. Seymour. If the House
was in earnest in its desire to prosecute cases of bribery,
it must adopt the recommendation of the Committee,
and it was no reason for refusing assent that there were
other guilty parties.
Mr. SgilloCß having with3rawn his amendment, the
original motion was agreed to.
Mr. IiCIIIIARD moved for leave to bring in • Bill to
amend the low of church-rates. He stated the objects
contemplated by the Bill, its main feature being the
relief of Dissenters from the obligation of contributing
to the rate.
Leave was given to introduce the Bill.
Sir J. ELPHINSTONE moved for • Select Committee to
inquire into the manufactore of anchors and chain stables
for Die merchant service. He read various representa-
tions of the insufficiency and inferior quality of the
chains, and went' d instances of the loss of vowels
which might be attributed to defective ground tackle.
Mr. M. GIBSON said, although the motion was 'some-
what unusual, it was quite possible that the investiga-
tion might bring out some interesting and useful inform-
ation. lie, therefore, on the part of the Government,
assented to the motion..

The 'notion was agreed to.
Mr. SCULLY obtained leave to bring in a Bill to fur.
ther amend the Spirits (Ireland) Act.
The Newspapers, kc., Bill was read a second time.
The Report of the Committee of Supply was brought
up and agreed to.
The House adjourned at 10 o'clock.