The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-02-27 00:00:00

IMPERIAL TAXATION IN IRELAND.

Sir J. M'Benna called attention to the inequality of
Imperial taxation in Ireland, which he illustrated with
copious statistics on every branch of the revenue, and
moved for a return of the gross Imperial revenue of
Ireland derived from taxation and of the population of
Ireland for the years 18M, 1861, and 1871, and like
returns for Great Britain.—bir T. Esmond°, who
seconded the motion, drew attention to the large
amount of money which had been wasted in
Ireland at the time of the Union, and maintained
that the consequent increase in the Irish National
Debt ought not to fall on the Irish people:—
Sir G. Campbell moved an amendment with
the object of including Scotland in the proposed return.
Although the rich in Ireland escaped taxation, the poor
certainly paid more than was their fair share.—Mr.
Goschen pointed out the extreme importance of the
question raised, and recommended the appointment of
a committee, which, he thought, would be far more
efficacious than the return asked for. He contended
that the Income-tax by no means accurately indicated
the total proportion of the taxation of either England
or Ireland.—Sir J. Lubbock approved the return,
but suggested that the facts and figures which would
be contained in it should be received with some re-
servation.—Mr. Dillon expressed satisfaction that Mr.
Goschen had at last shown a desire to do justice to Ire-
land in the matter of taxation, and maintained that
Ireland was paying more than twice its fair share of
Imperial taxaticri.—Mr. H. Fowler, who said the
Government would offer no opposition to the return,
considered it was quite fair that an inquiry into the
taxation of the country should be made, and contended
that Ireland only paid one-twentieth of the Imperial
taxation, while of her contribution nearly two-thirds
was spent in Ireland. In pointing out the difficulty of
arriving at a correct proportion of the taxation between
the two countries, he preferred to take the legacy and
succession duties as the test rather than the income-tax,
and showed that in the last 10 years the amount on which
duty had been paid had risen from seven to ten mil-
lions.—Mr. J. F. O'Brien having spoken in support of
the motion, Mr. Gladstone remarked that the question
was one which could not be successfully handled in a
demonstrative way, and he was unable to accept the
incidence of the income-tax as a test of the proportion
of taxation.—Mr. John Wilson also took part in the
discussion, and ultimately the motion was amended, and
a return of the revenne of the three countries agreed
to.—Mr. Coasham called attention to the disparity in
the salaries and duties of public servants, and moved
for the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire
into the method of appointment and the apportionment
of the salaries and duties.—Mr. Saunders seconded the
motion. _ _

The Chancellor of the Exchequer pointed out that,
while the work of the Civil Service had increased four-
fold during the last 30 years, there had been a diminu-
tion of expenditure, and intimated that the Govern.
merit intended in the new procedure rules to provide for
a more exhaustive consideration of the estimates than
had hitherto been possible.—The motion was then
withdrawn.
THE EMPLOYEES' LIABILITY ACT.

Mr. A. O'Connor moved the second reading of a bill
to ecntinue and amend the Employers' Liability Act,
and, the Attorney -GenPral, while giving his assent to
the leading principles of the bill, suggested that before
before legislation there should be an inquiry by Select
Committee into the working of the measure.—Sir R.
Cross was of opinion that the debate on the bill
should be adjourned, and that it should be re-
ferred along with Mr. Burt's bill to the Select Com-
mittee.—M.r. Lockwood objected to this course, and in-
sisted that the bill should be read a second time before
any inquiry.—Mr. Childers, however, supported an
adjournment, and, after some further discussion, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer suggested that both bills
should be read a second time aad referred to a Select
Committee with an instruction that it should have
power to inquire into the whole question.—Lord
Cranborne, who objected to the course pro-
posed by the Government, moved the adjourn-
ment of the debate, which was supported by Sir
M. Hicks-Beach, who advocated a thorough inves-
tiaation into the principle of the bill, and Sir
R. A. Cross; but after some conversation the
motion for the adjournment was negatived.—Colonel
Blundell and Mr. Maclnnes advocated the right of
workmen to contract themselves out of the Act.
Captain Verney and Sir J. Gorst approved the inclusion
of seamen, to which Mr. Forwood and Mr. V. F. Law-
rence objected.—Sir J. Commerell spoke, and after
some further discussion the bill wan read a second time
and referred to a Select Committee with power to in-
quire into the whole subject.
The House adjourned at 20 minutes to one o'clock.