The Press.
London, England, 1856-02-23 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

MINISTERS' MONEY (IRELAND).
Mr. FAGAN, on Tuesday, moved a resolution that
the house immediately resolve into a committee to
consider the Act 17 and 18 Vict., c. 11, with the view
of amending the same so far as respects the tax
thereby enacted to be levied in lieu of " Ministers'
Money," in order that the tax may be wholly abo
liPhed. He adverted to the different position in
which this oft-agitated question wag placed in conse-
quence of the passing of Sir John Young's act in
1854, which it was said, he observed, was a compro-
mise, but he denied that it was so; on the contrary,
he contended that it was an aggravation of the grie-
vances suffered by the eight towns of Ireland upon
which the tax was levied. He insisted that the
revenues of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners were
amply sufficient to meet the demands of this tax,
and that the payment of the incumbents of the eight
towns out of that fund was not inconsistent with its
objects and purposes.
Mr. HOR3MAN admitted that, as regarded the ope-
ration of the existing act, it was not satisfactory, and
that in some respects the act required amendment.
Agreeing, therefore, in Mr. Fagan's proposition to
inticduce a measure to amend the act, he should re-
serve any observations on the part of the Govern-
ment until the second reading of the bill.
Mr. NAPIER was surprised at such acquiescence
on the part of the hon. member in the measure pro-
posed. It the Government were cognisant that the
existing act required amendment, it was their duty
to bring in a bill for that purpose, and not allow a
private member to do so, and say that they would
reserve their own opinion to the second reading.
This unworthy, and he would add unmanly, conduct
on the part of the Government was the most effectual
means of preventing the subsidence of that religious
bitterness and animosity which had so long prevailed
in Ireland.

Mr. MEAGHER and Lord NA.tS reprobated the con-
duct of the Government.
Lord PALMERSTON said the Government were at
perfect liberty to assent to the introduction of the
bill, and reserve to themselves the right to take that
course on the second reading which they might
think proper.
Admiral JONES condemned such a proceeding.
Lord Jolts RUSSELL suggested to Mr. Fagan that
the most proper course was for him to move for
leave to bring in a bill to repeal the tax.
After some observations from Mr. Maguire, Mr.
Sullivan, and Mr. Black, who expressed a hope that,
if the " Ministers. Money " in Ireland were repealed,
the annuity tax in Edinburgh would share the same
fate, the motion was withdrawn, and leave was given
to Mr. Fagan to bring in a bill to repeal the tax.

COURT OF CHANCERY (IRELAND) BILL.
Mr. S. FITZGERALD, on Monday, on presenting a pe-
tition against the bill from the Incorporated Solicitors
of Ireland, moved that its second reading be deferred
to that day six months. Urging various objections
to the practical working of the bill, he reminked
upon the inconsistency of the Solicitor• General for
Ireland proposing to extinguish a court (the Encum-
bered Estates Court) to whose salutary operation he
bore the strongest testimony, and to transfer its
functions to a court which, upon the face of the bill,
appeared to require reform. A vast amount of busi-
ness would by this measure be thrown into the
already overlachm Court of Chancery, and no economy
could result from the change, as the salaries of the
staff to be created were quite equivalent to those to
be extinguished. He objected to the introduction
of exceptional legislation, as applied to Ireland, in
the power conferred by the bill upon the Irish Court
of Chancery of giving indefeasible parliamentary
titles.

Mr. POLLARD URQUHART seconded the amend-
ment. He believed that serious evils would result
from the proposed interference with the operations
of the Encumbered Estates Court.

MI. DEASY generally supported the bill, reserving
the right to object to any of its details when pre-
sented in committee.

Mr. WHITESIDE opposed the measure, because he
believed it to be impracticable in execution through
the Court of Chancery. That court could not per-
form such additional work. It was the opinion of
the solicitors as a body that, if the Court of Chan•
eery had to manage the present business of the En-
cumbered Estates Court, it would take eight years to
effect a transfer of land. He objected to the bill,
moreover, as a job. The new officers were to be ap-
pointed not us usual by the judges, but by the Govern.
ment, a course in his opinion not fair or respectful to
the Irish Chancery judges. He objected strongly,
likewise, to the Court of Appeal created by the bill,
and to the making the Court of Chancery the great
conveyancing engine, at the expense of the State, for
Ireland alone. These were objections not •f detail
but of principle.
Mr. Sergeant OliatEs supported the bill. Mr.
GEORGE and Colonel DussE objected to it. Mr.
MA.Liss offered to vote for the second reading, pro-
vided it was referred to a select committee.

175

Mr. CAIRNS explained the reasons of the recom;
mendations of the commissioners that the pri:ilege
of acquiring a parliamentary title should be ex-
tended to unencumbered owners, and that the
powers of the Encumbered Estates Court should be
transferred to the Court of Chancery, the practice of
the latter court being assimilated for the purpose to
that of the former. He thought it would be satis-
factory if this and the other bilk were referred, after
the second reading, to a select committee.
After some further remarks from Sir E. Perry, Mr.
Butt, Mr. Kennedy, and Mr. I'. O'Brien,
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL for IRELAND, in defence
of the bill, replied to the various criticisms offered
during the debate. He was willing that the bill
should be referred to a select committee, but he
would not agree that Mr. Whiteside's five bills should
be sent also.

Mr. NAPIER said, from all he had heard, it VMS his
conviction that if this bill passed the whole thing
would be brought to a dead lock.
After a few remarks by Mr. BENTINCK,
Mr. DISRAELI said he could not understand wby
the hon. and learned gentleman (Mr. J. Fitzgerald)
should not accede to the proposition made by his
hon. an.i learned friend (Mr. Whiteside) :

The Solicitor• General for Ireland had acceded to the
proposition which was made on his (Mr. Disraeli's) side
of the house, that this bill should he referred to a selet t
committee in a manner that did him great credit. But it
was a very ungracious course for him to object to the bills
of his hon. and learned friend (Mr. Whiteside) being re-
ferred to the same select committee. If his hon. and learned
friend should be a member of that committee it would be
in his power to propose every single clause of his five bills
seriatim, and to bring those bills before the select committee.
The course he now recommended would be not only the
most usual, but also the most gracious course to take. The
question was whether this bill should be read a second time,
with a view to being referred to a select committee. As the
Solicitor General for• Ireland had acceded to that proposal,
he did not see why the house should be called upon to

Mr. S. FITZGERALD having withdrawn his amend-
ment, the bill was read a second time.
JURIES (IRELAND) BILL.

On Monday, on the order for the second reading
of this bill.

Mr. WHITESIDE objected that the Ui l would
aggravate the evils of the present jury law for Ire-
land.

Mr. J. D. FITZGERALD shortly defended the bill.
Ultimately the second reading was posponed nil 11l
that day fortnight.

THE NAWAB OF SURAT.
Sir E. PERRY, on Tuesday, read a petition from
the son-in-law of the late Nawab, complaining of the
manner in which the East India Company has dealt
with the inheritance of the Nawab, and praying in-
quiry and redress.

ABOLITION OF THE GRAND JURY SYSTEM.

Mr. L. KING, on Thursday, gave notice that he
would, on an early day, move for leave lo bring in a
bill to render unnecessary the assembling of grand
juries in England and Wales. (Hear, hear.)

ABOLITION OF CHURCH RATES.
Lord J. MANNERS, on Thursday, gave notice that,
on the second reading of the bill for the abolition of
Church rates, he should move an amendment that
the bill be read a second time that day six months.