The Express.
London, England, 1847-10-16 00:00:00

IRELAND.

Duatrx, Ocr. 13.

Sir Wm. Somerville, for the first time since his
arrival as chief secretary, has left this country for
London to communicate to the government the com-
bined views of himself and the Earl of Clarendon on
the policy which should be pursued through the pre-
sent crisis of delicacy, danger, and difficulty. The
habitues of the Kildare-street Club detect sundry

fissures in the relations of Viceroy and Secretary. But
they are wholly without foundation. No difference of
opinion exists between the Earl of Clarendon and
Sir W. Somerville.

The charges for the collection of poor-rates vary
enormously in several districts. In the Castlebar
Union, for instance, the high premium of 2s. 6d. in
the pound, or something over 12 per cent. is offered
in vain to collectors, in consequence of the general re-
luctance not unmingled with inability. In the Kan-
turk Union how different! There, on one district levy
of 2,400!. only 93f. was returned us uncollectable ;
and in another, out of 2,800/., the sum of 2,4001. was
collected. The poundage on collection varied from
twopence to sixpence; this is perhaps the lowest in
Ireland. In reference to the Castlebar Union, the
Telegraph asks whether the rate-payers might not be
allowed the discount on lodging the rate with the
treasurer. This hint is worthy of attention in districts
subject to high poundage rates.
Conciliation-hall and the Irish council are at vari-
ance as to the representative meeting, though the dis-
cord leads to no more disagreeable results than a
slight difference of opinion. The Irish Council has
issued circulars to convene a general meeting of mem-
bers of both houses, with a filling in of the gentry,
which is not likely to be liberally responded to. Mr.
Reynolds has published his reply, and a sharp and
curt one it is. He will not attend. Mr. John O'Con-

nell thinks differently. He will move from one
council to the other. So will the majority of the re-
peal members; while the less "go a-head "of our re-
presentatives will not reciprocate the favour.
Some of the repeal journals connect the letters of
Mr. Trevelyan and Sir J. Burgoyne with the
threatened inquiry of the Connaught bishops. The
Loughrea queries are likely to be acted on universally.
The clergy of Ballinrobe express their satisfaction at
the promptitude of the western hierarchy, and their
efficient means to expose the past and provide for the
future. One fact is stated, which, if tree, exhibits a
large district of Connaught in a most melancholy
light. The parish priests of the union declare that,
with the exception of a few landed proprietors, there
are not on an average twelve families in each parish
which have subsistence until next harvest, after pay-
ment of all legal demands. This is a collective
answer by anticipation to the most important of the
six queries.
A serious change is contemplated in a very im•
portant department of the business of the equity
courts, and equally calculated to serve the country. It
is unnecessary to review the injuries accruing to pro-
perty from receivers, who, with a nominal responsibi•
lay, were freed from control, and who, from their in-
termediary position between landlords and public
officers, had not the feelings of the one class, and
were withdrawn from the influences which determine
the conduct of the other. Placing a property under a
receiver was tantamount to the utter neglect of the
tenant. The contemplated change is this : instead of
the nominees of individual creditors, official receivers,
with permanent offices, are to be appointed, and with
fixed salaries instead of fees and per centages. Having a
life interest in the office, it is reasonably supposed the
new officers will be vigilant and active in the super-
vision of the properties committed to their charge, '
and in every respect some one will fulfil the duties of
a resident landlord. With the greater portion of the
landed property of Ireland passing through, or on the
verge of, the Court of Chancery, the protection of such
an official body would be a great blessing to the in-
debted proprietor.

CLARE DEPUTATION TO THE LORD
LIEUTENANT.
I forwarded yesterday the memorial presented by
this body to the Earl of Clarendon. The lollowing is • de-
scription of the interview which took place on that occasion.
The deputation having been formally introduced, and the
memonal read,
His Excellency at once proceeded to the business upon
which they appeared, by saying, that he wished to consult
their opinions as to whether they would discus. the resolu-
tions seriatim, as it might be their desire to make remarks
upon each, or whether they would consider the whole sub-
ject upon which those resolutions had been founded. With
respect to the first resolution the memorialists said : " We
have been deputed to lay before your excellency the disas-
trous condition of our country in connexion with the Labour
Rate Act, which has left us with presentments unfinished,
highways obstructed, life endangered,
. and 'oast heavy expen-
diture more than neutralised. lie hoped it was not quite
the case that the highways were impassable. It was the in-
tention of government that the maul coach reads should be
put in a passable condition, and he wished to be informed as
to whether those roads were in the state in which that pare-
graph had represented them to be.
Mr. FirzOeaALD said it did not apply to the moil coach
roads in particular, but to all public roads. At present the
fields were open, because the fences had been broken down,
and the lands were trespassed upon by cattle passing from
one farm to another. The farmers were put to =ones.
nicace, and the lands left uncultivated.
His EXCELLENCY said, a very small amount of labour on
the part of individuals would repair the toners where they
had been impaired. For his part, he would not allow his
cattle to stray, nor would he allow his neighbour's cattle to
trespass on him, without putting up stone walls, or some
other description of fence that would secure his own cattle
and protect his lands from trespass. On reading the
next paragraph, which referred to the Labour Rate Act,
his excellency said Now, that act—the Ross.,:t Ses-
sions Act—under which the advance' had been
made, had been solely intended W execute works