The Express.
London, England, 1868-03-20 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—THURBDAY, MARCH 19.
Is the Heusi of COMMONS Mr. Minuet',
replying to a question from Mr. Monereiff, said he
did not propose to go into committee on the Scotch
Reform Bill till the Irish Reform Bill had been
read • second time • and in reply to Mr. Whit-
bread, he further stated that as the progress of
public business was not satisfactory he must ask
the house to sit in Passion week. This proposition,
however, being met with general expressions of
dissent, he asked the hon. gentleman to repeat his
question on a subsequent OCCSIHON.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated, in
reply to Mr. Ilankey, that as at present advised
he proposed to make his financial statement on the
first Thursday after the Easter recess.
On the motion forgoing into committee of supply,
Mr. J. Warts moved a resolution affirming that
it is expedient that so much of the Reform Act of
1867 as makes weepiers liable for poor rates,
instead of owners, in respect of premises to which
the system of compounding had been applied, ought
to be repealed. There were, he said,l92 boroughs
and cities in which the Small Tenements Act had
been in force, and by the legislation of last session
700,000 of our fellow-countrymen and country-
women had been hampered and annoyed. Peti-
tions had coins from east, west, north, and smith
against the hardship that had thus been inflicted.
In his judgment the qualification of a voter should
not depend on the payment of a local rate ; it
might as well be dependent on the payment of the
butcher or baker. The result of the system was
that a working man had to pay from a pound to
thirty shillings a year for the privilege of having
a vote. _ _ _

Mr. C. Fonsrmt seconded the motion. The Poor-
law collector in Walsall had told him that ho
would be compelled to summon 2,000 persons for
non-payment of rates.
Mr. Arr.ToN reminded the house that a com-
mittee had been appointed on the subject of rating,
which would inquire into this matter, and he sub-
mitted that it would therefore be premature to pass
this resolution. _ _

31r. DIXON thought the house already in posses-
sion of sufficient information to enable it to legis-
late. He pointed out in great detail the inconve-
niences which the abolition of compounding caused
iu Birmingham.
Mr. /Lister wished the principle of payment of
rates to he maintained, and remarked that if it
were enough that the rates were paid by the land-
lord, the landlord might by non-payment disfran-
chise by the hundred.
Mr. Goat use denied that this would be the
effect. lie supported the resolution, on the ground
of the economical advantages of compounding.
The discussion was continued by Lord Henley,
who said the new system was working well ; by
Mr. Sandford, and Mr. Warner.
Mr. G. 'Main said this motion was not only for
a repeal of the compounding system, but of the
whole principle of the Reform Act, which was that
of personal payment of rates. The government
had never accepted the principle of household
suffrage pure and simple, and would thereto'',
resist the motion. No doubt evils had been oc-
casioned, but the experience had been short.
Mr. Gtsturroxs said the time must come when
parliament must endeavour to restore the benefita
without the inconvenience of compounding, but he
thought government were entitled to say that they
wished to know the decision of the committee
before they arrived at a final determination, and
he recommended Mr. White to withdraw the re-
solution.

Mr. WHITS acceded, and the resolution was then
withdrawn.

A short discussion followed, which was initiated
by Lord Steno, respecting certain statements in
Saint Pools Magazine and the Times, respecting
the defensibleness of the new fortifications at
Portsmouth, and as to whether the shields known
as the Gibraltar and Malta shields, and which are
to be used for the enlacement of those forts, were
properly tested.
Sir J. PAKINUTON pointed out that the forts
were commenced at a time when the science of ar-
tillery was not so advanced as at present. Fur-
ther experiments would be mode to test the
strength of the shields.
It being now a quarter to ten o'clock, Captain
VIVIAN appealed to Sir John Pakington not to
bring on the army estimates at so late an hour, and
Sir J. PAILINOTON acceded, but said it was ne-
cessary to takes sum on account.
The house then went into committee of supply,
and a vote was taken of 6,000,000/. towards de-
fraying the cost of the army service.
67,120 men and boys, and 14,700 Royal Marines
were also voted, and 2,000,0001. on account of the
navy estimates.
On the motion of Colonel Tarim' • new writ
was ordered for Coventry, in the room of Mr. H.
M. Jackson, whose election has been declared
to be void.

The Consolidated Fund (362,3930 Bill was read
a second time.

The Sea Fisheries Bill and the Fairs (Ireland)
Bill were severally read a third time.
The Earl of MAYO moved for leave to bring in a
bill to amend the representation of the people in
Ireland. He stated that the last Reform Act for
Ireland gave an occupation franchise in counties of
the value of 12/., and in boroughs of 8/., and the
effect of that was to make a large addition to the
number of electors. He did not propose to make
any alteration in the county franchise ; but he pro-
posed to make a considerable reduction with regard
to the boroughs. In Ireland the owner and the occu-
pier each paid half the poor•rate, but the owner
paid the whole rate of houses under 41. except in
five towns, in which the owner paid the whole of
the rates of houses under the value of 85. It was
proposed to assimilate the law in this respect by
enacting that the landlord should pay the poor-
rate of all houses below 41., and to fix the borough
franchise at 41. The present number of borough
electors was 30,700, and the effect of this proposal
would be to add 9,813 to the roll. It was also
proposed to extend the lodger franchise to Ireland
on the same conditions as in England ; and a
boundary commission would be appointed. There
were 33 boroughs returning 39 members, containing
in aggregate population of 790,000. Of this popu-
lation the three cities of Dublin, Cork, and Belfast
absorbed more than one-half, and two-thirds of
the valuation. There were no unrepresented towns
in Ireland which could fairly lay any claim to addi-
tional representation. There were 32 counties which
returned 64 Members. The four largest counties,
Cork, Tyrone, Down, and Tipperary, had one mem-
ber for every 166,000 of the population, and
360,0001. of valuation ; the other 28 counties
had one member to every 66,000 of the population,
and 120,0005 of valuation ; so that there was a
great discrepantly, and these four counties had*
strong claim to inersaied representation. This
could not be done by taking the second member
from any town, nor by gronping, for there were
not the elements fors &retuned gemming
It was proposed, therefore, to dilfrastelf
boroughs. Downpstrick would be sak
its seat to a division of the count* of Do* ;'IInA-
gannon its seat in favour of the musty of Tyrone.
Bandon and Kumla would b► iiiihnnehiaed, and