The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-19 00:00:00

THIRD READINGS.

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Mutiny Bill.
The Lords' amendments to the Lighting of Towns
(Ireland) Act Amendment Bill were considered and
agreed to.
MINISTERS' MONEY (IRELAND) BILL.
Mr. Fagan, in moving the second reading of this bill,
did not hope to procure its enactment at the present
stage of the session ; but he Wished that the noble
visesunt would make such a declaration as Would
enable him to carry back to his constituents the cheer-
big intelligence that the tax was doomed. If he
did so, the noble lord would be sending a most gratifying
message of peace to the sister country, the most gratifying
that could be sent, except, perhaps, the settlement
of the tenant right question. He could assure the noble
lord that there was a strong feeling in his favour, and he
trusted that he would not destroy that feeling by resisting
the measure. The ncble lord would no doubt have a
majority in his favour, but he would remind him that many
of his proposed supporters were Derbyites in disguis', and
that he would need all the assistance which could be afforded
him by the liberal members for Ireland.
Mr. Bagwell supported the second reading, being con-
vinced as a protestant member, that it would be to the
interest of the country for the tax to be abolished.
Mr. Meagher thought he could suggest a more cogent
reason than the blarney of his hon friend why the govern-
ment should support the measure. The towns to which
this tax applied, sent ten members of parliateent, and they
had influence in the counties amounting perhaps, to ten
seats more. It would, therefore, be a matter worth con-
sideration of the noble viscount, whether he would make
friends or enemies of those twenty members. (gear, hear.)
Mr. Horsman was now prepared to declare the opinion
of the government with regard to this tax. After stating the
provisions of the existing act , the right hon. gentleman
expressed his regret that it had failed in every point. (Hear,
hear.) In the first place, the exemption of houses
under £lO was only a nominal relief; houses of that class
having been already exempt. In the next place, only
one person had availed himself of the provision for
commutation. In the next place, the corporations had
declined to collect the tax altogether. The government
had proceeded against the corporation of Cork, and had
procured a verdict for £3:060; but the corporation had
lodged an appeal, and with the means of protracting
litigation at their disposal, a final decision could not be
procured in less than two y a,s. There would then be
four years tax to be collected. But many of the corpo.
rations had no property, and the government could there-
fare only proceed against persons; and they had been
informed that the parties were prepared to sub-
mit to any hardship rather than pay. It
bad been suggested that the tax might be
applied to the support of the Dublin hospital ;
but such a plan would not have met with the concur-
rence either of honourable gentlemen opposite or of the
ecclesiastical authorities in Ireland. Another plea was,
that the government should itself redeem the tax, say at
ten years' purchase, and should be repaid by the boroughs
in a certain number of years, but that plan was likewise
surrounded with great difficulties, and there welt no
prospect of its meeting with the concurrence of all the
parties. The commissioners, in 184-8, expressed an
opinion that the funds of the ecclesiastical commissioners
would so increase as to enable them to take the burden
upon themselves. That had been quite borne out by the
fact. The fund at the disposal of the commissioners in 1848
was £98,000, whereas in 1856 it was £140,000 ; and there
has been considerable balances left in their hands at the
end of every year. Besides that, it was believed that the
disposable funds in the hands of the commissioners might
be greatly increased by a better and more economical
system of managing their property. Under these
circumstances the government saw no course open to them
except to adopt that which had been recommended by the
commissioners in 1848, and to throw the burden where it
now practically lay, upon the Ecclesiastical Commis-
sioners. (Hear.)
Mr. Hamilton expressed his strong objection both to
the bill before the house and the measure shadowed forth
by the right hon. the Secretary for Ireland. He moved
as an amendment that the bill be read a second time this
day Three weeks.
Admiral Jones seconded the amendment.
After some further discussion, in the course of which
Mr. MtGuire, Sir D Norreys, and Mr. Bearnish, warmly
approved of the course the government had determined
to adopt, Mr. A. Black and 4r Cowart availed themselves
of the opportunity of urging • hat a similar measure
should be applied to the Annui y Tax in Edinburgh and
Montrose, which, they contended, stands upon the same
footing as ministers' money in Ireland.
Lord Palmerston deprecated mixing up this question
with that of the annuity tax, and denied that the two
imposts stood upon the same footing. He hoped it
would be distinctly understood that the government were
in no way pledged upon the subject of the Annuity Tax
in Scotland.
After a few words from Mr. Kinnaird and Mr. Heard,
Mr. Fagan spoke a few words in reply, saying that he
hailed the decision the government had come to as a mes-
sage of peace to Ireland, and that, in his opinion, it entitled
the noble lord, the first minister, to the confidence of that.
part of the United Kingdom. It
Mr. Henley found fault with the whole discussion ;
could lead to no practical result, except that, perhaps, of
serving electioneering purposes. (Hear, hear.)
The amendment was then negatived wi
and the bill having been read a second time, it was ordered
thout a division,
to be committed this day three months.
DISCHARGED ORDERS.
The orders for the second reading of the following bills
were read and discharged; Carlisle Canonries, Registra-
tion of Long Leases (Scotland), Lunatic Asylums
(Ireland), Ten
Aants' Compensation (Ireland).
DJOURNMENT 0/ THE HOUSE.
house adjournerorders were disposed until Saturday,osed at half
of, and the house rose past one o'clock.
On the motion of Mr. Wilson, it was resolved that the
The oth
at half past two oolock.