The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-22 00:00:00

KINGSTOWN HARBOUR.

In reply to Mr. H. HERBERT,
Mr. WILSON stated that the Government, after due
inquiry, bad given instructions for the works at Kings-
stovvn Harbour to proceed as they had before done.
TENANTS' IMPROVEMENT COMPENSATION
(I RELAN D) BILL.

The house having resumed, the committee proceeded
with the discuscion of clause 4, which involves the claim

for compensation for the improvement of waste lands.
Mr. FRENCH said that he regarded the clause as one
of the most important of the whole, bill, and without it
the bill would Lot give satisfaction to the people of Ire-
land. He should tAke the sense of the committee on the
retention of the words giving compensation for the re-
clamation of waste lands.

Mr. POLLARD-URQUHARTsaid it would be a per-
fect mockery to procred with the bill without this clause.
Mr. BLAND agreed with his hon. friends in regard.
ing the principle of compensation for the reclamation of
waste lands the most important in the bill.
Mr. HORSMAN admitted that the improvement of
waste lands was most desirable,and ought tot:it:encouraged.
But there were great difficulties as to how the compensa-
tion could beawaried—so great, indeed, that he thought it
better not to insert in the claSs of cases to be compen-
sated that of the improvement of waste lands. He did
not insert it, because there was no fair hope of carrying

Mr. MAGUIRE should like to know what the right
hon. gentleman the Attorney-General for Ireland, who
was solemnly pledged to procure a good tenants' com-
pensation bill, thought of the omission of this principle
from the bill ?

Mr. KIRK advocated the principle of dompense.tion
for waste land improvement as a matter of justice.
Captain JONES raid it seemed to him that hon. gen-
tlemen opposite did not wish to stop short of taking
away all the property from the landlords, and leaving
them nothing but rent charges on the land. (Hear.) He
thought the principle of waste laud compensation would
lead to endless litigation between landlords and tenants.
Mr. S. FITZGERALD thought the reclamation of
waste lands was not an improvement of that character
which, if landlords did not make, tenants should make
for them against their will. (Hear.)
Mr. NAPIER said this bill was composed of two bills,
and only one part of it was his, and the part they were
now discussing was not his.
Mr. Serjeant SHEE was exceedingly disappoinleed at
the course taken by the Government, and he almost
despaired of any good being done by this bill after hav-
ing seen the amendments proposed by the Government.
If the bill passed as proposed, the landlord in such a case
would be forced to allow compensation for the land, and
would be prevented from committing an act of the
grossest injustice. If the clause was struck out there
would be little left in the bill worth having. These im-
provements required no capital to effect them, and
afforded the small holders an opportunity of employing
their surplus labour, and there would be no difficulty in
estimating the value of them.
Lord PALMERSTON thought it would be better to
confine themselves to the bill, instead of fighting their
battles over again, as some gentlemen seemed disposed
to do. He considered that thoso gentlemen who were
anxious the bill should pass would do better if, instead
of insisting on every proviiion they thought conducive
to their object, they endeavoured to shape it in such a
way as would give some chance of its passing this session.
That would be a more prudent course than to persist
year after year in sending up a bill to the Lords in order
to be rejected. He fully admitted that the improvement
of the waste lands was an object much to be desired
for the improvement of Ireland, and he agreed with the
hon, and learned gentleman that any attempt to do so on
a large scale was not likely to prove remunerative ; he
had tried the experiment himself, and would not recom-
mend any of his friends to do so. He was still of the
opinion he had expressed in the committee up-stairs,
that this part of the bill was at variance with sound
principles. All contracts and arrangements between
buyer and seller ought to be left to the parties to be re-
gulated, and any interference by law was vicious ;
landowner was nothing but a seller, and the tenant the
buyer, of the occupation. He would appeal to the bon.
gentlemen who were anxious fur the success of the bill to
consent to such changes as would insure the passing of a
measure which he believed would confer a great benefit
on the landlords and tenants of Ireland.

_After a few words from several hon. members,
The question whether the words relating to waste
lands should stand part of the bill was then put by the
chairman, and upon a division there were—

Ayes
Noes

47
93-4 G

Mr. Sergeant SHEE then moved the insertion of some
words providing compensation for the main draining or
thorough drainino, of land, or for the improvement of it
by irrigation. The learned gentleman read some extracts
from the works of Sir Robert Kane and others, upon the
importance of drainage to the agricultural prosperity of
Ireland.

Colonel DUNNE opposed the amendment open the
same grounds as those upon which it was objected to
last year, when the same proposition was negatived by
32 to 8 votes.
Mr. POLLARD URQUHART, in support of the
amendment, said that all tourists in Ireland had spoken
of the want of drainage in that country. He believed
that in Warwickshire and Lincolnshire, if not in other
parts of England, there was a tenant right custom about
drainage, and no difficulty was found in carrying it into
operation.
Mr. NAPIER said that what the select committee
considered upon this subject was, that all improvements
within the soil should only be made by express contract;
for their value could not be estimated without taking
up
all the ground, which would be very deitruotive. 'This
was the opinion they came to, after a great deal of dis-
cussion, and the learned serjeant was a member of the
committee.

Mr, Serjeant SIIEE denied that he had ever agreed to

The Court of Exchequer (Ireland) Bill passed through
corn mitten.
The Bills of Exchange and Promissory Notes Bill
passed through committee pro forma.
DWELLINGS FOR LABOURING- CLASSES
(IRELAND) BILL.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE having moved that the house
should go into committee on this bill pro forma,
Mr. M'MAHON said the bill had a wrong title ; it
ought to be called "A. bill to facilitate the eviction of
the small cottier tenantry of Ireland." He thought it
was the duty of the Government to resist the further
progress of the bill which was intended to serve that
purnouse.
Sir G. GREY said it was useless to discuss the mea-
sure then, as its details were to be altered.
Mr. IWMAHON said he objected to the affording
any additional facilities for evictions, and moved, as an
amendment, that the house go into committee on the
bill that day three months.
Colonel GREVILLE seconded the amendment.
The SPEAKER said there appeared to be some mis-
apprehension in the minds of hon. members as to tle
effect of committing a bill pro forma : that such a step
did not advance a bill a single stage When it was
committed pro forma, it was ordered to be printed and
re-committed on a future day. When that day arrived,
the lineation was again put that "the Speaker do leave
the chair."
Mr. NAPIER thought that in courtesy to the right
hon, baronet the bill ought to be committed.
The amendment was then withdrawn.
The bill was committed pro forma, and ordered to be
printed.
THE SPIRITS (IRELAND) ACT AMENDMENT
BILL.
This bill was read a third time.
Mr. V. SCULLY moved the addition of the follow-
ing proviso :—" That, if the non-attendance of magis-
trates at any petty sessions shall have prevented a bol,ct
fide application from being entertained, or an order made
thereon before the expiration of any license, it shall be
lawful in such case for the proper officer of excise, at his
discretion, to continue such license for the year next
ensiling, upon the certificate of the district inspector of
police, or, if in Dublin, upon a like certificate of a com-
missioner of police."
The motion was opposed by Mr. KEOGH.
After some discussion the house divided—
For the proviso
Against it
the bill then passed,
OUNTY OF LANCASTER TRIALS BILL.
This bill was read a second time.
ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM.
The order of the day for the adjourned debate was then
read. No hon. member rising to address the house, the
Speaker put the question on Sir E. B. Lytton's amend-
ment, which was carried without a division amidst con-
siderable laughter.
MEDICAL PROFESSION.
Mr. HEADLAM obtained leave to bring in a "Bill to
Alter and Amend the Laws Regulating the Medical
PrPfession."

16
43-27

HAYLEYBURY COLLEGE.
Mr. V. SMITH obtained leave to bring in a bill to
relieve the East India Company from the obligation to
maintain the College at Hayleybury.
INDEMNITY BILL.
Mr. COWPER obtained leave to introduce a bill to
indemnify such persons in the United Kingdom as have
omitted to qualify themselves for offices and employ-
ment?, and to extend the time limited for those purposes
respectively ; also a bill to continue the exemption of in.
habitants from liability to be rated as such, in respect of
stock in trade or other property, to the relief of the poor.
The house then adjourned at half-past one.

ANALYSIS,
From Register, kept by the National Parliamentary Re-
form Association, of the Division on Mr. Layard's Mo-
tion for Administrative Reform.

Ayes, 48 ; Noes, 361. Tellers included.
Committee. For. Against.
English
Scotch
Irish
Boroughs.

English
Scotch

37

190
15
17

Irish

361

INFLITENC2.
For-6 were connected by birth or marriage with the
aristocracy ; 2 were connected with the army. Against--
132 were connected by birth or marriage with the aristo-
cracy ; 42 were connected with the army.
The following places voted in favour of Mr. Layard's
motion. Those marked * the votes were divided :
Abingdon, Reading, *Aylesbury, *Cambridge, *Stock-
port, *Bodtuin, Bridport, Bristol, *Gloucester, *Tewkes-
bury, *Hereford, Hythe, *Maidstone Oldham, Preston,
Rochdale, Norwich, Tynemouth, Bath, Stafford, *Surrey
(East), Guildford, *Lambeth, *Southwark, *Brighton,
Horsham, Birmingham, *Warwick, Kidderminster,
a
*Worcester, York (W. R.), Huddersfield, Pontefract,
,
Sheffield, Swansea, Aberdeen Linlithgow, Greenock,
Carlow, Cork (Co.), Dublin, Dundalk,
Dungarvon.

MUSICAL UNION.—The "Directors' Matinee" took
place on Tuesday last, when Willis's Rooms were densely
crowded by a most aristocratic and fashionable audience
assembled to do honour to the event.
THE ATROCITY IN VIE BALTIC.-Dr. Easton, one of
the ill-fated officers who perished with the boat's crew of
the Cossack, was a native of this city, where he has se-
veral near relatives. When the Cossack lay at Queens-
ferry during the winter, Dr. Easton and his brother
officers were the frequent guests of tha citizens, to many
of whom the names of those now reported slain will sug-
gest recollections of as fine seamen as ever trod the deck
of a man-of-war. The announcement that these gallant
men have been treacherously butchered by the Russians
is an exceedingly painful one,—Edinburg4 Aavcrogr.