The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-03 00:00:00

SUPPLY.

The House then resolved itself into a Committee of
Supply.
Sir F. T. BARING proposed that a sum not exceed-
ing 200.000?. should be granted towards defraying the
excess of. naval expenditure.

Mr. HUME said as this was not simply a vote of
money for public expenditure, but a vote fur money ex •
pended without the sanction of Parliament, he could not
allow it to pass withoht observing that no Hon. Member,
by agreeing to it, was to be considered as having coin-
promised himself.—(Hear, hear.)
The vote was then agreed to.—Report to be received
on Monday.
The House then resumed.
POOR-LAW (IRELAND).
On the question of going Into Committee on the Poor-
law (Ireland), petitions were presented rroan the grand
ilry of Meath, froch Limerick, and from various boards
of guardians, strongly deprecating the proposed rate
in a ftl•
The House went into Committee.
Resolutions having been read by Mr. BERNAL,
Lord J. RUSSELL said—l rise noie for the purpose
of explaining to the Committee the eourse wnich her
naje„ty's Government wish to pursue with respect to
this most difficult question, the poor law in Ireland.
Earlier this session I proposed to appoint a Committee,
stai.ng at the same time that my feeling was that, al-
though there were certain amendments which the Go.
vernment had in view, it would be desirable that some
gentlemen who were representatives from Ireland, as
well as other Members of the House, should be ap
pointed in order to aid by their knowledge, by their
ex-
perience, and by their acquaintance wit the feelings
and opinions of the people of Ireland, as well as of
this country, in the discussion of so arduous a matter.
I brought before that Committee, at its first
meeting, severed propositions. I stated as I shall
state, what I conceive to be the general working
of the poor-law in Ireland. It appears to me that
so far as this House was desirous in 1847 of placing on
the property of Isteland the charge of that destitution
which it was foreseen must be very appalling for a con-
siderable time; and would at all times be of very large
amount—so for as rtgarcls the relief of destitution by
rates collected in Ireland for the relief of the poor, that
object has, in a gnat degree, been attained. It is not
to be denied, however, that in accomplishing that object
various evils have arisen, some from peculiar circum-
stances of a local nature, but others of a more general
nature, and which do require the serious attention, first
of the Committee and afterwards of this Ilduse. Genie,
rally speaking, I think it is to be admitted that in many
parts of Ireland the
poor-law imposeg a very considerable
burden, increasthg4n the course of a very short tia3e, and
accompanied, ris the imposition of that burden is, by cir-
cumstances of no Ordinary nature. The occupiers of
land in Ireland, instead of considering the burden of
pauperism a reaion tor giving employment, have, on the
contrary, taken alarm at the extent of the burden to
which they might be subjected, and have rather dimi-
nished than increased the number of labourers in their
employ.
Althoughit is contrary to the general princi-
ples of the poor-law, more espeCially
the poor-law of
Iltipland, which contemplates the . relief of distress
wherever it may exist, and that the destitute poor shall
either be relieved in the* own houses, or if able-bodied,
shall be sent to work at the expense of the local com-
munity—an expense that may rise to any amount which
in the first instance the parish, and afterwards due' coun-
try, may be abli‘to' bear—it appears to th e Government ,
notwithstanding-the divergence from such principles,
.
that it would be expedient for Irish purposes
that there shot:lid be a maximum rate beyond
which the poor-rate should not go. In proposing
a maximum rath wag necessary to consider whether
it should be an union rate' et an electoral division rate,
and also whether any extraneous aid should be given
to raise it. 4;9010 lo the Committee that there

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-14 m) tlatatier3l2 siti4 io 1.*T1144