The Sun.
London, England, 1836-03-11 00:00:00

DUBLIN ELECTION PETITION.

MAftex 9.—The Committee did not meet until nearly one
o'clock, owing to the lateness of the debate last night. The
question which occupied their attention the entire day was the
3d question of the 24, which was submitted by the petitioners
for the instruction of the Commissioners. It was—" Whether
the paving, cleansing, and lighting tax, due and payable on
the sth of January, 1835, be a municipal cess-rate or tax, the
non-payment of which, over and above one half-year's amount
of the same, disqualifies from voting."
Mr. HARRISSON addressed the Committee on the vote of
James Ward, and contended that the assessment having been
completed on the Bth of January, 1835, and the Committee by
a former decision having declared that the tax was due and
payable from the time of its assessment, he called on them to
strike from the poll the name of the voter Ward, who had not
paid that tax.
Mr. AUSTIN submitted, that the Act of Parliament always
permitted that six months' credit should be given, both in time
and amount, before disfranchisement could take place. What
was the fact in the present instance ? The rate was made on
• the Bth of January, and the election took place on the 10th ;
therefore, instead of six months' credit, there was only two
days, and, in fact, the rate-books were not made out until long
subsequent to the election ; therefore the rate could not be
possibly due : and it was further admitted that the rate was
made for the purposes of election.
This being a question, as it was thought, which would de-
termine this investigation, the greatest anxiety prevailed.
The Committee retired at half-past three o'clock, and after an
absence of an hour and a quarter, they came to the following
resolution:—

" That it appears to this Committee that the paving-tax
made on the 10th of January, 1835, although it was unpaid by
James Ward, still, for the purposes of franchise, it is necessary
that six months' credit should be allowed him in-order to in-
volve him in the disqualifying provision."
The announcement of this resolution created the greatest
sensation, as it disposes of the paving-tax of 1835, thereby
giving the sittinc, Members, it is said, between 200 and 300
votes ; bad it been otherwise, it is supposed it would have
ended the investigation. Five minutes before the return of
ti.e Committee, any odds would ha,ve been given that the sit-
ting Members would be unseated.; now it is thought the tables
are turned.

On Tuesday the Committee came to the following most im-
portant resolution, which, owing to the pressure of the Parlia-
mentary debates, we did not give :
" That no agreement between landlord and tenant that the
landlord shall pay the paving-rate, for the payment of which
the tenant is can absolve said tenant from such liability,
while such rate remains due and payable over and above one
half-year's amount of the same."
The effect of this resolbtion will bc', that in the city of
Dublin no tenant will pay his rent until his landlord pays his
taxes, and it will be rather difficult for some landlords to pay
the taxes without they are paid their rents.
MARCII 10.

The Committee were occupied the entire day in hearing
counsel as to the right of a voter of the name of Ample to
vote out of a shop and premises, the house being subdivide'
into small tenements, and he not being the immediate tenant
of the bead landlord.