The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-27 00:00:00

IMPERIAL P A RLI AMEN T.

HOTTSE OF LORDS, April 26.
The LORD (,11,,.NCELLOR tout; his se A. en the Wool-
sack at Fit .'elork.

12],r1 of E(; LINTON prcEentc-cl a petition from
Glallow cocciAa'ning of the immigration of MAI

- NEW SOUTH WALES LAND BILL.
On the motion of EaH GREY, this all was read s
third time.

SMOKE PROHIBITION BILL.
This Bill passed through Committee.
PErITIONS.

The Esrl of CARLISLE presented petitions against
trading in prostitution; and praying for the enactment
of some measure of regulating beer houses.
Lord CAMPBELL present-el several petitions com-
plaining of the persecution to which the Rev. James
Shore had he:•n ,tehjee!( d.
LEASEHOLD TENURE (IRELAND) BILL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR, moved the second
reading of this Bill. This Bill was intended
to remedy many evils which existed with
regard to leasehold tenure in Ireland, and it
would raise the value of landed property in
that country. In many cases leases were renewable for
ever on certain conditions, and therefore the real owner
had only a very small interest in the land. In this
country owners of land would not grant leases of land
for lives renewable for ever. This specks of tenure
led to a bad cultivation of the land, and inflicted
an injury up.in the proprietors. The Noble and
Learned Lord then want into a lengthened detail
with regard to the various enactments which had
at. different times been passed on this subject, and de-
tailed at large the evils which were the consequence of
the existing state of the law. The object of this law
was to make the assignment of leases compulsory on
application of the owner of the land. This compulsory
sale of leases, renewable for ever to the owner of the
land, would obviate all the evils complained
of, and would tend to the improvement of
cultivation. by discouraging subletting, for the
great subletters were the owners of the leases renewable
for ever. The Noble and Learned Lord concluded by
moving that the Bill be read a second time.

L9ril BEAUMONT complained that the machinery
of the Bill was unnecessarily complicated, and suggested
that such machinery should be simplified. The object
of the Bill was good, but the machinery by which it wei
sought to carry it out was bad.
Lord hIONTEAGLE said that the magnitude
of the interests involved in this Bill were
more extensive than any Noble Lord uncon-
nected with Ireland could imagine. These perpetual
leases extended over the greater portion of Ireland,
and the greater portion of the buildings in
the towns of Ireland had been erected upon the
faith of these leases. The subject was so important
that he hoped his Noble and Learned Friend would
not press the measure forward, but would allow time for
consultation with the various parties residing in Ireland
whose interests would be affected by the Bill.
The Earl of WICKLOW thought the Bill was well
intended as to purpose, and was well calculated to carry
that purpose into effect.
Lord REDESDALE observed, that if he assented to
the second reading of the Bill, it was not because he
agreed in the principle, but solely on account of the p©•
culiar difficulties by which the question of land tenure
was surrounded in Ireland, and from the feeling that
it was necessary to attempt to deal with these diffi-
culties. He was opposed to the mode in which i
was proposed to act with respect to copyhold pro-
perty. He thought all compulsory interference with
property was bad in principle, and of the most dangerous
character.

Lerd CAMPBELL said, that whenever land wee
mischievously burdened, it was
.desirable that these
burdens should be changed without injury either to
landlord or tenant. That was the object of
this Bill, and he did not think there was any ground
for the alarm which the Noble Lord had expressed
with regard to some of its provisions. It was most de-
sirable to reduce all tenures to what was called " ten-
ancy in socage," where the holder had the interest is
the property irom the centre to the surface. The met'
sure proposed by his Noble and Learned Friend wee
calculated to be very beneficial to the parties to whom
its provisions applied, and he hoped that it would receive
the approbation of the Legislature.
The LORD CHANCELLOR briefly replied, and the
Bill was then read a second time.
The Earl of WHARNCLIFFE moved for certain re-
turns connected with the mercantile marine, and the
shipping interest generally. He understood that the
President of the Thard of Trade assented to their pro-
duction.—Agreed to.
Their Lordsbips adjourned at seven o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, April 26.
TOOK-LAW (IRELAND.)
Mr. J. O'CONNELL gave notice that he would move
for a return cf the number of notices served Iron
relieving-officers with respect to the eviction of tenant,
in Ireland.

PACKET SERVICE.
On the motion of Mr. HENLEY, a Select Committee
was appointed to inquire into the contract paeket service.
POOR RELIEF (IRELAND).
Lord J. RUSSELL then rose to move, pursuant to
notice, for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the Act for
the more efftctual relief of the destitute poor in Ireland'
He had sated on a former occasion the nature of the
amendments ho had intended to introduce himself.
What he had now to propose he proposed on the
responsibility of the Government. The first and most
important alteration was the introducion of a maxinatiril
both with regard to the rates upon each separate elec.
torn! division and the rates upon all electoral divisions:
I s provisien, n hate ver its amount rn:glit be, he admitted
was contrary to the general principles of the
poor-law of that country, but it must be rernein.
bared that in Ireland the attempt to carry out
the principle of the poor-law as in this country,
that of relieving pauperism by a rate in support
of the poor, and by a rate setting to work the able-
bodied poor, had been found to be productive of great
distress, and great scarcity, and such oppression on
the tenant farmer of the country and the property
of the country, as to create great alarm:
Such being the case, the Poor-low Commissioners beg
considered whether it would not be desirable to propose
a maximum rete. That question had been considered
by the Government, and it was thought by them that
maximum rate ought to be enforced. What he, therefore.
proposed by this Bill was, that supposing there was one
electoral division that had incurred expenses to the
amount of is., and that electoral division could
only pay se, the other electoral division should
pay 2s. in addition to their ordinary rate!!
He was told that it was objected to this proposal dal;
would be an inducement to electoral divisions to eaten('
their expenditure to the full amount limited by the low
order to obtain the aid given by the additional rate of 23'
on another electoral division. He could nut hoe ever,
think that that would be the case, because it
was obvious tat if an electoral division were
enabled to support its poor with a 4s. rate there was
no inducement for the in to increase the rates to 75.. to
order to obtain the trifling relief he had mentioned fro°'
some other electoral division. Now, some persons were
of opinion that it would be advisable to lay the rate eV°
the electoral division, which should not have raised A
certain amount, but be was afraid if that proposition
were adopted, the result would not be that which they were
anxious to arrive at. While some electoral divisions might
expend a sum beyond the rate of 73., there might; be
other divisions where rates might be under as., and ye',
be able to support their own pauperism by having re-
course to a rigid system of economy; and it aP;
peered to him that it would be unfair to cell
upon that division to contribute towards the
support of another that might not have been so caref°'
in its expenditure. It seemed to him, however, that the
guardians of the unions would have a certain centre,
;
over the expenditure of each electoral division • and
course the guardians would take care that the
expenditure was regulated by the strictest economy'
This proposal was widely different from a general rate,io
aid extending over the whole of the country, because ill
the case of a rate in aid there would be a difficulty to
controlling the expenditure, which could not he
urged against this proposal, because the guardians
of the different unions would find it to their
interest to look sharply after the expenditure. ••1'"
main objection to this proposal was, that the di"
tress of late years had so crippled the resources of maul
unions, that some of the electoral divisions were exceed-
ing a 7s. rate. The Committee, however, which had SAt
upon the subject had found that this objection applied
only to the western divisions, and he thought it vre°
much better to adopt this proposal than have recourse to
unlimited rates in aid, as it gave security to the occupier°
and owners of land that these rates should never 14°
beyond a certain limit, and would have the effect
of inducing many parties to expend their capita
upon the land who were now deterred fret°
doing so by the fear of excessive rates. He Pro-
posed, further, that the Poor-law Commissionere
should have the power of settling and determining
the past liabilities of certain electoral divisions,
in contemplation of a new division of unions:
Upon this part of the subject a rePer;
had been made by a Commission appeinte;l
last year. It was, however, impossible to adopt xi
the recommendations contained in that report, but he
might state generally that he was disposed t 0
adopt the views contained in the report from time to Wee'
as the Poor-law Commissioners should think fit. At
same time he thought the question relating to the wet'''.
houses might dedisposed of now, and as far as they,ere
concerned he was prepared at once to adopt the opinicin
of the report, that it would not be safe to make a further
division of unions without accompanying such
measure with a proposal for increasing the number o
workhouses.—(llear, hear.) He proposed to introduce
a clause, the effect of which he had alluded to on a 1°,5
nier occaeion, nemely, that the owner of land should
have power of deducting a portion of the rate
on account of his rent charges.— Clear, bear'',
,
lie proposed to make an important alteration in the p!'°
vision of the poor-law, with respect to the reduction
0
which is tenant inede in his rent for the paritsr
of paying the poor-rate. He intended, the
the future, that the tenant should have ie
power of deducting half the rate to which he was liable
from the rent. He also proposed to introduce a Phr°vi.
t
Sion with reference to the improvements which wig
.0.
made upon the land—viz., that in order to 131,A •
vent any disputes and litigation, a valuation 'he'll"
be made of the improvements, and that there should be
,_a
no increased valuation for a period of seven years.c-It ku:d
been complained in petitions and memorials
been presented to the House, that there was great dlocu:
ragement given to the improvement of estates—that. 'o
sooner bad a lauded proprietor improved the vatr of
his property than the amount of Tsee Whit'