The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-03 00:00:00

Cowl of Chancery,- and the arr,lare ‘A,hich have been
allowed to accutnulato: He did not know whether
tht '',l-overnment had any objection to offer to that
nioLion.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said that he would prefer the Hon. Member's resolu-
tion if it were worded in accordance with the recom-
mendations of the Earl of Devon's Commission.

Mr. OSBORNE said that he had anticipated the
wish of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and wJuld
therefore place in the hands of the Speaker a motion
in accordance with the wishes of the Right Hon.
Baronet.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCIIEQUER
said that he understood that there were some words
in the motion of the Hon. Member which he felt he
must oppose.

Mr. OSBORNE said that he had appended
to the resolution which he had placed in
the hands of the Speaker the words, " also
return of the amount expended on each pro-
perty for improvements since the said properties
came under the management of a Receiver of the
Court of Chancery, and the arrears which have been
allowed to accumulate." He considered these words
as the most important part of the resolution, and if the
Government opposed him, he should feel it to be his
duty to divide the House upon the question.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
thought it was not acting perfectly fair towards
the Government to append any words to an unop-
posed motion without giving notice of the same to
the Government.

Mr. HAMILTON suggested that the better
course to adopt would be for the Hon. Member to
withdraw his motion, in order that he might have an
opportunity of giving notice of his intention on the
subject.

11r. GUINNESS said no subject of greater im-
portance could possibly come under the consideration
of the House, and he trusted it would not be disposed
of in a hasty manner. For 25 years he had been a
receiver in the Irish Court of Chancery, and no one
was more competent to advise the House upon the
abuses connected with the management of pro-
perty under the control of the Irish Court
of Chancery than himself, and he sincerely hoped this
matter would be postponed. To show the necessity
for not disposing of this question hurriedly, he would
just mention three cases of abuse which had come
under his own knowledge. For twenty-one years a
large and valuable property in the county of Cork had
been under his charge as receiver, during which time
not one single shilling had been expended to improve the
condition of the tenantry living upon it. The second
case was a property yielding 4,5001. a year. It had
been nine years under his care, and during those nine
years the sum of 1681. was all that had been expended
in cultivating the condition of the property
or improving the property. The third case was
one of a property in the county of Meath,
yielding 1,6001. per annum. Upon that pro-
perty, during the ten years it had been in the
Court of Chancery, there had only been 6001. ex-
pended for the benefit or improvement of the
tenantry.—(Hear,:hear.) He humbly submitted that
these three cases, which were only a few he had se-
lected from a large number of a similar character,
constituted good grounds for asking the interference
of the House ; and now that they were so anxious to
ameliorate the condition of the sister kingdom, he
hoped they would not lose sight of the large amount
of landed property that was unfortunately placed under
control of the Court of Chancery, but they would
teach that Court that property which came within its
jurisdiction had its duties as well as its rights.—
(Hear, hear.) The results of the expenditure upon
the property he had last mentioned were so remark-
able that he must beg the patience of the House
while he related them. The 6001. had been ex-
pended during the last three years at the rate
of 2001. per annum, and the result of the
expenditure of the first year, namely 1845, was that
he received 1,0001. over and above the annual rent, in
liquidation of arrears. In 1846 he also received
1,0001. above the rent, and in 1847, during all the
distress that had pervaded the entire country, he had
received 6001. over and above the rent in payment of
arrears.--(Cheers.)
Sir GEORGE GREY could assure the House
that there was no objection to giving the information
asked for, and all that his Right Hon. Friend had
required was simply that the motion should be put
in such a form as was best fitted for obtaining the in-
formation.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. B. OSBORNE said, under these circum-
stances he would not press his motion in its present
shape.
The motion was then withdrawn.