The Sun.
London, England, 1848-04-06 00:00:00

ECCLESIASTICAL UOURTS.

Mr.ROUVERIE-postponed his motion relating to the
Ecclesiastical Courts till after Easter:
WASTE LANDS OF IRELAND.

Mr. F. FRENCH then rose to bring forward his motion
for leave to introduce a Bill to facilitate the reclamation
of Waste Lands in Ireland, and said the time had come
when that House must attend to the interests of Ireland,
the time had come when the people of that country
would take no excuse for any neglect of their
wants, and he therefore thiSted the House would
indulge him with its attention while he pointed
out a plan by which much of the misery and suffering
of Ireland might be mitigated.—(Hear, hear.) At the
present moment there were upwards of half a million
of agricultural labourers out of employ in Ireland,
and if they did not adopt some such a measure
as the one he was now about to propose, how they were
to find employment for this large multitude. Emigration
could not be rt sorted to, for the people were not
disposed to emigrate, nor would the inha-
bitants of the British colonies receive them
if they were. What better course could be adoptet
under these circumstances, than by doing what had
already been done in this country to a large extent,
namely, setting the unemployed to reclaim the waste
lands? All the Committee that had been appointed to
inquire into the matter had agreed in opinion that the
greatest good could not fail to result from the reclama-
tion of waste lands. The Committee of 1830 stated
that 5,000,000 sf these lands might be profitably re-
claimed. It had been stated that bog land which was
reclaimed would, after a given time, return to its original
state ; this had been proved by practical experience not
only in Ireland but in Sweden and other parts of Europe.
Such a measure as this would prove of the greatest
advantage—it would reduce the rates and save the
property of the country; and, in order to see
that the money to be voted was properly ex-
pended, a central Commission should be appointed to
superintend the expenditure in the different localities
As an indivividual Member, he had no power to provide
by his B►ll for the raising now rates. but he proposed to
establish two unpaid Commissions, who should be added
to the Board of Works, and that the funds to be raised for
carrying on their operations should be provided by the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, advancing money to the
counties upon the same terms and same principles that
the Russian Government advanced money to their land
banks. The establishment of such land-banks in Ireland
would prove of great benefit to the people, while it would
avoid the necessity of making any demands upon the
public Exchcquer. Without, therefore, troubling the
House any longer, he begged to move for leave to intro-
duce the Bill of which be had given notice.—(Hear.)
Mr. P. SCROPE sympathised with the views of the
Hon. Gentleman who had brought forward the subject,
and be had great pleasure in seconding the motion.
Blready Committees of the House had recom-
mended a similar proposal, and had Government
in 1846 employed the starving people upon the waste
lands, the effect would have been the preservation of
many lives, the raising of large sums of money to this
country, and the improvement of the condition of the
Irish people.