The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-27 00:00:00

Sir R. PEEL—Not secret, certainly. A Select Cow
mittee.
The Committee was then appointed.
EXTENSION OF PUBLIC WORKS IN IRELAND.

Sir THOMAS FREMANTLE, in rising to move a vote
of 50,0001. for the extension of public works in Ireland, said
that he thought it his duty, at this early period of the session, to
bring before the House a measure of this kind. The object of
tile vote was to improve the condition of the people of Ireland,
both in their social and their moral condition—both by mea-
sures of education and employment. At present, however,
they had more in view—the finding of employment for the
people, without reference to the works to be raised. He had,
therefore, brought forward no new measure whatever. He
had referred to the statute which already existed,
and he found that the law, as there set down,
might be beneficially extended for the purposes he had
stated. At present, therefore, he proposed that a further sum
might be placed at the disposal of the Treasury, to be used for
the purpose of increasing employment in Ireland. He found
that a Bill for the draining of rivers and lands in different parts
had, with the consent of that House, passed the Legislature in
the session of 1842. Great advantages were expected to be
derived from it. He found, however, that from various causes
a large number of the projects under the consideration of the
Board of Works were delayed and impeded. Many difficulties
had arisen to account for this, but the principal difficulty was
the obtaining money to carry these projects into effect. He
hoped, however, that the number of railways, as well as the
works which they might be the means of originating, would
infuse fresh vigour into that country, and that employment
would be given to its inhabitants by these undertakings. Such
a result would reward him for all the trouble he had had
upon the subject. He would not enter into any
lengthened details on the Bill under consideration.
The questions involved were of a peculiarly technical nature,
and he was sure that he would receive the thanks of even the
Hon. Gentleman opposite—( Mr. Hume, we understood)—for not
entering fully into them. But he was bound no doubt to revert
to them in some little degree. One reason why money could
not be easily obtained was that the security was not deemed
sufficient. He was not prepared to render that security ample ;
all he intended was to propose that the money should be ad-
vanced by the land, at the same time taking care that they would
not interfere with the rights of the possessor. True, this was
advanced by a charge upon the land, but it must be remembered
that no mere charge would be necessary than what would after-
wards be raised by increasing the value of it. If the Commis-
sioners of the Board of Works were satisfied, that by a certain
amount of improvement a corresponding value would follow,
they had powers given to them by the Act of 1842, to
order the necessary funds for effecting these improve-
ments. Another difficulty had been felt in the
raising of money for payment of deposits. These I
deposits were necessary for preliminary expenses. 1 t
was now proposed that the grand jury should have power in
any one or more counties to present a sum of money for these
deposits, the repayment of which sums would be fully guaran-
teed to them. When the House would consider that this sum
was only in the nature of a loan, he thought that there could
be no objection to it. In works of this great magnitude it
had been found that the amount of the deposits were sometimes
insufficient to cover them, and as parties were unwilling to
come forward with a second subscription, the works had
been, for want of a small sum to complete them, obliged
to stand still. He proposed, therefore, that the
Board of Works should advance these sums to be
theirs when the works were completed. Another important
alteration he intended to introduce respecting the drainage.
By the former law the consent of two-thirds of the proprietors
were necessary before these works could he proceeded with.
Now, it frequently happened that a number of these proprietors
would not give themselves the trouble to consider any proposal
of the kind ; they were perfectly willing that others should take
the trouble to carry them forward, but they were not
willing to give their assent to it. He, therefore, pro-
posed to enact that if the assent of one half of the
proprietors could be obtained, the works should go
forward. There was another subject to which he would
briefly refer. He meant the drainage of rivers for the pur-
poses of navigation. He meant to give powers to companies to
carry this object into effect, they being entitled to a profit not
exceeding 101, per cent. upon their capital. He meant to give
a similar power to con panics supplying towns with water by
means of reservoirs. The Act also took cognisance of waste
land and bog drainage. But as this was a new field, and as
the result must prove unfavourable as to value, power was
given to the Commissioners to lease or sell parts of such re-
claimed land in order to defray the expenses of drainage. In
conclusion, he might state that it was the intention of Govern-
ment that the provisions of this Act should be carried into im-
mediate operation.
Mr. F. FRENCH objected to the Right Hon. Baronet
stating that his present Bill was necessary to do away with the
defects of the Bill of 1842, because it was well known that that
measure would have proved effective had the Commissioners
of the Board of Works not been too costly and extravagant in
their estimates and surveys. For instance, he knew of a gen-
tleman in the county of Meath who wished to make some
drainage improvements upon his lands; and, accordingly, he
made the usual application to the Board of Works to assist him
in doing so, and they sent down their officers to make their
estimates and surveys. The report of these officers stated that
the estimated expense of effecting the improvements would be
6,0001. ; and owing to this sum being considered more than
land and improvements were worth, the improvements were for
a time abandoned. Subsequently, however, three private in-
dividuals undertook the reclamation of the land in ques-
tion, and they accomplished their object at a cost
of half the sum estimated by the Board of Works,
namely, 3,0001.—( Hear, hear, hear.) With respect to
the subject of bog lands, he thought the Right Hon. Baronet
was legislating properly upon this branch of the matter.
There were three millions of acres of bog land in Ireland,
and efforts were made in 1809 to reclaim them. The plans
and specifications for carrying out this design were still in ex-
istence,and he thought now that the Right Hon. Baronet had
taken the subject in hand, he would do well to direct the at-
tention of the Commissioners of the Board of Works to them,
in order that they might be made available for effecting one of
the objects of this Bill. At all events he was sure great be-
nefit would result to Ireland, by facilities being afforded to
landed proprietors to reclaim their bog land. Already 50,000
English acres had been reclaimed at a very moderate cost, and
he hoped to see more of it restored to a state of cultivation.
Sir R. FERGUSON agreed with the opinions of his Hon.
Friend who had last addressed the House, and thought the
Right Honourable Baronet had made a mistake in leaving the
entire distribution of the 50,0001. to the Commissioners of the
Board of Works. It was true, as his Hon. Friend had stated,
that the surveys of the Board of Works had been too expen-
sive, and this had induced many landholders to think that it
was not worth their while to make an effort to reclaim or im-
prove their lands.—( Hear, hear.)
After a few words from Sir T. FREMANTLE, leave was
given to bring in the Bill.