The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-18 00:00:00

NEW HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Viscount DUNCAN wished to ask the Member for
Lancaster—When the New House of Commons will be
ready for the reception of Members? Whether the gild-
ing of the roof, and other costly decorations of the New
House of Commons, have been introduced under the
sanction and by the order of the Commissioners of the
New Palace of Westminster? What provision has been
made for a better supply of water in case of any future
accident by fire?
Mr. GREEN, in reply to the first question, could
state what Mr. Barry bad written him, which was
this—" As soon as the walls are sufficiently dry— ( A

laugh;—we shall proceed with the finishing, which may
be completed by Whitsuntide." With regard to the
second question, he could only say that the Committee-
rooms of the new House of Commons should be fitted up
as plain as possible, so as to be in as strong contrast with.
the House of Lords as possible.—(Daughter.) Th 6
Commissioners, however, certainly did authorise the in-
Arbdnction of painted glass. With regard to the last
question; he had simply to state that neither Mr. Barry
nor the Commissioners had anything to do with the
supply of water.
Mr. THORNELY wished to know if the Commis-
sioners had ever thought of gaining a supply of water
from the River Thames in case of fire?
Mr. GREEN repeated what he had already stated,
that the supply of water rested entirely with the Woods
and Forrests.
CASE OF MR. LEWIN.
Mr. F. O'CONNOR asked the Right Hon. Gentle-
man the Secretary of State for the Home Department
if he could give him any information on the subject of
Mr. Lewin's case.
Sir G. GREY said he had received a report from the
police commissioners, which represented that the person
to whom the Hon. Gentleman referred, was arrested
with another in the park, on suspicion of picking pockets.
The other had been convicted, and was now undergoing
his sentence.—(A laugh.)
Mr. F. O'CONNOR—Does the Right Hon. Gentle-
man mean to say that the person I alluded to was tried
and convicted?
Sir G. GREY did not know which of these persons
the Hon. Gentleman referred to.—(A laugh.)
Mr. F. O'CONNOR said he would repeat his question
some other evening, as it was no laughing matter to
confine a young man in prison for nothing.
BUSINESS OF TO-NIGHT. _ _

Mr. ROCHE wished to know if Government intended
to proceed with the adjourned debate to-night if the mo-
motion of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman the Mem-
ber for Carlow extended beyond ten o'clock?
Sir G. GREY replied in the negative; but if the mo-
tion terminated befove ten o'olocki the adjourned debate
would be brought on.
Mr. ROCHE, under those circumstances, would be
glad to know if the Hon. and Learned Member for
Youghal intended to bring his important motion on
to night respecting the Raja of Batters?
Mr. C. ANSTEY had certainly promised to give
way in favour of the adjourned debate, but it was only
on condition that other Hon. Gentlemen who had
notices on the paper did the same; and as that con-
dition had not been fulfilled, he should go on with his
motion to-night.
After some further observations, the subject dropped.
MUSIC LICENSES.
Mr. SANFORD asked the Secretary of State for
the Home Department whether he had it in contempla-
tion to bring in a Bill to amend the Act 25 George IL,
c. 26, in order to invest a discretionary power in the
Middlesex magistrates of granting licenses for music se-
parate from dancing licenses ?
Sir GEORGE GREY said it was not his intention to
bring in a bill on the subject, nor had the magistrates
expressed any wish that such a Bill should be intro-
duced.

BOARD OF CUSTOMS.
Mr. MITCHELL postponed his motion for a select
Committee to inquire into the constitution and manage-
ment of the Board of Customs, until Friday, the 21st
instant.
TITHE RENT-CHARGES IN IRELAND.
Mr. SADLEIR rose to bring forward the following
motion, and his appearance occasioned a rush of Members
out of the House:—" That It is expedient to substitute
for the existing mode of varying the amount of tithe
rent charges in Ireland a self-acting system, whereby
the amount of all tithe rent-charges in Ireland shall be
increased or diminished every year, according to the
average prices of corn, as ascertained by public advetise-
ment, in a manner similar to the existing method of
varying tithe rent-charges in England and Wales." The
Hon. Member observed that this was a subject of
very [great importance, not only to the owners, but
to the occupiers of hind. He was ready to admit that
the direct effect of this motion was to ask the House
for a distinct expression of its condemnation of the
system provided by the Legislature for the alteration
of tithe rent charges in Ireland.—(Hear, hear.)
It would be sufficient for him to say with regard
to the histary of Irish tithes, that the Legislature at the
period substituted for tithes in that, country a compo-
sition, and then again for that composition perpetual
rent charges, which were generally called tithe rent
charges. There is no concealing the fact, that
all questions of Irish legislation, were determined by the
views and opinions of English Members. The nu-
merical strength of the Irish Members was
wholly unavailing as far as regarded any
general question of legislation, and hence it
was necessary that when any measure for Ireland
came before the House, the English Members
should be made acquainted with the whole
local and other circumstanee connected with it.
The Hon. Gentleman then proceeded at some length to
state the details of the Tithe Composition Act, which
was passed in 1823, and entitled the 4th George
IV. By this Act the averages were taken from the
seven years immediately preceding the year 1821. The
next Act after that, was the year after the sth George IV.
Instead of the tithe rent charge being regulated by the
actual price of corn in the neighbourhood, it was settled
upon the prices advertised in the Dublin Gazette. By
the Act of 2d and 3d of William IV., c. 95, the composi
tion was to be regulated by the then prices of corn.
Other regulations had been established by the 6th sec-
tion, which he would read. The Hon. Member then
proceeded to read the sections of the Act in order to
show the average price of wheat within the county.
Ho also quoted the Ist and 2d Vic., passed in 1838, the
object of which was- to carry this out. Thebes
regulations brought him to the point which e was de-
sirous to attain, viz.: that the rent-charge should
_be
equal is its proportion to the price of corn. In
England this point was perfectly underst.ood, and the
matter was easily settled ; but din Ireland
the thing was totally different. Everybo y_ knew that
the Gazette gave no real criterion of the price
of corn in the district. Now it should be
understood that no cue in an agricultural district
could possibly know or act upon the instructions
published in the Dublin Gazette. The regulation Was
From what he had
therefore useless and unnecessary.
shown it was clearly proved that there could be no
knowledgen of this price in the _ Gazelle. But it
was answered, that according to the Act a notice was
to be posted upon the doors of the places of
worship indicating this price. Of what use was such
notice as this, when it was recollected that ionanv in.
stances thee were no places of worship wllich
these notices could be posted. How, then,
could the inhabitants know what the price
of wheat really was. the Hon. Gentleman then went
through a series of calculations in order to show that
while the price published in the Gazette was 38s. 80.,
I the real money obtained was little more than

30s. Well, then, in order to obtain the al-
lowance necessary between these two prices
it was necessary to have a crtitrcate properly ceitified
as to the circumstances of the case. This was no
small objection ; but there was a greater one. This
certificate was to be backed by some person who
would Add his own certificate of the truth of
the representation which he made. Then there v:as the
evidence of Mr. Ford, by which it appeared that this re-
gulatiou was de facto a perfect humbug.--(Law;hter.)
He trusted that the time was not far distant
when the tithe rent charge in Ireland would
•be made redeemable by legislative enactment,
being convinced that it would be productive of
the best eMcts. It would relieve many scruples in
the Encumbered Estates Courts, especially among
Quakers.