The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-10 00:00:00

The remaining schedules having boon agreed to, the
bill passed through committee.
The announcement was received with loud cheers from
both sides of the house.
At the evening sitting,

Mr. M'KENNA called attention to the enormous and
disproportionate increase of Irish taxation since 1841, as
compared with the increase in Great Britain, and canvas-
, sing critically the chief budgets in that interval, he showed
that while in Great Britain the taxation had increased be-
tween 1851 and 1861 at the rate of 3i. 3d. per head, in Ire-
land the increa:to amounted to 105.2t1. per head, end main-
tained that the imposition of new taxes unaCcnmpanied by
any countervailing advantage lay at the root of much of
the political discontent of Ireland. Tracing next th
causes which impeded the national prosperity of that coun
try, he argued that the almost simultaneous establishment,
of free trade and the construction of the system of Conti-
nental railways, on such principles that agricultural pro
duce could be carried on theta at a much lower rate than
on the Irish railways, placed Ireland at a disadvantage in
supplying the English markets. He concluded by moving
a resolution (after urging that the Government should
give some kind of guarantee to the Irish 'railways which
.would enable them to reduce their traffic rates) expressing
an opinion that this disproportionate increase of taxation
requires the immediate attention of Parliament.
The motion was seconded and supported by Mr. POL-
LARD-UItQUIIAUT and Gen. DUNNE, but
Mr. MONSELL opposed it, insisting that whatever was
done with the Irish railways, that question ought to be
treated on its own merits. Controverting Mr. M'Kenna's
arguments, ho assorted that the imposition of the income
tax on Ireland was part of a fair and liberal arrangement,
and as to free trade he showed that the land under culti-
vation and the price of agricultural produce had increased
since that measure. lie advocated equality of taxation
as the foundation for perfect religious equality—the want
of which, and not taxation, was the cause of Irish dis-
content.

Mr. Hunt, after requesting Mr. M'Kenna not to press
his motion in the unavoidable absence of the Chancellor of,
the Exchequer, remarked that the increase of taxation per
head was generally accepted as a proof of increased pros-
perity or power to bear taxes, and pointed out the great
increase that bad taken place in the article of spirits. At
the same time considerable relief had been afforded under
such heads as coffee, tea, sugar, and wine; the grants la,
aid of local taxation, as well as the loans for public works
had been much larger in Ireland than in England- -vot-
ing the figures in detail in each case—and the committee,
moreover, which had considered this subject very minutely
and carefully for two sessions, bad reported decidedly that
there was no impost in Ireland which impeded the develop-
ment of any branch of industry, except the spirit duties,
which were entirely exceptional in their character.
After a digression by Mr. Whalley bn the subject of re-
ligious equality, provoked by some remarks of Mr. Men-
sel', the motion was suppoi Led by Lord Dunkellin, who
replied that the increase of the spha duties did not imply
increased prosperity, inasmuch as nearly all the distillers
were ruined; by Sir F. Renate, who was in favour of
some measure for the relief of the railways ; by Mr. Synan
and Mr. Bruen ; and Mr. Hankey remarked that the
interests of England and Ireland in this, as in other
matters, were identical, as was proved by the report of
the committee.
The resolution was then withdrawn.
Mr. BAZLEY obtained leave to bring h a bill to amend
the Carriers Act.
Bills wore brought in by Lord NAAS to amend the laws
relating to the custody of dangerous lunatics in Ireland,
and to the superannuation allowances of the Dublic police.
The Banns of Alatrimonyßill passed through Committee,
and the House adjourned at 10 minutes to 1 o'clock.