The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-11 00:00:00

negatived without a division, and the vote was agreed to.
The house then resumed.
WAYS AND MEANS.
The house then went into committee of ways and
means, and a vote of 11,000000/. was granted.
PRINCE EDWARD'S ISLAND LOAN BILL.
The house went into committee on this bill.
Lord S I'ANLEY said he had to propose a vote to the
following effect : Thet her Majesty be authorised to
guarantee the repayment of a loan not exceeding
100,0001. to the colony of Prince Edward's Island, with-
interest thereon not exceeding 4,0001. He did not in-
tend in introducing this subject to ask the committee to
Wedge themselves either to the principle or the detail of
this bill. He thought he was justified in saying that
there existed on ail sides of the house an objection to
imperial guarantees for colonial purposes, and in that
objection he fully concurred, for he thought that the
system was dangerous and embarrassing to the imperial
finances, and injurious to the colonies themselves, for
the colonies should understand that coexistent with self-
government should be self-support. He might be asked
why he proposed to depart from the rule in the present
case, and the rea-ion was, that the present ease was ex-
ceptional, and not likely to occur again. In helping this
colony, they were only repairing an old wrong caused
by the imperial Government, for this colony had been
injured by an act of the Government of this country
90 years ago. In 1767 nearly the whole, or the greater
part, of the soil of the island—nearly a million and a half
of acres—was put up, he could hardly say by auction,
but by public lottery in Landon, and disposed of in a
single day, there being 67 lots of 20,000 acres each. The
land was wanted on the condition of introducing settlers
in the proportion of one to 100 acres, and there was also a
quit rent, of from 23. to Os. for every 100 acres Improvi-
dent as were these conditions, Government did not even
interfere to enforce them. Soon after the settlement of
,he colony the American war broke out, and it was held
that the introduction of settlers bad become impossible,
and they were consequently not introduced, and the Go-
vernment tacitly, if not in express words, dispensed with
that part ()Vale bargain. Tee payments also fell into ar-
rear, and they were not enforced. The censequence was
that nearly all the soil of the Island was vested in pro-
prietors, the greater part of whom were absentees, and
who, from the conditions of their tenure, were placed in
antagonism to the great part of the population. From
that time up to the present the whole history of Prince
Edward's I-land was a record of one long quarrel between
the proprietot s thus iropos'.d on the colony by the Impe-
rial Government and the rest of the population, their
tenants. At first various attempts were made to get the
grants revoked, but tho-e attempts were not encouraged
by the government of the day, but, on the contrary, a
lar, e amount of arrears of quit-rent was forgiven in 1818,
and at the same time the quit-rents were reduced. In
1830 a further change was made—the quit-rents were
abandoned, and a land-tax substituted for them. About
this time the colonists changed their tactics, and instead
of endeavouring to obtain forfeitures they attempted to
drive out the proprietors by imposing excessive taxation.
During this period there was a reduction in the value of
cee.lonial currency, so that is. 6d. currency was only worth
ls. sterline, reducing in that proportion, of course, the
rent of the proprietors. Responsible government was in-
)roduced into the colony in 1851, and it was felt that all
parties had a right to complain that at that time no at-
tempt was made to settle this question. In 1855 the mat<
ter was brought to a crisis. The colonial government
sent home two acts, one imposing on these proprietors
a rent charge for military and other purposes, and
another giving tenants compensation for improvements.
The machinery by which these acts were to be worked
out was so unjust that her Majesty was advised to dis-
allow both acts. As to the first act, the Governor wrote
home saying that though the measure was liable to the
objection that it was a class tax, yet he had seen with
regret the impossibility of getting any other measure
which would effect the object contemp'ated, and he
thought if it was not passed greater evils would follow.
As to the other act, he advised the Government to give
their consent to it. The Government wrote back in
return, expressing their alarm at the mischief that might
re oilt from the continued agitation of this question.
His predeccesor in office had felt the danger of leaving
this quits ion open, and he suggested that an amicable
settlement should be come to by the lands being bought
up. The amount of the loan necessary was 100,0001.,
which was proposed to be repaid in 20 years, the secu-
rity for that arising from land sales and general revenue.
His predecessor had assented to that proposition ; but
from some circumstances last year he postponed the bill
but promised that it should be brought in this year.
The revenue of the colony, which was 12,0001. in 1848,
was now between 20,0001. and 30,0001., and the colony
was absolutely free from debt, though the expenditure
had pretty well kept pace with the revenue; but there
was a small available surplus. Ha would not go into
the calculaeion of the rental,. It was enough to say
that the nst renal was 7,0001., a sinking fund was pro-
vided, and the debt would be repaid in 20 years. Under
these circumstances, he trusted that when the time cam•
for the prince is of this measure to be discussed the
house would give its sanction to it. The noble lord con-
e uded by moving a resolution to the effect that her Ma-
he authorised to rive a guarantee for the repay-
ment of a loan of 100,0001., and interest, not exceeding
4 per cent. per annuea
Mr. BLACKBURN said this was one of the legacies
left to the present by the late Government, and was one
which he supposed they would rather not have received.
He trusted that the house would not agree to this resolu-
tion. No reason had been given why, if the tenants of
these lands wished to buy up the fee-simple, they should
not do it individually ; but it was proposed that
it should be done by a guaranteed loan of 100,0001.
Now, Ptrliarnent had objected entirely to the principle,
and he thought the most simple way would be to nega-
tive this resolution.
The resolution was then put and agreed to.
CLIA.NCERY AMENDMENT BILL.
The house resolved itself into committee on this bill,
resuming at clause 9, which was agreed to. The remain-
ing clau-es were also agreed to, and the preamble
amended.
CHELSEA-BRIDGE ACT AMENDMENT.
Lord J. MANNERS moved for leave to bring in ib
bill to amend the act of the 9th and 10th of her present
Majesty, chap. 39, relative to Chelsea-bridge.
Mr. ALCOCK said he should take the opportunity's
when the bill was in committee, to move to abolish the
toll altogether.
Leave was given to bring in the bill.
S TANHOPE AND WOLSINGHAM RECTORIES.
L rd H. VANE obtained leave to bring in a bill for
the future appropriation of the tithe or tenth of lead
ores in the parishes of Stanhope and Wolsingham, jo
the county of Durham, belonging to the respective ra-
ters thereof, subject to the existing incumbencies ; and
and for making other provisions for the endowment of
the said rectories in lieu thereof, and for other purpose..
The house adjeurned at 5 minutes past one.