The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-20 00:00:00

IRELAND.

Mr. MORE O'FERRALL rose to ask the following
questions, namely:-1. Whether it is the intention of
her Majesty's Government to introduce any measure
during the present session to carry into effect all orany of
the recommendations contained in tie Report of a Com-
mission, appointed to revise the several laws under, or by
virtue of which moneys are now raised by grand jury pre-
sentment in Ireland, more particularly as relates to the
recommendation to effect a saving cf 160,0001. in the ex-
penditure of the county rates in Ireland ? 2. Whether
any steps have been taken consequent on the Report of
the Commissioners of Inquiry, in respect to the convict
department of Kilmainham prison, which established
the fact of great extravagance and misapplication ofpublic
moneys, under the Inspector of Prisons? -3. Whether it
was the intention ofher Majesty's Government to introduce
a measure founded on the report of the Commission ap-
pointed to inquire into the common law courts in Ire-
land ? 4. Whether it, is the intention of her Majesty's
Government to introduce any measure during the present
session relative to ministers! money in Ireland y _

Lord ELIOT said thealteratio-ii and revision of the
grand jury laws in Ireland, was an important and diffi-
cult subject. With respect to the adoption of the re
commendation of the Commissioners, to which the Hon.
Gentleman referred, he (Lord Eliot) could assure him,
that very considerable diversity of opinion prevailed in
Ireland, He was quite sure that if any measure were
to be based on that recommendation, it would fail to
meet with the support of •Junty Members. He
would remind the Hon. Gentleman that there was at that
moment on the table of the House, an experimental mea-
sure which was to lie applicable to the county of Dublin.
That Bill had been framed with the intention of embody-
ing a great portion of the remniimendations of the
Commissioners ; and he (Lord Eliot) hoped that it
would become law in the course of the present session,
for he thought it was very desirable that the House
should ascertain the result of that experiment before they
proceeded to apply a general measure of that description
to all the counties of Ireland, He did not complain of
the way in which the Hon. Gentleman bad put his ques-
tions, but they appeared to him (Lord Eliot) to
partake of the nature of a statement. The
Honourable Gentleman had, referred particularly to
the recommendation of the Commissioners, having
for its object the saving of 160,0001. per annum.
There were several instances in which money had been
saved. In one case 12,000/. had been saved out of fines
and penalties. A sum of 16,0001 had been saved in the
county of Dublin. He did not think that any legislation
was necessary on the subject, if the recommendations of
the Commissioners were carried into effect. With re-
gard to the second question, he begged to say
that it was the intention of the Government to provide
a separate place for convicts before their embarkation.
With regard to the third question, whether it was the
intention of her Majesty's Government to introduce any
measure relating to the common law courts, he begged
to say that her Majesty's Government were not prepared
with any measure on the subject.
FACTORIES BILL.

Mr. LABOIJCHERE said he had a question to put
to the Noble Lord, the Member for Dorsetshire; he
wished to ask what was his intention with respect to the
amendment he had introduced into the Factories Bill?
He wished to know from the Noble Lord what course
he intended to pursue.
Lord ASHLEY said—lt is my most sincere and ar-
dent desire to make any sacrifice of personal feeling, in
order to do what may to the utmost conciliate
my opponents, and render the amendment it was
my good fortune to carry as little objectionable as pos-
sible. This morning, I had an interview with five or
six considerable manufacturers, and likewise with several
operatives, who represented the feelings of the operative
manufacturing classes. I proposed to them a plan which
am about to state to the House, and I am happy
to say that it met their entire and hearty
concurrence. On Friday next I shall take the liberty
of entreating the House to affirm the proposition of ten
hours' labour, by the substitution of the word "ten"
for fi twelve" in clause Bof the Bill. Should the House
affirm that proposition, I will prepare a clause which
shall enact that the present duration of labour, twelve
hours, shall continue from the time at which we may
pass the clause for six months, till the Ist of October in
this year. This will give six months' notice before any
change takes place. From the Ist of October, this
year, the period of labour I propose shall fall down to
eleven hours, and continue at that rate for two years, or
till the 12th of October, 1846, when the period of
ten hours' labour shall commence. This will give
ample time to test the experiment, and during
the course of that time should any mischief rise
out of the enactment, the House would have the means
in its own hands of preventing the clause from running
away with the interests of the manufacturers. The
clause shall be prepared the day before the House goes
into Committee, that Hon. Members may see the pre-
cise wording of the proposition I intend to make.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM said, that though it was not
quite regular on his past to address the House, perhaps
he should be pardoned if he said a few words. In the
first place, it was most desirable that the House and the
country should understand that he, and her Majesty's
Ministers, had now heard for the first time, the pro-
positions which the Noble Lord (Ashley) had ex-
expressed his intention of submitting to the Committee ;
but he (Sir J. Graham) had no hesitation in coming to
the conclusion that it would be his duty on Friday next
to resist the motion of the Noble Lord, and take the
sense of the House upon the proposition of substitut-
ing- " ten hours " for " twelve." He might be
permitted to add, with respect to the further
proposition which the Noble Lord contemplated
making, should the Noble Lord succeed in carry-
ing it, as he had his other proposal last night, the
scope of that proposition had not removed the objection
which he (Sir J. Graham) had urged against the other
proposal, and it would be his duty to resist it to the
utmost.