The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-15 00:00:00

WALES.

Mr. SCOTT wished to know whether the Right lion.
Baronet the Secretary at the head of the Home Depart-
ment had received any returns respecting the cost of
an emigrant ship, amounting to 3501., which it was de-
sired to draw from the funds of New South Wales, and
to the expenditure of which the colony objected.
Sir G. GREY said that no such returns had been re-
ceived, but that he expected them in a few days. The
colonial funds would not be applied to the •migration of
any Terson convicted of crime.
CORONERS' INQUESTS IN IRELAND.
Mr. P. SCROPE rose to put a question to the Secre-
tary for Ireland, respecting the 590 coroners' inquests
held last year in Ireland, according to the report of the
Poor-law Commissioners, in which verdicts of death from
ant were recorded. He had to ask whether the Poor-
law Commissioners had made inquiry into those 590
cases, and whether they had in any one of those cases of
death from want found that one single death had been
occasioned by such an amount of neglect on the part of
the relieving officers as to warrant them (the Poor-law
Commissioners) in instituting criminal prosecutions
against those parties.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE said that certainly it was
without doubt that many persons had died in Ireland on
whom the verdict of died of want had been passed. Ho
believed it was not the practice generally to hold in-
quests over persons who died in workhouses.
Mr. HENLEY wished to ask the Attorney-General a
question with regard to the Bill which he had asked the
Hon. and Learned Gentleman to postpone in the early
part of this week. The Bill would necessarily take
some time in discussing, and he wished to ask the Hon.
and Learned Gentleman if he would undertake not to
go on with the Bill to night if it did not come on until
late?

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that b• certainly
would:not go on with the Bill if it did not come on be-
fore twelve o'clock.

DANISH WAIL—RENEWAL OF BLOCKADE.
Mr. SANDARS said that, as the Noble Lord the
Secretary for Foreign Affairs was not in his place, he
should put the question to the Noble Lord on Monday
night; or, if he were not then present, to any Minister
who might happen to be there.
Mr. DISRAELI said the question of which Mr. San-
ders had given notice was as follows:—" To ask the
Noble Lord the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, if it be
true that the Danish Government has refused to renew
the armistice of the 10th of July last; and, if so, whether
the Noble Lord considers as a natural consequence the
renewal of the blockade of the Prussian ports of the Baltic
and the Elbe." Now he (Mr. Disraeli) would ask the
Noble Lord the First Minister whether it was the Danish
Government that had refused to renew the armistice?
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that the Danish Go-
vernment had not refused.
ECCLESIASTIC AL COMMISSION.

Mr. 110RSN1 AN said that, instead of the motion of
which he had given notice, he should move tor the pro-
duction of the proceedings of the Ecclesiastical Commis-
sion relative to the matter of the secretaries.

DISTRESSED UNIONS-ADVANCES AND RE
PAYMENT OF ADVANCES (IRELAND).

The House then went into Committee, and

Lord JOHN RUSSELL rose to propose certain
resolutions respecting advances and the repayment
of advances to distressed unions in Ireland,
and in doing so said, he would endeavour to
spare the Committee the necessity of going into any,
details on the subject, and confine himself to a state-
ment of general views concerning the state of Ireland,
and the grounds on which the Government thought
it right to propose the resolutions he was about
to submit. For many years the condition of Ire-
land had been lamentable in many respects, but no
remedy of the Legislature could be made applicable
to the evils which existed. A great number of the la-
bouring classes in that country were in the receipt of no
wages, and depending for their livelihood upon the
cultivation of small plots of ground ; at some
seasons of the year they suffered great distress.
which had produced much crime. Whilst entering into
the policy which of late years had been adopted, he
would state that the failure of the potato crop and the
consequent famine which had taken place, had produced
evils with which the Legislature had as yet been unable to
deal. An immense alteration had taken place in the state of
the country, and on one hand it was no doubt gratifying
to find that we no longer have, to any considerable ex-
tent, those outrages and murders which were formerly
so prevalent, while, on the other hand there had:been
the greatest disposiion upon the part of all persons of
property, whether landlords or tenants, to preserve the
lives of the great mass of the people under the pressure
of an awful calamity. This change had taken place
through no influence of the Legislature, but the interpo-
sition of the Legislature may assist the country
in its present transition state. But in doing so
the Legislature must always be guarded against two
great dangers—one was not to impose too great burdens
upon the property of Ireland, or the people might be
discouraged from cultivating the soil, and the other not
to assist with too much liberality the poor labourers who
had been deprived of their labour by the failure of the
potato. Having said thus much, he would now proceed to
state what he thought was a fair encouragement to hope
for the future, lie had before him the reports of a number
of officers engaged under the Board of Works in the
different counties in Ireland, some including
the distressed counties, and, with the exception
of the county of Clare, they generally bear
testimony to an increased desire on the part cfLthe
people to cultivate the land. With respect to two of
these counties which they had heard of as being most
distressed, the reports state that although there was
much land untenanted, yet there would not be any great
difficulty in procuring tenants at a reduction of
25 per cent. on the previous rents. He had also reports
with regard to the fisheriel, and they all gave very
satisfactory accounts of the visible improvements in the
country. Now, he held in his hand a return of th© ex-
penses incurred during the three last mouths of last year
including the months of October, November, December,
and January. During October the decrease of 48,000 Z,
during November 40,000/., during December 40,0001.,
and in January 7,0001; making a total of about 188,000/.
The return with respect to the relief given
to persons out of doors was much the same, the
whole numbers showing that the reduction of these
persons was in the whole as many as 405,341 during the
same period of four months.—(Hear, hear.) This was
owing to various causes, for it appeared from the several
reports of the secretaries of the different poor-kw uuiona

that this decrease had arisen partly from a better under-
standing of the principle of the poor-law, partly from a
desire to decrease expenses, partly from a desire to carry
the law into effect, and an acquired discrimina-
tion in the discovery of imposture.—(Hear, hear,)
The indoor relief had been rather increased. In De-
cember, 1848, it amounted to 14,9021.; and in 1849 it
was 18.2061., being an increase of 3,2941.; but thorn was
a decrease in the outdoor relief in the month of De-
cember, amounting to 2,8671. The total indoor and out-
door relief had been respectively 297,918/. and
147,3971. That, certainly, so far was satisfactory,
as it showed there was an improvement even
in those districts which were considered the first. Now,
in proceeding to consider this question, he should now
state that cf the opinions which had been given by various
persons of Ireland from whom they had received report,
there was none that was more prevalent than the state-
ment, that the burdens arising from the expenditure
on the lean of former years, now imposed
such latavy cost on many unions in Ireland,
that although they might be able to bear
the burden that arose from the relit fof the poor, they
were not able to sustain at the same time the repay-
ment of the loan. He would now state what had been
the loans which had been made of late years to the unions
in Ireland. Beginning with 1839, the sum of 1,225,0001.
was raised for building workhouses in Ireland, 47,000/.
being allowed to be deducted from it for mismanagement
in construction of the workhouses. The next public debt
was for labour, in the spring of 1846. The sum of
476,000/. had been advanced, of which 238,0001. was re-
mitted, and the other half spread over 20 half-yearly
instalments. Shortly :after 4,850,0001. was advanced
of which one half was afterwards spread over 20 half-
) early instalments in a similar manner. A sum was ad-
vanced for temporary relief, of which only 953,000/. was
required to be paid; the remainder had been
remitted. In the August of last year an
additional sum was authorised to be advanced,
of 60,0001. The sums which were at the present time
due from Ireland were—first, 1,131,0001., an ad-
ditional sum of 100,000/.—a sum advanced for work-
houses IbB,oool.—a aura advanced the 9th of Victoria
2,305,0001.—the sum advanced for temporary re-
lief upwards of 700,000/, amounting inallto 4,483,0001.
There was a proposal made which had been sanctioned
by an Act of Parliament, to enable the Irish counties to
extend the time of payment over 20 years, upon applica-
tion; and there was also a provision to shorten the
time. Six counties had applied to have the time ex-
tended, and two to have it shortened. The state
of the counties in Ireland was very varied.
While some loans bore interest, there were others on
which no interest was required, and he proposed that
the same arrangement r.bould be continued—that the
loans which were liable to interest should continue
to pay it, and that those which were not should be
exempted from the payment of any. There were other
heavy charges upon some unions, which prevented them
making exertions to provide the necessary workhouse
accommodatioa for the poor, and to give relief to the
destitute. lie alluded to the contracts which had
been made during the period of famine, for the
supply of goods and clothing to the work-
houses. The unions had refused to pay the
contractors owing their impoverished condition, and
the consequence was that in several workhouses
the effects had been seized upon, and the guardians
were obliged to pay 61. per cent. upon the sum
due in order to prevent the effects being disposed of.
Now it appeared that these difficulties were mainly owing
to the famine, and if they could be relieved from them,
they would be able to begin afresh, and thereby carry
into effect the due administration of the poor-laws.
Such is the opinion of the Poor-law Commis-
sioners, more especially of Mr. Power, who
is now in this country, who had repeated his
opinion that a little assistance would enable several
unions to build temporary workhouses, and by the ap-
plication of the workhouse test greatly to diminish the
expenditure. Such being the case, Government thought
it advisable to propose that there should be added
to the sum already advanced an amount which
well(' make the total advances amount to the
sum of 4,483,0001. for the purpose of assisting
the unions and enabling them to discharge their liabili-
ties, and which should be repayable by instalments in
forty years. According to the accounts they had re-
ceived the general debts of the Poor-law Unions in
Ireland were diminished between September and De-
cember by no less a sum than 100,0001., but the distressed
unions, which were about thirty, had been unable to
effect any reduction in their liabilities. At the end of
December last the debts, besides those due to the elec-
toral divisions, amounted to 270,0001. ; and the Poor-
law Commissioners were of opinion that, if these debts
could be discharged, not only would they be able to carry
on the due administration of the unions, but in some cases
it would enable the Poor-law Commissioners to make
the divisions in accosdance with the report of the
Boundary Commissioners which otherwise they might
not be able to do.— (Hear, hear.) Now, it was
deemed advisable that the unions should be
divided into electoral districts. Some of these
districts had been already arranged. Eight were in
course of formation, and nine had already been formed.
In these districts it had been ascertained that the law
and wisely carried into effect. He would
had been fully
now state to the House what had been the result of the
formation of these electoral districts upon the popula-
tion.—[Sir George Grey here remined his Lordship of
the redaction of the debt of the unions.] Yes; the
debt of the several unions he hsd Ito state was about
270,000/, which had by subsequent outlay been in-
creased to 370,0001. The whole amount of the debt
of the several unions was 4,783,000/. The amount
actually required to be liquidated was about 250,0001.,
of which sum about 150,000/. had been de-
frayed, and beyond which about 50,000/. more was
already prepared for payment, being, he believed, now
in the hands of the several guardians. Much of the
business which had been transacted in these unions had
been concluded under the authority of several of the Acts
of Parliament by which the affairs of the Irish unions
bad been of late conducted.—(Hear.) But he must now
say what was their opinion of the workhouse
test upon the population at large.—(Hear, hear.)
On the Ist of January last it appeared that in England
and Wales there was about 1 in 15 receiving relief from
the poor-rates, whereas in Ireland, in the month of
December, there wars only 1 in 27 receiving poor relief.
lie therefore fiought they should not be acting im-
prudently, but wisely, it they enabled the poor-
law unions in Ireland to provide themselves still
further with workhouses. Now, therefore, the proposal
he had to make was, in the first place that the general
sums which had been advanced to Ireland, beginning
with the workhouse loans in 1839, and going on to the
advances made in 1846 and 1847 and subsequent years
should, when it was desired and where the pressure on
the poor• law unions appeared to be mani-
festly great, be converted into consolidated an-
nuities, and be payable with interest where interest
was due. Tho next proposal was,
that the sum of
300,000/. should be advanced for the purpose
of enabling Boards of Guardians, under the
the direction of the Poor-law Commissioners, to
pay off the debts incurred for food and clothing,
during the periods of distress. (Hear, hear.)
thrroande el
00
onwogka
laboured,
nat
boo u
rprospecte
thatdand
to
state of Ireland
enter
of sleciinegty
which
ab l e t o
recover from that very great depression
under which she
upon a new
social career. It was evident,if the were
existed in Ireland from 1768 to 1845, they would
be only looking to the recurrence of misery and blood-
shed, the people being uteerly destitute of those means
of comfort to which the civilised nations of Europe were
accustomed. There had not been those sums expended in
farm buildings and in improvements which the landed gen-
try in England and Scotland are accustomed to make by
agreement with their tenants. There had not been that
regularity in the payment of the farm labourers which
ought to be the source of maintenance to them.
Everything there had been dirorder and diorga-
nization. Hence arose those crimes and disorganiza-
tion which seemed beyond the power of legislation.
to amend. Those things were not for them to dispose
of, but he (the Noble Lord) hoped that Ireland was
might be constituted in
a
papeapbsreaotnatetcrrhti',llgto would mannert: unite to make her a happy and con-
tented country.
Mr. MUNSELL represented one of the most dis-
tressed counties in Ireland, and he felt bound to tender
to her Majesty's Government his best thanks for the
course they had adopted. He differed from the
Honourable Member for Rosscommon, in thinking
that this measure was not a liberal one, he thought it
was greatly so. and that the best thanks of the people of
Ireland were due to the Government for bringing it
forward.

The Earl of ARUNDEL and. SURREY adverted to
the conduct of the Kilrush Union, and expressed an
opinion favourable to the proposition of the Noble Lord
at the head of the Government.
Colonel SIBTHORP could not support the resolutions,
and would take every opportunity io oppose them.
Mr. P. SCROPE rose, and was
(LEFT SPEAKING.)

THE LONDON GAZETTE.
(THIS EVENING.)

WAR-OFFICE, FEB. 15, 1950.
gt
hs t o
Dragooncke , Gent.,
Guards—George
be Cnet, 4th Regiment of Dragoon Guards—Robert John
Henry, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Webb,
promoted,. Feb. 15 ; George Campbell Henville Player
Bro Cornet,
John Bridge, Gent., to by purchase, vice Wallis,
who retires, Feb. 16.
5
be Cornet, by
purchase, vice Sidebottom, promoted,
Feb. 15.

on
9th
Charles
Feb.ja James
15.
s
Cornet,9t by purchase
hLightDrago,ons—John Brinkley, Gent, to bo
10th Light Draovoincesfli'lhkeinlino'
Keitb, to be Cornet by purchase, vice William,, pro-
:noted,
Gent.
oted, Feb. 15.
Ist Regiment of Foot—Henry John Scroopp
to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Minchin, appointed to
the 70th Foot, Feb. 15. William Bellew, Gent., to: be
Ensign, by purchase, vice Munro, appointed to the 53d
Foot, Feb. 16.

4th Foot—Ensign Jarnez Paton,
from the 56th Foot,
to be Ensign, vice Maunsell, promoted, Feb. 15.
14th Foot—Brevet Major Thomas Holmes Tidy, to
be Major, without purchase, vice Newman, who retires
upon full [ay, Feb, 15.
Lieutenant John Peter Hall to be Captain, vice Tidy;
Ensign William llaubury Hawley to be Lieutenant, vice
llall, Feb. 15.

15th Foot—Richard Manders, Gent. to be Ensign, by
purchase, vice Todd, promoted,
to be Ensign, by pur-
chase, 15.
Robert Wynne Price, Gent.,
chase, vice Walrusley, promoted, Feb. 16.
17th Foot—Arthur Cotton Young, Gent., to be En-
sign, by purchase, vice Crutchley, appointed to 24th
Foot, Feb. 15.

Itiehard Edmund Williams, Gent., to be Ensign, by
purchase, vice Brice, promoted. Feb. 16.