The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-24 00:00:00

PUBLIC WORKS.

Having adverted to those agricultural improvements which
lead directly to enlarge the productive powers of the soil, im-
prove the habitations, and increase the comforts of the people;
we proceed now to consider those undertakings properly called
public works.
The Legislature has upon many occasions, fully admitted the
propriety of affording encouragement and assistance to such
works ; and the last report presented by the Commissioners of
Public Works in Ireland sets forth in a strong light, the im-
portance, in a national point of view, of rendering efficient aid
to the exertions of individuals in this respect.
We beg leave in this place to insert some extracts from that
report, and to express our entire concurrence in the sentiments
which are there put forward.
Speaking of the fund for grants, the Commissioners say—
" Much has been done with the aid of this fund towards the
improvement of the condition of the people in several parts of
the country, but much more remains to be done, and it is to be
apprehended that the districts standing most in need of this
description of assistance are, from local circumstances, the
least likely to be brought under the consideration or the power
of grand juries to relieve them. The execution of such works
leads to the adoption of improved modes of cultivation, and the
abandoar.ent of the rude and primitive implements in common
use, and opens to the officers of justice and the local authori-
ties, places which had been the secure haunt and impenetrable
refuge of the outlaw and the rubber. We conceive that the
advantage of affording aid to the promotion of such works, in
a statistical, moral, or political point of view, are too obvious
to make it necessary to dwell nn the subject at greater length.
We are also under a conviction that without the aid of a grant-
fund of this nature very many measures of improvement that
are to be effected by it, will remain unaccomplished for many
years."
It will be seen that these remarks only follow up and enforce
observations of a similar nature that have been repeatedly made
in the reports of various Committees and Commissioners, and
which have been founded upon the evidence produced before
them ; and we trust that such opinions, now again stated by a
Board which must have the best means of knowing both the
wants and the capabilities of the country, wi;l have much weight
with the Legislature, and that there will be a disposition to
promote, by liberal pecuniary aid, the execution of such public
works as shall, upon due examination, be found likely to con-
tribute to the general advantage of the country. We refer
particularly to the opening of extensive mountain districts, by
the formation of roads.

We believe that in many instances the principles of sound
policy and of a wise economy ought to lead to the under-
taking, at the public cost, of works of this nature, even al-
thoug the inhabitants of the district, or the proprietors of
adjoining land, are unwilling or unable to contribute. Whilst
it is true, on the one hand, that Government ought not to
allow the funds of the State to be applied for the impr.ve-
meta of private property, it is equally certain, on ac other
hand, that expenditure upon works calculated to produce
public and general benefit ought not to be withheld because the
operation will at the same time confer a benefit upon individual
proprietors. It should be recollected, that the mere opening
of a good road through a wild district does not of itself neces-
sarily improve the properties through which it passes.
This first operation gives encouragement for the outlay of
private capital, and affords facilities for its useful application;
and the joint effect of the whole is at once to stimulate the in-
dustry and increase the comforts of all parties connected with
the immediate locality, and to promote the prosperity of the
whole surrounding district, and thereby to add to the general
resources of the country.
We ate not, however, advocates for any indiscriminate ad-
vances of public money by way of grant. We are only desirous
of impressing upon those whose duty calls upon them to con-
sider this matter more particularly, that cases frequently will
and do occur in which it is consi tent with a wise economy to
grant money from the public funds for the execution of a public
work from which no direct return is to be expected, and to-
wards which the neighbouring proprietors are either unable or
unwilling to advance any money.
We fully concur in the opinion expressed in the report of the
Select Committee on the state of the poor in Ireland in
1830 :

" That the effects produced by these public works appear to
have been extended cultivation, improved habits of industry,
a better administration of justice, the re-establishment of
pence and tranquillity in disturbed districts, a domestic coloni-
sation of a population in excess in certain districts, a diminu-
tion of illicit distillation, and a very considerable increase to
the revenue."

Under the sanction of the Board of Works, large sums have
been borrowed and expended in the promotion of works of
public utility, and 125,0004 has been granted for similar
purposes.
It is, however, deserving of remark, that while that sum
has been granted, the State has derived a profit under the sys-
tem of amounting already to about two-fifths of those
grar.ts. This has arisen, as explaired in the evidence of Sir
John Burgoyne, from the difference between the rate of inte-
rest at which the State has obtained money, and that at which
ioans have been made under the provisions of the Public
Works Act.

Since the passing of the Drainage Act, plans for the im-
provement of considerable tracts have been proposed, involving►;
according to the applications now before the Board, an ex-
penditure of 600,000/. on drainages, which can only be con-
tittered as preliminary to greater and more local improvements.
PUBLIC WORKS ACT.

The Act of the Ist and 2d Wi:liam IV., commonly called
the Public Works Act, contains many provisions regulating
►he terms and conditions upon which Parliament has thought
it right to authorise the issue of public money to a limited
amount in aid of works in Ireland.

'J he money is to be advanced partly by way of grant, and
partly by way of loan, and the terms upon which loans are to
be made, vary according to the different purposes for which
the money is required.

For certain purposes specified in the Act, money may be ad-
vanced to individuals or public bodies, upon security, to be
repaid by instalments within 20 years after the work is
completed, and with interest, at a rate not exceeding 10s.
per cent. above the current rate of interest upon Exchequer
Bills.

Some alteration has subsequently been made in some of the
provisions of this Act ; but as to the points to which we now
desire to call attention it remains unaltered.

Ily section 32 it is provided, that advances by way of loan
may be made upfin the security of freehold or leasehold in-
terest in land, for the draining, embanking►, reclaiming, or other.
wise improving land ; but it is required that money so advanced
shall be repaid in three years after the work is completed, and
with interest at five per cent.
These terms being generally felt to be unnecessarily disad-
vantageous to the borrower, only one or two applications have
been made for a loan under this section, and this part of the
Act, which was evidently intended to promote agricultural im-
provement, has wholly failed of its purpose.
The Act, after having made provision for the advance of
money towards the execution of certain works, particularly
the formation of roads and bridges, upon condition of such
grants being met by a corresl•onding advance of money by
individuals and public bodies, contains in section 66 a provision
in the following words :

clause 32,—" Provided
Ist and 2d William IV., cap. 33,
further, and be it enacted, that it shall and may be lawful
for the Commissioners for the execution of this Act, to make
advances in aid of the drainage, embankment, reclaiming, or
other improvements of land, on the credit of mortgagees, as-
signments, or other assurances of the estate and interest,
freehold or leasehold, in such land, which is to be the sub-
ject of such drainage, embankment, reclamation, or other im-
provements. Provided always that it shall be made out
to the satisfaction of such Commissioners, by competent evi-
dence, accompanied by the certificate of a skilful engineer
or surveyor, approved of by the said Commissioners, that
such drainage, embankment, reclamation, or other improve-
ment, when completed, will increase the value of such land
in the proportion of at least ten per centum on the sum pro-
posed to be expended thereon ; and that a contract with two
good and sufficient sureties, to be approved of by the said
Commissioners, shall be previously made and entered into for
the full and complete execution of such drainage, embank-
ment, reclaiming, or other improvement, at and for a sum
not exceeding the amount of the advance sought therefore,
within a period to be fixed by the said Commissioners, not ex-
ceeding seven years from the date of such advance ; and that
in all such cases the whole amount of such advance shall be
made repayable within three years next after the period so
fixed for the completion of such drainage, embankment, re-
claiming, or other improvement, with interest thereon, in the
meanwhile, at a rate not less than 51. per centum per annum,
payable halt-yearly, as the said Commissioners shall fix and
appoint.
And clause 6i is in the following words, viz., " And where-
as, by reason of the communications to be opened by such
roads and bridges, great benefit is expected to accrue to the
proprietors of the estates in which the same may be con-
structed, and the value thereof may be greatly increased, and
it is expedient to enable tenants for life and others, having
only particular estates, and persons under legal disability or
incapacity, to raise money for the purpose of contributing
to the making such roads and bridges ; be it therefore, and
it is hereby further enacted, that it shall and may be lawful
to and for any corporation, lay or ecclesiastical, sole or ag-
gregate, and for the husbands, trustees, committees, or at-
torneys of, or fur the owners or proprietors of, or any com-
pany, or any parts of any lands through, or bordering upon
which, any such road shall pass, or be intended to pass, or in
which any such bridge shall be constructed, or proposed to be
constructed, being under covert ore, minors, lunatics, or beyond
the seas, or otherwise incapable of acting for themselw a, and
to and for every of them for the time being, and to and for the
owners and proprietors of all such lands, being tenants in tail
for life, or tenants in tail, after possibility of issue extinct, or
tenants in dower, and to and for every of them respectively, for
the time being, with and by the sanction and consent of the
Commissioners for the execution of this Act first had and ob-
tained, by indenture or indentures under their respective hands
and seals, from time to time, and to which indenture or inden-
tures one of the said Commissioners shall be an executing party
for the purpose of signifying such sanction and consent as afore-
said, to charge the said lands with any sum or sums of money
which shall or may be advanced or applied by him, her, or
them respectively, in or towards payment of the said contri-
bution for the making of such road or bridge, and for se-
curing the re-payment of such sum or sums of money, with
interest, to grant, mortgage, lease, or demise, or otherwise
subject the said lands unto any person or persons who shall ad-
v..nee and lend such sum or sums of money respectively either
in fee or fur any term of years ; so as every such grant,
se r
mortgage, lease, or demise be made with a proviso or condition
withnd s o soon
lawful a s
interest the
the sumsme ofbe money to cease and be void, or under an express trust to be surrendered,
in casesecured, a
, shall
sumfor
saftuhielyrepba3i,dtoanbde
cu