Star.
London, England, 1809-03-30 00:00:00

IRISH REVENUE COLLECTORS.

mittee.

Sir JOHN NEWPORT rose to call the attention
of the House to the subject of the balances improperly
suffered to remain in the hands of the Collectors of
Revenue in Ireland, notwithstanding the repeated
remonstrances which had been made on that subject,
and the repeated promises given that a species of
negligence so pregnant with hazard to the public,
should be effectually checked. But instead of any:
effectual measure having been adopted to check this I
system, he found it rather in progressive increase, as

would appear from the successive statements of u,,._
balances for the last five years : for instance, the ba-
lances in the hands of the Collectors, at the com-
mencement of the following years, stood thus :
1805 - - £ 223,500
1806 - - - - 259,000
1 507 - - - 264,000
1808 - - - - about £2OO more.
1809 - - 295,643
Of course in five years there was an augmentation of
the balances so suffered to remain, of 072,000 ; and,
if the system went on increasing for a few years more,
it must absorb the whole revenue of the kingdom.
Was it, he would ask, right that the public money
should be thus suffered to sink into the pockets of in-
dividuals, and thus be lost to the public? If he ad.
verted to the state of balances in the hands of Col-
lectors in England, he found it far otherwise; for it
appeared by the last accounts to which lie had an op-
portunity of re:urring, that the whole balance in the
hands of the Land and Assessed Tax Collectors was
but £150,000. He concluded with moving an Ad-
dress to his Majesty in conformity with the sentiments
he-had expressed.
Mr. FOSTER said, he bad a measure in contem-
plation, which would answer the Right Honourable
Baronet's object, who, he hoped, upon this assurance,
would be disposed for the present to withdraw his
*lotion.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT accordingly withdrew
bis motion.

BANKRUPT LAWS AMENDMENT BILL.
Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY moved the Order of
the Day for the second reading of the Bankrupt Laws
Amendment Bill.
Mr. JACOB, though he agreed in the necessity of
some Bill on the subject, thought the present defec-,
tive in many points, upon which he should beg leave
to suggest some hints, for the adoption of the Right
Honourable and Learned Gentleman. Of these, the
pricipal were, the omission to provide for the ex-
pences of Commissioners and Assignees, obliged to
attend inquiries touching the Bankrupt's effects in
parts of the kingdom remote from the metropolis ;
and that part of the Bill, which permits the Commis-
sioners to charge 20 per cent. upon all monies of the
Bankrupt's estate, remaining in the hands of the As-
sinees, after notice to pay the sum into the hands ofl
bankera for the creditors' account. He agreed in
the justice of the principle; but to empower the
Commissioners arbitrarily to exact such a penalty
without the interference of aJury, was what he should
not have expected from the Honourable and Learned
Gentleman. But, after all, he thought the Bill
should be entitled a Bill for increasing the number of
Bankrupts. Of all classes of Insolvent Debtors, he
considered Bankrupts the least honest. It appeared
they were only as one in five to the whole number of
Insolunts. Out of the last 16,000 it appeared there
were only 6,597 uncertified, and of this number there
were only thirteen remaining under execution in the
King's Bench, and not more than a like number in
all the other prisons of the kingdom. He would ask,
then, was it worth the while of the House to legislate
by a Bill of this sort, for the sake of merely taking 26
such men out of the discretion of their creditors?

Mr. PONSONBY said a few words expressive of
his surprise that the Honourable Gentleman who set
out by approving the Bill, should end with saying, it
was a Bill to increase Bankruptcies.

Mr. ABERCROMBIE supported the Bill.
Mr. WILSON spoke shortly on the same side with
Mr. Jacob, but agreed to the Bill going into Com-

Sir SAMUEL ItOMILLY expressed his obliga•
tions to the Hon. Gentlemen who had stated their
opinions on the subject. Having no object but to
improve the law, he was anxious to hear, with the
utmost attention, every suggestion that could be made
for that purpose. He assured the House, that since
he had introduced the Bill into Parliament, he had
been honoured with so many communications on the
subject, that it would have occupied the whole of his
time even to return his ac knowledgments to those by
whom they were made. He should have several al-
terations to propose in the Bill ; one which he was
glad to feel would obviate an objection made by the
Hon. Gentleman opposite ; another which would tend
to carry still further the remedy against the evil which
at present resulted from the practice of assignees
keeping in their own hands the property of bankrupts
—speculating with that property, and eventually be-
coming bankrupts themselves. For this latter purpose
he meant to propose a clause, enacting, that if any
assignee should become a bankrupt, while he was in-
debted above a hundred pounds to the estate of the
bankrupt to whom he was an assignee, the certificate
of that assignee so become a bankrupt, should not
secure his subsequently acquired property from a
demand to the full amount of his debt to the original
bankrupt's estate. The Hon. Gentleman opposite
had expressed great apprehension lest the importance
and advantages of the trial by Jury should be lessened
by the proposed measure. He did not entertain any
such fears. The fact was, that in the cases alluded
to the vial was a mere matter of form—and the object
of his propositions was, to prevent twenty actions where'
one petition might attain the same end. The present
mode of proceeding seemed to him calculated solely
for the increase of expence. With respect to the Bill
on this subject, that had been formerly introduced
into the other House, with every sentiment of respect
for the Noble Lord by whom it had been introduced,
and for the Learned Authority in whom it was known
to have originated, be confessed that he could not
see any thing in that Bill but a great multiplicity of
expence, and a great augmentation of patronage.—
If, however, there were any part of that Bill for
which the Hon. Gentleman entertained a partiality,
it would be perfectly competent to him to propose a
modification of the present measures, when it should
be in the Committee. Unquestionably there were
many defect, in the system of Bankrupt Laws to
which the Bill that he had had the honour of intro-
ducing did not extend. • He had never professed to
remove all those defeats. He had not sufficient
Knight Errantry for such an attempt. While there-
fore, he allowed with another Hon. Gentleman, that
it might be better if, instead of the present loose and
extended system, a permanent and limited tribunal
were established for the administration of the Bank-
rupt Laws, he assured him that he had not the pre-
iumption to offer to make so considerable an altera-
t►on at the present moment.
The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered
to be committed on this day fortnight.—Adfourned.

• REPOkr
7BOM THE COANITTEE APPOINTED TO INQUIRE INTO THE
EXISTENCE OF ANY ABUSES IN THE DISPOSAL OF
THE PATRONAGE OF EAST INDIA COMPANY.

•
the Select Committee, appointed to inquire into the existence of
any corrupt practices, in regard to the appointment and nomina-
tion of Writers or Cadets in the service of the East India Cont.
pany ; or any agreement, negotiation, or bargain, direct or in-
direct, for the sale thereof; and to report the same, as it shall
appear to them, to the House, together with their observations
thereupon; and who were empowered to report the minutes
of evidence taken before them ; and their proceedings, from
time to time, to the House,
Began their investigation by examining into a case
brought before them by George Woodford Thellusson,
Esq. a Member of this House, in which his patronage
and confidence appear to have been grossly abused.
The whole evidence being given at length in the
Appendix, your Committee content themselves with
inserting in this place, a short abstract only of this,
and every other transaction ; giving the names of the •
persons appointed, of those by whom they were re-
commended, and by whom their nominations were
signed, together with the names of the intermediate
agents in any of the negociations where money was
paid or received. •
Those appointments which have been completed in
consequence of any such bargains, and upon which
satisfactory evidence has been produced, will be pla-
ced first ; a second class will be found of nominations,
which appear to have taken effect, but with regard
to which, from the death of some of the parties, or
from deficiency of proof is other particulars, your
Committee are unable to ascertain the names of the
persons who were sent out to India. It is a satisfac-
tion to your Committee, throughout the whole evi-
dence, to remark nothing which traces any one of
these corrupt or improper bargains to any Director,
or induces a reasonable suspicion that it was done with
the privity or connivance of any Member of that
Court. Several negociations which never took effect
will be found alluded to, or detailed in parts of the
evidence ; which it was thought proper not to reject
under the comprehensive directions that your Com-
mittee should inquire into any agreement, negociation
or bargain, direct or indirect, for the sale of such no-
minations ;" and when such information was receiv-
ed, they deemed it inexpedient to withhold it from the
House, though they are fully aware that their desire
of opening every channel of inquiry has led to an ex-
tent of examination, and to a mass of evidence, from
which much might be retrenched without detriment,
if it had been easy to establish a satisfactory principle
of omission, or abridgement, which might have left
nothing wholly irrelevant or trifling, while it com-
prehended whatever might be interesting either to
this House, or to the East India Company.
' WRITERS.

---
Mr. Edward Jamie. Smith yes., nominated a water to Bengal
in the season 1806-7, by Mr. G. W. Thellusson ; the appointment
was given to his first cousin, Mr. Emperor J. A. Woodford, who
sold the appointment for £3500, through the agency of Mr. Ta-
hourdin, Solicitor, vitro received £too out of that sum.
The other persons concerned in this negotiation tvere Mr.
Wimbourn and Mr. I.aing.
Mr. Fry Magniac was nominated writer to B-ngal, in 1807-8,
by Mr. G. W. Thellusson ; this appointment was also given to
the same Mr. Woedford, and sold through the agency of Mr. Ta-
hourdin.

Mr. Beale was the purchaser, and the sum paid by him was
3500 guineas; of which Mr. Woodford received £9OOO, Mr. Ta-
hourdin £150; the remainder was divided between Mr. Dono-
van and Mr. Garrat.
Mr. Henry Gardiner was nominated a writer to Madras by
Mr. J. W. Thellusson, in the season 1807-8.
This appointment was likewise given to Mr. Woodford, and
£3OOO was received for it from Mrs. Gardiner by Mr. 'labour-
din, for his own use; but upon an undertaking that be is to pro-
cure the next presentation of a living of the value of £3OO per ann.
fur a friend of Mr.Woodfurd's. Mr.Boase, a partner in the house
of Messrs. Ransom & Co. was privy to the bargain between Mr.
Tabourdin and Mrs. Gardiner. Mr. Greenslade received an ap-
pointment for Ceylon, in the way of exchange for this writer-
ship, which is the occasion of his name appearing in the trans-
action.