Star.
London, England, 1831-03-19 00:00:00

DI3TRESS..--111ELAND.

Mr. D. BROWNE presented petitions from Moyle and other places
in the county of Mayo, complaining of the extensive distress in Reels.
Theme distresses had reached a most frightful height. The people
did not ask for ntor.ey in relief without giving value in return ; they
only asked for employment ; and he was confident an outlay of public
money in public works would greatly relieve the public distress and
would be repaid.
Mr. J. SMITH supported the petition, and said that he had letters
from Ireland, which confirmed the facts, and maintained that the poor
lsws only would relieve Ireland.
Mr. GRATTAN thought the time was come for the establishment
of poor laws in Ireland.
Mr. LRADER said, as an Irish Gentleman he was overwhelmed
with shame at the constant call on British sympathy. He hoped
that some permar.ent measure would be establi►hed to relieve the
poor of Ireland.
Mr G. DAWSON thought that grand juries ought to be allowed
to raise money for public works.
Mt. O'CONNELL declared that in this part of Ireland famine was
waking frightful progrtsa. There was no country in the world that pro-
d 'Aced so large a quantity of the necessaries of life, and yet cape.
kiic,rd so much distress, snit where the people so badly subsisted.

Lord A LTHORP said that the distress of Ireland had attracted
the serious attention of Government, but there was nothing that had
occurred which it was more difficult for the Government to decide
upon, or interfere in. It was, however, still the most serious con-
sideration of the Government. (Hear, hear.) If it should be found
to be possible to grant the relief required, the Government would be
happy to concede it.
Mr. HODGES considered that Ireland could only be permanently
relieved by poor laws. (Hear.)
Sir M. ii . RIDLEY hoped that the time was near when poor laws
w itiki be introduced into Ireland. (Beat.)
A:r. BENNET cor.tended, that it was only by Poor Laws that
absentees could be made to contribute in some degree to the due
voriiitenance of the establishments of their country, and to the relief
of the toot.
Mr. RUTHVEN considered that Poor Laws must be ests-
Wished in Ireland, fur the preservation of the lives of tbe poor.—
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. SADLER observed, how constantly recurring was the distress
of Ire:hind, and maintained that the difficulty could only be relieved or
remedied by a regular provision for the poor.
Mr. HUME complained, that the time was occupied with dis-
cussions about Poor Laws for Ireland, when from five till seven
o'clock had been set apart for the receiving of Reform petitions.—
lie hoped they would forthwith proceed to receive such petitioos.—
( Hear.)
Petitions received, and ordered to lie on the table.
Sir R BATESON presented a petition front Derry, complaining
of the tolls of their bridge having been misapplied.
Mr. HODGES presented petitions from Deptford, Greenwich,
and Woolwich, Woodchurch, &e. in Kent, in favour of the Bliniste-
rid plan of Reform. (Hear. Ordered to lie on the table.
Alf. H. HOPE presented a petition from East Looe, in the county
of Cornwall, against the Ministerial plan of Reform.
Mr. C. BUTLER 'thee presented two petitioos Nom places in
Yorkshire, in favour of the Ministerial plan of Reform. (Hear, hear.)

I

TAXES ON NEWSPAPERS.
Mr. C. BULLER presented a petition from Coventry for the en.
tire abolition of taxes on knowledge—namely, on newspapers and ad-
vertisements. If the subject were brought forward to night—he under-
stood it was not likely to be moved this evening. He should persevere
in his motion to move a further reduction of the newspaper stamp and
advertisement duties than was to be proposed by the Chancellor of the
Exchequer. He trusted that the Government would well reflect on
this measure before it was brought forward.
Mr. HUNT said he bad several petitions on this subject to present ;
but be had not got them with him, because he had understood that the
evening previously to public business was to be devoted to receiving
petitions respecting Reform. When the hon. member's (Mr. Huller's)
proposition was brought forward he should support it.
Petition ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. FRF.SHFIELD presented a petition from the borough of
Penryn, complaining of a former petition that had been presented to
the honourable house, which it was alleged had been got up in an im-
proper manner, and that It had been unduly signed.
Lord A LTHOKP explained that the petition complained of had,
been presented by mistake on account of its having been mixed in
bundle of other petitions.
Mr. HUNT said that all this arose from the manner in which peti-
tions were presented in the house; there was no time allowed either
for reading or explaining their contents. High treason might be put
into the bag without the knowledge of the house.
Mr. HU MR moved that when the house adjourned it should meet
to-morrow (this day) at twelve o'clock.
The SPEA JERK suggested that if such was the ease that the
house should not confine itself to receiving one particular description of
petitions, but it should receive petitions generally.
After some conversation the motion was agreed to.
The house resolved itself into a Committee on the Sugar Duty bill.
The Colonial bill also passed through a committee, in the course of
which a long conversation took place on the word " temporary"
being introduced into a resolution that applied to duties on goods im-
ported into the West Indies.

iHr. POULET THOMPSON defended the insertion of the word.
on account of its being contemplated that the duties should be reduced
in 1834

Mr. ROBINSON contended that the resolution should make the
duty as if permanent, as it was in the power of the house afterwards to
revise the law and to reduce the duty. He said, that et the proper time
he would divide the house upon the question.
Mr. P. THOMSON gave a long explanation, in which he insisted
that the course proposed to be adopted was the fairest for the parties
concerned, as it made the law understood, that a change would certainly
take place at the period named, and consequently that those interested.
in the trade could make their arrangements acceordingly.
Mr. K. DOUGLAS said a few words, expressing his disapprobation
of the word being suffered to remain in the resolution.
Mr. M. FITZGERALD took the same side, and said that he was
favourable to the protecting duties on the colonial importations being
made permanent.
After a few words from Mr. S. RICE and Mr. FITZGERALD,
Mr. GOULBURN objected to the fixing the duration of a tax.
Lord ALTHORP said, that the fixing of it would not act as
a bar to any change which it might please Parliament subsequently
to make.

After an amendment from Mr. ROBINSON, that the word " tem-
porary" be left out, which, after eliciting a few observations, was with.
drawn, and another from Mr. HU ME, that " the protecting duties
cease on the first of January, 1834," which was negatived without a
division, the clause was agreed to.
The house resumed, and the report of the committee was ordered to
be received on Monday next..