The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-12-13

A Description OF the System Now op-
Grated From Dublin Castle.

The system Of local government In Ireland
according to description In a work on the
Dublin Castle System" published by the
Irish Loyal and Patriotic Union. diners
from the American system in these particu-
lars;
In the United States regulations have
grown, as II were, from below, while the
British and Irish regulations have branched
downward from above The system In
America originated in townships and small
local bodies, whence the States and ultimate
ly the Federal system grew Here, how
ever, the Imperial Parliament Is the most
important feature. BY the delegation Of Its
powers, local bodies have become possessed
OF jurisdiction; therefore all such bodies In
Ireland are the creatures or the creations Of
Parliament. The Grand Jury system, which
originally partook Of the character Of a local
institution, has had its power fashioned and
directed by Parliament The same applies
to municipal and union government In the
United States, however, in the development
Of local life, the requirements OF the moment
have been met by arrangements considered
The local government OF Ireland Is cIassed
under four heads, namely. county admins
tration, town administration, union admin
administration. These are managed by
boards. The union Is the most important.
and It's representatives have frequently been
Increased, while the county has seldom re-
celyed new powers. Indeed. many county
matters have been transferred either to the
union or Imperial exchequer during the last
half century. The county organization, how
ever, surpasses the union In antiquity, ex-
tent and amount Of taxation.
The local authorities in the counties are
divided into those managing fiscal affairs
and those locally administering justice. The
nscal powers are the grand juries and pre-
sentiment sessions The grand jury Is the
principal body. II Is appointed BY the sher-
ms Tor each assize from E5O.freehOlders or
9lOO leaseh0lders Of the county, and must
not exceed twenty-three members. The
presentment sessions are either baronlal or
county-at-large sessions. The barOnlal ses-
sions are composed Of magistrates and the
highest eesspayers Of each barony. The
eounty-at-large sessions are composed Of
istrates desiring 70 attend. These sessions
deal with expenditures for the benefit Of the
barOny and works chargeable upon the en-
tire county. Presentments when adopted BY
the sessions are sent up TO the jury, who
have no authority 10 Initiate expenditures
but almost absolute control over two-thirds
OF the presentments sent them on behalf OF
the cOunty-at-large IL an application for
presentment Is twice refused BY the sessions,
the applicant may appeal 10 an assize Judge,
who would refer the matter TO an ordinary
Jury and ultimately 10 the grand Jury. One
fourth Of the money presented Is for h0spi-
tails, charities, repayment Of government
loans etc. These payments are made OBJ
llgatory on the grand jury by an act Of Par
lament.
The chief magistrate Of county Is its
Lord Lieutenant, who In q large measure
control the m tlitia, makes recommendations
10 justices, etc. The High Sheriff Is the
representative OF the Sovereign in each
county In the execution Of the law, conducts
party elections, selects the grand jury, etc.
He Is appointed annually. The county court
judge, the justice Of the peace, the coroner.
the Crown solicitor. and the clerk Of the
petty sessions are also associated In the Lon
don government; The union to administer
poor relief, the chief form Of local govern
ment, was created in 1888, when the princl-
pie adopted was to take as a centre the chief
town and each port attaching thereto In the
rural districts within radius Of ten miles,
the only limit being that no town might
be divided Hence the townland unit In
ireland Is the same as the parish unit In Eng
land, the exclusion Of the latter preventing
Inequalities so obvious. In England town
lands are grouped into electoral divisions,
each being chargeable for the support Of pau
pers residing therein four years out OF the
five previous 70 receiving relief II they
have not 50 resided, Il Is charged on the un-
ion as whole, which supports pauper luna
tics, the blind. etc. Outdoor relief Is, In
large measure, charged on the electoral di-
vision. The administration Of poor law re-
Hel tnIOuBhOug lfelanu IS Qirectcu ana gov
erned by body appointed by the VicerOy
and styled the Local Government Board"
which fixes the number OF elected guardians
in each division and also the qualification Of
the candidate.
The chief local authority Of the union Is
the Board Of Guardians, which holds a meet
ing weekly and Is composed partly Of elect
ed and partly Of ex-oiilclO guardians. The .
qualification for guardianship varies from f6
to $50 annual property value, with the av-
erage about so. Both occupiers and own
who are justicec residing In the union are
not allowed TO exceed In number the elected
members. Committees consisting Of guardi-
ans and ratepayers discharge various func-
tions. Each union has a staff Of paid officers
elected by the guardians, but subject TO veto
or removal by the Local Government Board.
The latter may, In case Of default, summari-
ly dismiss guardians and substitute vice or
paid guardians.
In addition to the foregoing there are also
municipal authorities, as Mayor, Aldermen
OF Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Limerick, London
derry, Waterford, Kilkenny, DrOgheda, Wex-
ford, Sligo and ClOnmel. While these have
special corporations of their own, called mu-
nieipal councils, several other towns are
governed IN similar way, but ON less adj
vanced scale, by town commissioners. 9th
er town authorities are High Sherlms Of
towns, who are appointed similar to those
oi counties. and borough magistrates ap-
pointed by the Lord Chancellor. In Ire
land municipal councils and town commis-
siOners take the place Of the Grand jury in
counties, levying rates for lighting and clean
Ing the streets, etc.
This Is q short summary Of local govern
ment In Ireland. Owing TO the diversity In
the systems which mark the arrangements
in the United States II would be impossible
to draw strong and perfect contrast be-
tween them and the Irish systems.