Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-22
NEW GOVERNMENT For IRELAND.
BaIf0ur's Bill Introduced in English
Parliament Yesterday. =

b1I1Ouf'o Bill IntfO0uce0 IN English
Parliament Yesterday. -. = 2
dispatch from Londcn yesterday. said:
| The house Of commons was crowded today
| when the chief secretary for Ireland, Mr.
Gerald Balfour introduced the Irish local
government bill. In so doing he said he
| thought it possible that the new order of
| things would at first seem to be failure.
hut, he added. he believed 1t would work
! through failure to the success which it de-
served. and which would be the beginning
| of better and brighter days for Ireland.
The government, Mr.. Balfour continued.
roposed that the local administration be
| distributed between county councils, urban
and rural district councils and boards Of
| guardians, the election of which would be by
| parliamentary franchise. with the addition
| of peers and women. The qualifications
ard disqualification for election cOun-
| cilors would be the same as in Engls nd,
except that ministers of religion would be
| disqualified from sitting in the county OF
district council. the government acting
therein in accordance with precedentS.
For the sake of convenience, Mr.. Dalfour
| further explained. the boundaries of the ex-
listing unions and also of the counties would
be modified. and the county councils would
| ta Ike over the duties of grand juries. but
only in fiscal matters. and would not in
Guide criminal Jurisdiction or questions of
compensation for malicious injuries. Urisl
trict councils would be triennial and all
would retire together. The county councils
would be the sole rate collecting authority
and would control the expenditure. They
would also be responsible for dealing with
exceptional distress. and would decide when
the requests of boards of guardians foc
outdoor relief should be granted Dublin
Belfast. Cork. Limerick. Londonderry and
Waterford would be constituted indepen-
dent county councils. The county would be
responsible for half the extra expenditure.
Mr.. Balfour also pointed out that the bill
provided that the occupier was liable to
both the county cess and poor rate wheth-
e- in town rural district. which would
involve a readjustment of rents, an equal
sum to be granted from the imperial ex-
chequer as an agricultural grant.
Mr.. Balfour said he thought the bill was
based upon broad, democratic lines. adding
that if cxtravagances occurred those re-
sponsible for them would bear the burden
while they would reap the benefits of any
economy. -"'H
Mr.. John Morley, former chief secretary
for Ireland in the late liberal administra-
ticn. welcomed the bill as being genuine
democratic effort
Mr.. John Dillon chairman of the Irish
pc Parliamentary party, said he thought the
measure was an immense advance over the
til of 1892. and fulfilled the promises of the
government: but. he claimed 1t was not
equal to the English and Scotch measures.
He pointed out that control of the police
vas not given to the councils. Neverthe-
less. he added. the bill would do much good,
and his party would endeavor to execute it
in good faith
Mr.. John Redmond. the Parnellite lead
er. also welcomed the bill. but he criticised
some points of the bill He added that If
it worked successfully it would be an un-
answerable argument in favor of home
rule
Col. Edward j. Saunderson. conservative,
me mber for North Armagh said ma jority
OF the landlords recognized the necessity OF
the measure. which, he added offered an
OF portunity for all classes of Irishmen to
unite for common purpose
Mr.. Timothy Healy, Irish nationalist
member for North Louth, praised the bill,
and Mr.. Michael Davitt, Irish nationalist.
threatened opposition to the part of the
bill promising relief to the landlords in the
shape of an agricultural grant
The bill eventually passed its first read
ing.