The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-05-04
by the King.
V.-The Preserved Services"

| Some of the Preserved Services
mentioned above will. and others need
not. always remain free from the con-
troll of the Irish Government.
| l. AS regards the administration of
the Old Age Pension Act and the Ma
tional Insurance Act, the Irish Par
lament may ask for the control of
those services or either of them, and
thereupon both or either, as the case
may be. will be controlled by the Irish
Government,
| 2. AS regards the Royal Irish Con-
stabulary, that force shall, after six
years, be transferred automatically to
Irish control: and
J. AS regards the only department
of the Post Office in Ireland which is
not handed over at once--namely, the
Savings Bank Department that de-
partment will be handed over after a
certain fixed period, IL the Irish Par
lament asks for the transfer Nhe
postponement of the transfer will
prevent an Orange run on the Irish
Post Office Banks); but the transfer
will not cast any additional burden
on Ireland. because the cost of each
service transferred will be added to
the Transferred Sum-" and, as part
of the Transferred Sum-" will be
paid over yearly to the Irish Elk
chequer
Take. as an illustration, the case
of the Old Age Pensions. Suppose
that the Irish Parliament asked that
that matter should he transferred to
Irish control. The transfer would
thereupon be made, and the cost
say, IA millions-would be added
to the transferred Sum-" and handed
over to the Irish Exchequer. Sup
pose next that the Irish Parliament
thought that. as regards all future
pensioners, the rates of pensions ought
to be lowered, or that the restrictions
on pensions ought to be increased
and that it saved a quarter Of a mil
ion yearly by such steps. That saw
ing would not he deducted from the
transferred Sum" which would con-
tlnue to be paid In full; it would on
the contrary, BE available for other
Irish purposes, SUCH for instance, as
drainage: or 1t might be used to re-
duce taxation. Similarly, savings in
the cost of the Constabulary might
be used for purposes of education.
V.-The Collection of tho Irish
Revenue.
1t will have been seen that the COL
lection of the Irish revenue will con-
tinue in Imperial hands, and the
Whole-souled enthusiasts who have
been asking for complete control" of
Customs and Excise will probably
catch at this last straw, In the effort
to save themselves from drowning.
There are, however, such solid at1van-
tages attaching to this provision that
they will, in the opinion of all sens
IDLE Nationalist, far outweigh any
merely sentimental or even practical
objections.
O 1t will save the Irish Excheq-
uer 100000 year;
(2) 1t will come to an end, pre-
sumably. with the new arrangements
to be made when the Irish deficit has
ceased to exist:
(3) 1t can lead to no cheating, be-
cause the work Of collection will he
checked by new arrangements to be
made for ascertaining. under the aus
pieces of the Joint Excheuuer Board
the proper revenue Of Ireland;
N II the Imperial Government
asks for the collection Temporarily
OF the Irish revenue as a sort of
guarantee for the vast loans for Irish
Land Purchase, it is only just that
such a guarantee should be given.
V.-Irish Exchequer.
1t is scarcely necessary to say that
there will be a separate Irish Exche-
quer and separate Irish Consolidated
Fund.
VIl.-Revision of Financial ARRANGE
ments.
The arrangements just summarized
are not to last forever. They are to
be revised when Irish revenue has
begun to exceed Irish expenditure.
When that takes place. there will be
revision, with the double object of
fixing Ireland's future contribution
and extending the powers OF the Irish
government and parliament in the
matter of taxation.
WII.-Conclusion.
These are the chief features of the
financial scheme of the latest Home
Rule Bill. They are such that the
scheme cannot be rejected, and will
be heartily welcomed by at least the