HC Deb 21 February 1860 vol 156 cc1541-3

Order for Committee read.

Motion made and Question proposed, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair."

MR. BLACKBURN

objected that this Bill had been read a second time before it was printed, or in the hands of Members. The object of it was to shift the expenses attending the annual revision of the valuation of rateable property in Ireland from the Irish counties to the Consolidated Fund. He thought that it was too important a measure to pass through Committee under such circumstances, and he should move as an Amendment, that the Bill go into Committee on that day six months.

Amendment proposed,— To leave out from the word 'That,' to the end of the Question, in order to add the words this House will, upon this day six months, resolve itself into the said Committee,' instead thereof.

Question proposed, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question."

MR. LAING

said, that the valuation referred to by the Bill, was used for Imperial as well as for other purposes, and it was only fair that the public should bear one moiety of the cost of its annual revision. The amount which the Treasury would have to pay could not exceed £5,000, and it would practically be much less. He hoped therefore the House would go into Committee.

SIR HENRY WILLOUGHBY

said, he would remind the hon. Secretary of the Treasury that when the Bill was about being read a second time in a House of only a few Members, he asked him what it meant, and he was told that it was to provide for a moiety of the expense of the annual revision of the valuation of rateable property being paid out of the Consolidated Fund. Now, he asked the Secretary of the Treasury whether he had told him the truth on that occasion. The Secretary of the Treasury appeared to him to exercise more power than the chief officers of the Government. He found that the Bill went much further—that it threw the whole of the expense upon the Consolidated Fund, with the exception of the comparatively trifling expense attending the preparing and furnishing copies of the lists of valuation to the various treasurers of counties and grand juries.

COLONEL DUNNE

said, there was a mistake in the wording of the Bill, which might be corrected so as to meet the objections of the hon. Baronet. The object of the Bill was clearly to lay one moiety of the expenses in question on the Consolidated Fund, and the other on the counties.

MR. LAING

said, on the bringing up of the Report of the Committee he should be prepared with an alteration of the wording which would remove the ground of exception taken by the hon. Baronet.

COLONEL GREVILLE

said, he hoped the hon. Baronet would withdraw his opposition to the Bill. The sum involved was very small, and he trusted that the objection would not be further urged.

SIR EDWARD GROGAN

said, he should support the Bill. The clause in question was certainly very obscure, but he thought the intention of the Government with reference to it was perfectly clear.

Amendment by leave withdrawn.

Main Question put, and agreed to.

House in Committee.

MR. LAING

explained that one moiety of the expense of the valuation would be borne by the Government and the other by the grand jury.

MR. BLACKBURN

thought that if half the expense of the valuation in Ireland were paid by the Government, the same relief ought to be given as respected Scotland and England.

MR. O'BRIEN

said, he could not help observing that if ever there was a measure on which all the Irish Members were agreed, and it was not often the case, it was generally some Scotch Gentleman who interfered in the matter. The hon. Member for Stirlingshire was a member of the late Government, who, when in power, promised everything in favour of the Irish interest.

MR. BLACKBURN

said, he had never found Irish Members wanting in unanimity in getting money from the Consolidated Fund. He must repeat that he did not see the justice of the provision in question.

House resumed; Committee report progress.

The House adjourned at One o'clock.