OFFICES IN REVERSION BILL.

HC Deb 29 June 1807 vol 9 cc669-70

On the motion of Mr. Bankes, the resolution of the 24th of March last against granting Offices in reversion, was read, and leave was given to bring in a bill, similar to that pending when the late parliament was dissolved, for carrying the resolution into a law.

Sir John Newport

took this opportunity of stating, that in the bill introduced by him in the last session, for abolishing certain useless offices, and for the better Regulation of other offices in Ireland, one had been omitted, which he had since found ought to have been included. He meant the office of Surveyor and Inspector of the River Ken mare; an office created a few years since, and granted to Sir Boyle Roche and J. Aylmer, esq. with benefit of survivorship. There was no Surveyor or Inspector, of the same description, for any other river in Ireland: it was quite a sinecure, with a salary of £300 a year, It had been, he knew not how, omitted in the Report of the Commissioners of Inquiry in Ireland, and therefore omitted in the bill brought in by him on that report.

Mr. Herbert (of Kerry)

said, that the river Kenmare lay principally in the county he had the honour to represent. Its course was forty miles long, and above five or six broad, with numberless creeks, and without a single Revenue Office in its vicinity to controul the smuggling exercised upon it, till this office had been created. The smuggling had, shortly after the appointment, been greatly reduced.

Lord H. Petty

was aware of the smuggling upon the river Kenmare; but that was a stronger reason for suppressing a useless sinecure, and substituting an active prevention.

Mr. Herbert

explained. He meant that some inspection was necessary, The smug- gling was not now so considerable as it had been before the creation of this office.

Sir Arthur Wellesley

said this office appeared, from what had been said, to be one of those that ought to be regulated, rather than suppressed. It was, however, subject to the disposal of parliament, as the vacancy created by the death of sir Boyle Roche had not been filled up, unless it had been by the late ministers.