§ MR. LABOUCHEREthen moved, pursuant to notice, for leave to bring in a Bill to provide for removing the charge of the constabulary force in Ireland from the counties, and for enlarging the reserve force; and to make further provision for the regulation and disposition of the said constabulary force. They would all recollect that the late Government had pledged itself to the counties of Ireland to introduce such a Bill. The Government had thought it necessary, after consulting competent authorities, to ask for the discretionary power of adding about two hundred men to the reserve body of the present constabulary force in Ireland. But these and all the other details of the subject, into which he did not then think it necessary to enter, would be better and more fully explained in the Bill itself than by any statement which he could make.
§ MR. BROTHERTONthought the principle of this Bill was objectionable. It was wrong, he thought, to ask such a town, for instance, as Manchester, which paid 30,000l. a year towards the expenses of its own police force, or other towns similarly circumstanced, to contribute to the support of the metropolitan police, or the police of Ireland.
The O'CONOR DONsaid, the hon. Member ought to have made his objection to this measure during the discussions on the repeal of the Corn Laws, when Sir R. Peel had introduced it expressly as a proposition 371 affording some compensation to a country upon which the intended Corn Bill was likely to press so severely.
§ COLONEL SIBTHORPsaid that, in his opinion, the promised compensation to Ireland for the passing of the new Corn Bill, savoured very much of bribery. He agreed with the hon. Member for Salford, that Ireland ought to pay the cost of maintaining her own police.
§ House adjourned at a quarter to Ten o'clock.