§ MR. MONSELL, in moving that the Speaker should leave the chair for the purpose of the House resolving itself into Committee upon this Bill, begged to state that the object of it was to alter the law with regard to certain collections of county cess. The collectors were obliged, on their appointment, to give their bonds with 533 security for the payment of the full amount named in their warrants; but the distress of the last three or four years in Ireland having caused a great deal of land to be thrown out of cultivation, they were unable to collect the cess. He would give one instance of a barony in the county of Limerick, containing upwards of 9,000 acres, of which no less than 3,000 acres were now lying waste. Under these circumstances a Bill had been introduced last Session to protect the collectors from being obliged to make up the difference out of their own pockets, which they would be actually compelled to do under the existing law; but from the lateness of the period at which it passed (the close of July), some of the assizes had terminated before the Act came into operation; and as the provisions could only be complied with at the assizes, the collectors in the districts where they had terminated were deprived of its advantages. The present Bill was, therefore, intended to place those districts upon precisely the same footing as the remainder of the kingdom; and the tribunal to which he proposed to refer the collectors was, in the first instance, a committee of three of the grand jury, who should examine the statement of the collector as to the amount likely to be obtained, and refer the final adjudication to the full grand jury.
§ MR. BROTHERTONmoved the adjournment of the House.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."
§ MR. SULLIVANseconded the Motion.
§ LORD NAASobjected to going into Committee on the ground that the Bill had not been printed, and he thought it an objectionable measure.
§ COL. DUNNEremarked that the Bill was read a second time by mistake.
§ SIR. W. SOMERVILLEobserved that if the Bill were to pass at all, it was necessary that no time should be lost. Everybody seemed to agree in the necessity of passing such a Bill, and, therefore, unless hon. Gentlemen really intended to throw out the Bill, he hoped they would go on with it to-night.
§ MR. STAFFORDsaid he could bear testimony to the necessity of the case.
§ Motion, by leave, withdrawn.
§ Bill considered in Committee, and reported without Amendment; to be read 3o To-morrow.
534§ The House adjourned at a quarter after One o'clock.