§ MR. HASSARDsaid, he wished to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer; Whether be intends to act upon the recommendations contained in the Report of the Select Committee on County Rates (Ireland) presented in July, 1858; and if he intends to take a vote in the Estimates for that purpose?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, that the question, so far as he was concerned, could be very easily answered. The Treasury had accepted in 793 principle many months ago the recommendations of the Committee. At the end of February last they received a letter from the Irish Government, which was answered on the 4th of March. Since that letter was sent no communication had been received from the Irish Government, but within the last three weeks a fresh copy was sent to the Under Secretary at Dublin, and no doubt he would be instructed to reply. He was unable to say, without communication with the Irish Government, whether there would be any Vote this year to carry out the recommendations in the Report, or whether there would be a Bill to regulate the details of any new system which the House might think fit to establish.