§ MR. GREGORYsaid, he would beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, Why the Clauses which he intimated would be added to the Harbours Bill, to enable Harbour Commissioners in Ireland to borrow money for the Improvement of Harbours in that country, have not been added; and, whether any such Clauses were sent to the Irish Office for consideration; and, it so what course was taken there about them?
§ MR. MILNER GIBSONsaid, that the Government were desirous of extending the districts in Ireland to rate themselves, and so afford a security for loans under the Harbours Improvement Bill, and a Clause had been prepared for that purpose by the Board of Works in Ireland. It was afterwards sent to the Irish Law Officers of the Crown, and they saw a great deal of difficulty with regard to the question, because it would provide new areas of taxation; so that on the whole the Government had thought it better to give up the Clause, rather than delay the passing of the Bill. But so far as the measure itself went, whatever advantages were possessed by England would be extended to Ireland. The object of the Board of Trade was to extend a special advantage to Ireland, and he was sorry they had failed to do so.