§ MR. W. A. MACDONALD (Queen's Co., Ossory)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the Government have finally decided on the purpose to which they intend to devote the £127,000 granted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the relief of local taxation in Ireland; how the money will be distributed; and, what machinery will be employed for carrying out the distribution?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)Sir, the £127,000 granted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be in the main substantially devoted to the relief of local taxation; and I am afraid I cannot make any statement to the House on the subject at present.
§ MR. W. A. MACDONALDcalled the right hon. Gentleman's attention to the fact that the Chancellor of the Exchequer expressed the idea that this sum might be devoted to the relief in some measure of the county cess; and he wished to know whether that project was now before the Government?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid, of course county cess was a form of local taxation; and as the £127,000 was to be devoted to the relief of local taxation, the diminution of county cess would be one of the subjects which the Government would take into consideration.
§ MR. W. A. MACDONALDHow soon will the right hon. Gentleman be able to give the information to the House?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid, the information would be given in ample time for discussion.