§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ *THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. JACKSON,) Leeds, N.The House will, perhaps, allow me to give a short explanation of this Bill. There is one Poor Law school in Ireland, at Trim, under the joint management of two Boards of Guardians, and the managers in the one Union have no power to charge to the rates the travelling expenses incurred in the duties of management. All that the Bill does is to confer that power—a power similar to that which exists in this country. It is much desired, and I think there is no objection to the Second Reading.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."—(Mr. Jackson.)
§ (12.0.) MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)The Bill seems to have something of the character of a new experiment. The right hon. Gentleman says the system contemplated in the Bill is one which is in operation in England.
§ *MR. JACKSONThe payment of expenses.
§ MR. SEXTONI have some acquaintance with the proceedings of Boards of Guardians in Ireland, but I do not know that the expenses of the Guardians are ever supposed to fall on the public funds. The case the right hon. Gentleman desires to meet has arisen, he says, only in one Union; but he has not said whether the Bill is introduced at the instance of the Guardians of that Union. The Bill 1085 will have a general application, and, on the whole, I hope the right hon. Gentleman will consent to the postponement for a day or two, that we may have the opportunity to consider it in its application to the 160 Poor Law Unions, and whether the ratepayers approve of such expenditure.
§ Second Reading deferred till Thursday next.