SEED POTATOES SUPPLY (IRELAND) BILL.

HC Deb 28 February 1895 vol 31 cc127-9

Considered in Committee;

SIR JULIAN GOLDSMID in the Chair.

(In the Committee.)

Clause 3:—

And, it being Midnight, the Chairman left the Chair to make his Report to the House.

Committee report Progress—

Resolved,—That this House will immediately resolve itself into Committee on the Bill.

Bill further considered in Committee—

Question again proposed, "That Clause 3 stand part of the Bill."

The House went into Committee on the above Bill.

SIR JULIAN GOLDSMID in the Chair.

Clause 6.

MR. T. SEXTON (Kerry, N.),

said the Chief Secretary had promised to consider the question of the time to be allowed to the Guardians, and to the occupiers to whom advances would be made by the Guardians, for the repayment of the advances. The loan was to be repaid by two equal instalments—the first to be paid on August 1 of next year, and the second on August 1, 1897; so that, so far as the Guardians were concerned, there was a period of two years allowed. Clause 6 provided for the repayment by the occupier to the Boards of Guardians, in two instalments, and payable when the first ordinary rate was struck after 1st July in the present year and the following year. That rate was usually struck in August or September.

It being now Twelve of the Clock, the Chairman left the Chair, and the House resumed.

THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. J. MORLEY, Newcastle-upon-Tyne) moved, "That the House do resolve itself into Committee on the Seed Potatoes Supply (Ireland) Bill."

Motion agreed to.

MR. T. SEXTON (Kerry, N.)

resuming, said, that the repayment would become due before the occupiers had realised the value of the property. Any occupier would be liable to be pressed for the payment of his first instalment by the Boards of Guardians in the August of this year; and for his second instalment in August of next year, so that his assured period of repayment was only 1½ not 2 years. Owing to the prevalent high prices, the payment of the instalments would consume half the crop in each year, and this would be a great hardship and oppression to the small occupiers. He had recently been among the people of Kerry, and they had urged him to beg for some extension of the Bill in this respect. He proposed to alter "2" to "3," so as to make the loans repayable in three equal instalments. He knew that a subsequent clause allowed the Lord Lieutenant to give a term of grace to any particular Board or occupier. But that proposal would be very cumbersome, and it might not meet cases of great need. This was only a small matter as far as the Government were concerned.

Mr. J. MORLEY

explained that he did not think the hardship anticipated would arise, and, having consulted those who had had experience on former occa- sions, he regretted that he must adhere to the provision in the Bill.

SIR M. E. HICKS-BEACH

concurred in the decision of the Chief Secretary, but hoped that, after the facilities that had been given for Government business, the consideration of the matter would be postponed if there was to be any further discussion on it.

MR. T. SEXTON

rose to express his regret at the decision of the Chief Secretary, but cries of "Progress" were raised on the Conservative benches.

Progress then reported.