Lords Sitting of 15 March 1849

MINUTES.
PUBLTC BILLS.—1aSpirits (Ireland).
PETITIONS PRESENTED. From Tipperary, Waterford, Londonderry, and other Places, against the proposed Rate in Aid (Ireland) Bill.—From Ely, and Witchford, for the Adoption of Measures for the Relief of the Agricultural Classes.—Prom Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Gateshead, for the Repeal of the Duty on Paper.—From the Clergy and Laity of the Church of England, that Art. 11. Sec, 3, Cap. 2. may be expunged from the Criminal Law Consolidation Bill.

PROPERTY TAX—(IRELAND).
The EARL of WICKLOW The EARL of WICKLOW moved for a return of all assessments under Schedule D. to the property tax, for property drawn from Ireland in the three years ending 6th April, 1848; and also a return of the amount of property tax deducted on dividends paid at the Bank of Ireland to the credit of persons residing in England. He had been informed that there were no returns kept in the office of the Board of Taxes of the revenue so drawn from Ireland. He had heard, but no doubt the statement had been greatly exaggerated, that no less than 8,000,000 l. of property drawn from Ireland was subject to the property tax in this country. No doubt a very large amount drawn from Ireland was subject to that tax; and therefore now, when an obnoxious and unconstitutional rate was sought to be imposed on Ireland, on the sole plea that no property tax was paid by that country, it behoved those who derived benefit from that source of revenue to state its amount. It might be said he was moving for a return which would cut from under his feet the main arguments against the proposed tax; but he was convinced that if a property tax were imposed on Ireland like that now levied in England, the balance over and above the return of property for which he now moved would be much greater than any revenue which would ever be obtained by the rate in and. He was sure the Government did not wish to
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deprive Ireland of the credit due to her for the amount of revenue which she contributed to the Imperial Treasury; but he must mention this fact that an Irish proprietor having stock in the Bank of England, had only to transfer it to the Irish funds, to withdraw it entirely from the liability to pay property tax. That seemed to him to be an anomaly, and certainly it was a premium on absenteeism. If an Irish proprietor—unless he were a Member of the Legislature—for whom an allowance was made—resided in England for a week, he was liable to the property tax; but if he took his family to Germany, Italy, or any part of the Continent, he was entirely free from it. This, no doubt, induced Irishmen to take their families abroad. If the Tax Office should make the same excuse which they had made before, namely, that there was no column to show the country from which the revenue was drawn, he hoped the Government would give them instructions to insert another column, with with a view to ascertain the Irish property which under Schedule D, became liable to the property tax in England.
The MARQUESS of LANSDOWNEsaid, his noble Friend had given him no notice of his intention to move for these returns, but he had no objection to their being made, "so far as the same can be made up." There were separate sources from which this tax was drawn, and he believed that instructions had already been given to keep a separate account of the taxation paid by the two countries.
LORD MONTEAGLEsaid, the fact was that since the growth of steam navigation the character of the commerce with Ireland had entirely changed. Prior to that period the duties on foreign and other imports were paid in the respective ports of Ireland; but now the English merchant was the party through whom the goods were supplied from the warehouses, and though the duties were paid in England still the Irish merchant in an indirect manner paid them, though this did not appear in the Irish returns of revenue. He had often wished that a separate account could be made out that would show what Ireland really contributed to the general taxation of the country.
Returns, as amended, ordered.
House adjourned till To-morrow.