COMMITTEE.—REPORT. (Hansard, 16 March 1860)

§ LORD REDESDALE
wished to know what was the precise object of this Bill. It was entitled "An Act to defray one moiety of the expense of the annual revision of the valuation of rateable property in Ireland out of the Consolidated Fund." He wished to know why these expenses, which in all other parts of the country were defrayed by local charges, should in Ireland be paid out of the public revenue.

THE DUKE OF ARGYLL
said, he confessed he had felt some reluctance to take charge of an Irish Bill; but he had done so in this instance, not expecting that any opposition would be made to it. The valuation of Ireland, which was one of the most important and useful works of its kind in Europe, had been accomplished entirely at the expense of local proprietors. But the annual revision of the valuation was used for many public purposes, as the limitation of the franchise, the decisions of lawsuits, and others. The Chancellor of the Exchequer had thought it a fail-case that one half of the expenses of this annual revision should be borne by the public; and the Bill had passed the House of Commons without a dissentient voice. It appeared also that the Valuation-office in Ireland had been hitherto treated as a temporary institution only, and the clerks employed in it consequently did not share in the privileges of other public servants. By this Bill they were placed regularly upon the Civil Service establishment.

§ LORD MONTEAGLE
heartily concurred in the principle of the Bill, and thought it would be very desirable if such a valuation as that which had been made for Ireland were made for England also.

§ LORD REDESDALE
thought, from what the noble Lord opposite had said, that it would be desirable if this subject were seriously taken up for England. His only objection to the Bill was, that it was one out of many instances in which Ireland did get a great many things done for her that England did not.

THE MARQUESS OF BATH
was understood to remind the noble Lord that the comparison he had made was hardly fair, when they considered the different circumstances of the two countries.