(NO. 235.) SECOND READING. (Hansard, 6 August 1885)

§ THE MARQUESS OF WATERFORD
, in moving that the Bill be now read a second time, said, he would explain its provisions to-morrow, on moving that their Lordships go into Committee upon it.

§ THE EARL OF COURTOWN
said, he did not at all object to the second reading of the Bill—in fact, he hoped it would be road a second time; but he was of opinion that it would require a good deal of attention in Committee. However much some might object to State interference, he did not believe that even his noble Friend on the Cross Benches (the Earl of Wemyss) would deny that it was essential that agricultural labourers in Ireland should receive assistance from the State by being provided with dwellings. He (the Earl of Courtown) was aware that in England it was considered to be the duty of landlords to provide dwellings for labourers; but he would remind their Lordships that the Land Act had thrown considerable difficulties in the way of 1265 Irish landlords doing so. He was well aware that in some localities in that country the law had been abused by Boards of Guardians for purposes of political vengeance; but he was glad to be able to say, from his own experience, that it had been productive of at least indirect good. He thought it of importance that public attention should be continually fixed on the housing of labourers. In some cases, on the attention of landlords being called to the want of cottages, they had undertaken to erect them; in other cases, where farmers had cabins on their lands which had been declared uninhabitable, they had improved them. The principal defects in the present law which were sought to be remedied by the Bill had relation to its cost. Thus, instead of Boards of Guardians being obliged to purchase land, they could take it an lease; and, instead of an extensive appeal to Parliament, a cheaper appeal was given to the Lord Lieutenant in Council. He believed that good would be done to the labouring classes by the improvement of the law; and, therefore, he hoped the Bill would be passed.

LORD VENTRY
said, he agreed with most of what had been said by the noble Earl who had just sat down. He desired to see this new legislation work smoothly, and with that object he proposed to give Notice of Amendments which he would move in Committee designed to prevent unnecessary friction in the working of the measure. He desired as much as anyone to see Irish labourers supplied with better cottages; but their experience of the Act of 1883 might tell them what the effect of this measure would probably be if passed in its present shape. At the same time, he thought the Bill would do a great deal of good if properly amended.

THE EARL OF MILLTOWN
said, he only rose to point out to their Lordships that they were now asked to follow an unusual course of procedure in asking their Lordships to confirm the principle of an important Bill of 23 clauses without having had one word of explanation of its objects from his noble Friend who was in charge of it (the Marquess of Water-ford).