HL Deb 09 July 1896 vol 42 cc1097-8

Order of the Day for resuming the Debate on the Motion for the Second Reading read.

THE EARL OF RANFURLY

said the Government consented to the Second Reading of the Bill, the noble Lord having agreed not to press further with it. They did this on the distinct understanding that their doing so did not commit them to anything beyond an admission that the period during which the annuity was to run, in case of redemption of tithe rent charge, would have been more equitably calculated at 45 instead of 52 years. They were not to be held committed to any approval of the methods by which the Bill proposed to deal with the existing position, nor could they give any pledge that they would themselves deal with it in the near future. He thought it only fair to point out that all cases of purchase under the Land Bill, should it pass, would carry out what was required in this Bill—that the case for a Bill of this kind could not be deemed urgent, inasmuch as the earliest annuities would not expire till well on in the next century; that it was questionable whether the method proposed in this Bill was the best method; and, that as the Bill now stood, it would not carry out the intentions of the promoters. In addition, this Bill only dealt with £160,000 of tithe rent charge annuities, whereas such a sum was less than half of the tithe rent charge.

THE EARL OF BELMORE

said of course he must accept the terms the Government put upon him. He had been in communication with the Irish Government to-day, and he agreed that the House should give the Bill a Second Reading, and then might proceed with it further. Of course he knew at that period of the Session, unless the Government gave facilities in the House of Commons, it was useless to proceed, and he was informed that they would not give facilities; but the concession which they had made, in agreeing to the principle of 45 years instead of 52 to redeem was really the crux of the Bill. It was an important concession, for which they had been working at least two years, and he was glad to find that the Treasury had admitted so far that he had made out his case. With regard to the annuitants, perhaps there need be no great hurry, but if the reduction were given in one case it would be impossible for the Government to go on charging a tenant who had not redeemed money which he did not owe. The noble Lord referred to the method of carrying this out, but he was not wedded to any particular method. If there was any doubt in the matter he might assume that it would be looked into, and the drafting altered. He was quite content with the terms, and he was prepared to take the Second Reading now as arranged.

Bill read a Second time.