On this page

• Text (1)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    Untitled Article

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Untitled Article

    « 3 ammissit > n to inquire into the municipal affairs of Belfast , both as regarded-tie money -borrowed and the expenditure wader thepowers of the corporation , aad also to report upon the taxation of the borough .

    GOMMISSICOilSRS WB EXHIBITION OF- 1851 BILL . ' 'On the-House going into Committee on this bill , considerable discussion ensued . With --reference' to the Ifirat clause , Mr . Aloock said he was dissatisfied -at the different manner in -which the liattersea Park and Bridge scheme and the Kensington Museum scheme were to be treated . In the former case , in addi tion to the capital , interest to the amount of 70 . 600 ? . was to be ; paicl , making ; , in all 3 de ) , G 0 Q / . H e was ready to show that the sum could be realised by the sale of surplus land , and lie thought therefore that the Chancellor of the Exchequer was bound to throw open Batter , sea-bridge toll free .... The land at Kensington is ¦ worth twice as much as it / was some time -axo , » nd i » e

    -suggested that , as the commissioners are only to pay capital into the exchequer , they should take charge of lie Sheepshanks Collection . — Sir H . \ Vir . LOUGHBV tmoved an amendment to » lie clause , to the effect that the payment should be made fcy the Commissioners within one year : after the passing of the bill . —After jsome . discussion , the am © Bdineri . t was adopted . ¦— Mr . Sidsky ItBKBB » T asked uhether the Government were . prepared to take part of llie purchase-money in land . Barrack accommodation would be speedily inquired , and he ; knew no better site for the purpose than , a part of the Kensington Gore Estate . —The Chahcei . lor op Tim Exchequkr said that the question was one of gravitv

    « nd the Government had not lost sight of it . JJut ' tiie ^ question was not before the m -whether it was desirable to . procure a site for the purpose named . What was before them was this : —The Boyal Commissioners asked to be relieved from their . partnership , so as to be enabled to carry out their original design , that of giving a complete industrial artistic education on the site in question . — Mr . Wilson moved an amendment that , in the event ot delay on the part of the Commissioners to purchase t he property of the Govern merit j they should pay a moiety of the intervening . profrts . —These words were added , and the clause as amended was ngreed to . —Other clauses having also been agreed to , the bill was reported to the House , - which / thenresumed . .

    'TH 5 S PAPER J > tJTY . On the motion for going into Committee of Supply { Educational Votes ) , Mr , Milder Gibson moved as fin amendment a reBointion , " That this House is of opinion that the maintenance of the-Excise on paper , as a iiermanent source of revenue , would be impolitic , and that such financial arrangements ought to be made as will enable Parliament to dispense with the tax . " The paper duty , argoed Mr . Gibson , is a . most penk'ious tax . During the lust twenty years , tlie paper mills in England haV 3 diniinished from five hundred and twenty-fire to three hundred und ninety-three , and the same eft \ c ' t has not been noted in other brandies of manufactures ; on the contrary , an increase is apparent . ' . The duty docs

    not press on expensive volumes ; it aifects those cheap publications which ought to be encouraged by the Government , as diffusing information among the people . It was tirst of all imposed in the time of Queen Anne , with a view to checking the vivnci . y of the numerous small publications whicti criticised the acts of the Ministry . Alluding to the penny daily papers of the present day , Mr . Gibson remarked that Sir Bulwer Lytton had recently spoken in favourable -terms of them . The Standard is said to have a circulation of fifty thousand a day ; if soj it must pay a tax of 50 / . a day . " The reaolt of this heavy impost is , that the cheap press is printed on inferior paper . If the tax were removed , competition would oblige the conductors of cheap papers to give the

    benefit to the public in tiie shape of a better production . The paper tlnty is a fund withdrawn , from those wlio conduct papers . It trenches on the author ' : * fund ; and it makes cheap literature bad literature . Could it be possible that the school book of the village is taxed thirty per cent ., while books used nt the universities arc exempted ? A correspondence lmd recently tnken place between a gentleman engaged extensively in the manufacture of pupcr mid the Board of Inland Revenue . Tito gentleman wais very anxious to promote education in his immediate neighbourhood , anil voluntary subscriptions had been raised for a school . Application was made by this gentleman— Mr . Ra-vvlins of Wrexhnmto the Inland Kovenuo Office in tlve present inonth to l ) c permitted tome the cuttings of paper , free of duty , in thoeehool , or to bo allowed a drawback on paper used in the school

    and returned to the mill . The answer to this was tha -t the application could not be acceded to It might bo saiid that hu should suggest a substitute for this tax ; but he protested against that doctrine . If 1 uproved that tliis tax , forming only one sixty-lburth pnrt of the public revenue , was a pernicious tax , it was ' sufficient ; yet ho hrtd n < 5 doubt tlurt , if this duty wero ropcaletl , tlio other sixty-three parts wonldnvrell out n « il cover the deli < : k ; ncy . The remission of the paper dut \ , About a million a-yenr , would < lo more good to the general interests of the community than nu additional million voted for education , while the abolition of the vcxnti . ai .-Excise regulations would givo freedom and encouragonvent to the manufacture , in which we are now a genera tion behind foreigners . The motion wm aecondcu ly Mr . Inoham , and wat

    supported by Mr . Salisbury and Mr . AYBToar , who urged the inconsistency aad injustice of manyotffcke ^ x .-eiiiptioiia from the tax . and suggested that a reduction of expenditure would furnish a margin for its remission - —Mr . Cowan testified to the correctness of Mr .-Gibson ' e statement , that the duty interferes with our export trade in paper . He supported the resolution . The GuANGUEiLOR of tub Exchequeu expressed hia great desire to-do away with the paper tax . but said he

    could « ot-assent to the motion before t < he House . The paper duty is not the only part of oar indirect taxes that requires revision ; and it -would be the duty of < Jovernment during the recess to take both branches of the national imposts into consideration , and to offer some proposition to the Houses He hoped the Hoase would hot ham pea * Ministers by previously deciding in principle on a -giyeti course , and that Mr . Gibson would be content wiith haying brought the question forward , and would not press bis motion to a division .

    Mr . Bright said that the paper tax inflicts pains and penalties on three or four hundred- persons engaged in carrying on the business of nianufacturhig paper . We live in a free country ; at least , so we tell people abroad , and we have a sort of freedom here . But we have . not the freedom to manufacture paper . Xltaug hter , } Every exciseman is , to a certain extent , a spy , and acts in a very despotic way . The paper tax is a tax on making books and on making newspapers . " He knsur a respectable manufacturer- in the neighbourhood of Birmingluiru , who had told him that it cost him 120 ? . a year . in . ' . wages--to . men whose only business was to wait continuously , on the exciseman . ' ( JZear , hear . ") At the .. deputation to T ^ ord Derby the other day , a * panel '

    manufacturer from Yorkshire stated that , a little before the lucent commercial panic , he was in London , making a contract for a quantity of paper . The paper cost 400 / . ; the duty on it was 400 / . ; making the total cost 800 / . The duty he had to pay in six weeks ; when he sold thti paper , he took a bill at four months in payment . Of' . course , he had to charge a profit on tlie 800 / ., not 011 the 400 / . only : he had to run the risk of payment during the four months on the whole 80 Ol . ; and , during 1 that period , the commercial hurricane swept over the country . It was an astonishing thing tiat any trade could survive such a system ; and he would not ask whether it was fair , but whether it was

    statesmanlike , tliat the ' . Chancellor of the Exchequer should put a million of tea duty-or a million of sugar duty in comparison -with a million of tax on . paper , which operates on a -great trade in a manner so offensive and so de- ; structive . ( Hear , Jieur . ) When the duty is off , we shall have paper made to a large extent from straw , and especially from oat straw . In Ireland there is plenty of water power , there is an abundant population , there is jui abundance at least of oat straw , for the purpose of making paper ; and there could be no doubt that Ireland offers a very admirable field for a ; great e . \~ . tension of the paper trade . " Mr . Bright suggested that Mr . Gibson should omit the latter part of his resolution , so as not to hamper the Government .

    Sir G . C . Licwis thought it was objectionable for the House to bind itself to any abstract proposition . When we have a surplus revenue , it will be time to consider what tux has the first claim for abolition . —Mr . Puuai-Mosi ) observed that simply repealing a tax , without pointing out any means of repairing the loss of revenue , was wronging tlie public . —Lord John Russell thought that the question of repealing this or that tax , sltould be left to the Government on a review of the whole of our indLect . taxation . He hoped Mr . Gibson would embrace the offer of the Chancellor of the Exchequer . —Mr . Milner Gjbsou consented to omit all the words of hia resolution after ' impolitic , " and in this form the resolution was agreed to .

    SUPPLY . THE . EDUCATION EST 1 BIAT-E . The Houtc having gone into committee of sup-ply , Mr . AuDicitLKY moved the Education luBtimtUe , amounting to G 6 < $ ; 000 / ., consisting of three classes , iand including the following items : —157 , 000 / . for JbuiUlhig aud famishing schools , 100 , 000 / . for training- various kinds of musters , and 57 , 000 / . for the wanugoinent nnd inspection of those schools . There w « 9 an iuci * a « o > o £ 83 , 000 / . over the vote of last year , which imiwt aJFood unmixed satisfaction to Jill those whoapwrov-c of lilic

    present system . A million of money had been invested in buildings and furniture , which was equal to an annual charge upon the Treasury of 00 , 000 / . ; and , tuking the current expanses at 500 , 000 / . a year , tho wholosiun paid by the treasury lor education would amount to 0 GO , 000 / . a yenr . lie calculated that , by tho expenditure of that tiiun , » 0 O , O 0 O children arc educated/—After boiiio discussion , and nn amendment by Mr . Ui . ack , which was . subsequently withdrawn , to the oflRict that tlio sum asked for should be reduced ) , tho vote was agreed to .

    Tlio House having resumed , the I > tnmAiu County Palatine Jurisdiction Bill , and the PublicGrounus amt > Playgrounds Hill , were both read a third time , und pissttad ; other formal business was got through ; nnd the Houses adjourned at half past twelve . ££ ** £ , Tuegduy , June 22 n < Z , KKTTL . KI ) 10 STATK 8 ACT . In tho Ilouai : ov Lonns , Lord Cuanwohiim introduccd a bill to amend the Settled EsUtes Act , with the view of fnciliacing tho execution of dceda by married women abroad . —Tho bill was road . n first time .

    rHE oaths . Brr . r * The Earl-of -MALMKsBuaYiiiorBd the appointment of a committee to . state their Lordships reaMtis . for Adhering to tiieir amendmenta-in the Oaths'Bill , aod-he would aleo propose to their Lordships on TUursday that'tfaotie renBOna-eluould be een-t . down to the House « of Commons . I « conseqwence of Lord Derby ' s illness , he askexl Lord Lyndhurttt to postpoiw his bill tmtil Tlmrsdaj'iin neatt iVtek .--Lwd Lvndiictrst assented . —Lord LucaW 5 ntimat « d tliitt Ire al * o-would postpone his bill until the « ame clay . —The motion was agreed to .

    PKOBATE AND ' LEtTEUS Of AttMISJISTRAtlOK ACT AMKNDMEST BILL . < 3 it' the ! motion for the third reading , it was proposed by - Ltifd '" ST .. Leonards , that Instead of the prop ^ rtyof zin intestate , on failure of heirs , being vested in the Crown , as proposed by the bill , it should be vested in the Judge Ordinary . —Tbe House divided on the proposition tliat tbe property should be vested in the Growa , when the numbers were found to be equal- ^ -22 011 both sides . — The Lord Chaj * cki-lob then stated that the noncontents hud it , and the Judge-Advocate was . accordingly substituted for the Grown . —The bill was then read . a third time , and passed . DIVORCE AJTD MATRIMONIAL GAUSES ACT AMBNdAflNT

    ¦ . . ' - . . ; '¦ 'BILL . On the motion fur the third Trending of this ^ biH , tiosd Redksdale , censured the speed with 'which some unopposed causes had been decided in the ' . - Court « f Divorce . Nine cases had been disposed of in one day , and one case only occupied the Court « leven minutes . Serious objections were mnde to the manner in -which this part of the business of the Court was conducted . Hahoped it would exercise more caution in future , as « o case 3 ^ 'ere more likely to involve collusion than those which were unopposed . — 'Lord Campbeix -was astonished that Lord Jledesdale should have ho rasUly and unadvisedly impeached the conduct of sotne of the Judges

    cf the land . He had himself presided in the Court of l > "vorce , and could say that the cases were fully'examined , and justice done in eacli . — The Bishop of OXFORD said that the . religious and thinking portion of th « community regarded with nppreliension tbe rapidity with - which the decisions of the Court had been given . r—Earl Xtranvillk thought Lord Redesdale Bhonld have givea notioe of his intentiuu to censure the Judges *> f the OourU—Lord Cban > vorth and Lord St . Leonards dononrred in stating that the old mode of proceeding gavo no greater securitj' against collusion than the neV 006 .-1—11 , 01 x 1 Campbell , on addressing the Mouse a second time , was called to order , and , after some conversation on this point , the bill was read a third time , and passed .

    -, • . BELAYS IN CirAITCEftY . The Loiro Chancullou called the attention of th 3 Etmso to tlie delays in the office of the Chief Clerk of Chancery which had been complained of on a previous evening bj-Lord Lifford . There had , he admitted , been some delay , but it was chiefly caused by one of the parties in the c . ise not being prepared with certain necessary evidence . —Lord St . Leonahds and Lord CkanWortu pointed out certain difficulties which cause delay in the office in question ; and from their statements it appears that there is a want of good courts , with convenient chambers for the clerks . —Lord St . Lbonak . os said he would apply a remedy by removing the range of buildings now occupying the east side of Slone-buildinga , and erecting thereon courls for the Judges , with chainbors in connexion with them for the chief clerks ? .

    cauJtcn icatiss . A petition from tho Society of Friends praj-ing for rho abolition of church ra *« 8 Avas rejected because the word "bumble" was omit led before " petition . "The Bishop of OxFOKb said he had to present to > their Lordships the "humble" petition ( a lavgli ) of persons who prayed that their Lordships would not do away with church rates . The right rev . prelate presented several other petitions to the aame effect . —Similar , petitions wero presented from places in the diocese of London by the Bishop of London . Tho Houao adjourned at a quarter to eight o' -clock .

    At Jtho morning sitting of the Commons , tha Houao wont into committee on tho Local Govjuknmknt Bill , the object of which Mr . Audisuley adniUtcd to be , to ^ ct rid of tho existing Board of Health , and to toavo I ooal autliorhicB entire freedom in sanitarv mattera . under tho guidance of the Secretary of State . The clauses from 9 to 30 , inclusive , wero agreed to , « omc witU -a few verbal modifications . —Tho Medical Pjiactitbonehs ' IJill was commit tod for tho introduction of a-incnduontd ; and it was arranged that it should bo ropcintod and rccomiiutted on Thursday next week .

    STI 4 AM POBTAI- < BBRVI « B < W 1 TH AUtfTRAbU . In aiiHwer to Mr . Hkxky BkrkbijBY , SirE . Ddswbic Iawoh stated that tho Auatralibn col « ni « s had mado t'opeibtud oainpluiiHs of the irtregularity in tho paTfonn . inco of th < i atetim postal ecrvioo between tbia country tnd Australia . In Dcconvber , 1857 , Sir William Dani-HOnaeait home representations from tbe LcgialotMresTipon die Bubjeat , and Bub * oqucnUy Jio sent resolutions from xlio Chamber of Commerce to theeiMnocubct . Th «< Sos'ornment had reouived 110 roaolutiona or recotnmwida oi < uia from tho Lcgialnturo Of Viiotorio , vompltdniatg 6 t ( h « irregularity , And suggesting that tlwcamract ajumM -Ue Atuiullod ; but . do great mgrWrMWiiuul notxescwqpttd

    Untitled Article

    yo . ^ 31 ; June 26 , 1858 . ] THE L E A D E II . 603

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), June 26, 1858, page 603, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2248/page/3/