JL, A BILL To revise and consolidate the Puhlic Charges and Local Taxes, to which Lands, Tenements, and other pro¬ perty in Ireland, are now liable, and to vest them in Commissioners for public purposes ; also, to extend em¬ ployment fir the Working Classes, and provide Loans fir local improvements, and the assistance of industry and thrift. WHEREAS, the mode of leiying tithes in Ireland, and the exclusive application of these charges and of the tax called minister’s money, have created discontent and dis¬ quiet. And whereas, the local taxes of Ireland, levied by- grand juries and corporate bodies, are unequally imposed, and unsatisfactorily administered or applied. And whereas, poverty, disease, and vice are widely propagated, and alms misapplied, by the great number of able and sturdy beggars who are supported in a state of vagrancy; while helpless paupers, who are very numerous, obtain but partial and scanty relief, and many thereby die for want of nutrition. And whh'eas, the general increase of poverty, and rapidly recurring visitations of dearth and disease among the labour¬ ing classes, from insufficiency of employment and consequent inability to purchase food, are used by wily and disaffected persons as means for combining the rural labourers in cri¬ minal associations, wherein outrages against property and its protectors are devised and incited. And whereas, the resources of the country, if developed by applying capital to local improvements and puhlic works, and to aid indivi¬ dual industry and thrift, are sufficient to provide constant employment for all the Jabourers in the country, and would promote the general weal, by increasing the supply of food and other products of the earth. , it jtherefpre enacted, that tidies, titlie composition, or 1st. arrears,,,shall not be levied or demanded henceforth, and it shall not be lawful to levy or demand any increased rent now charged for land in lieu of them. Neither shall it bo lawful henceforth to levy or demand the tax called minister’smoney; OE to make an assessment on any county, county of a city or town, barony, or parish, otherwise than as hereinafter autho¬ rized;—OE to collect, tolls or taxes of any kind, for making, repairing,.or improving roads, or . for any other local object whntever,otherwise than ashereinafterprovided—EXCEPTING tolls levied on' public .canals and railways; or tolls or dues le¬ vied on ships.:or.merchandize,;for the erection, maintenance, or improvement of harbours, piers, and lighthouses; or tolls levied on bridges, or in market places, erected with private funds and thereby rendered private property; or charges made by companies or individuals for supplying cities, towns, and dwelling houses or other tenements, with water And be it further enacted. That theee shall ee “s LEVIED, A tax of two shillings in the pound, on the full rent value of all lands and building ground, {exchisive of the houses or other tenements thereon,) and of all inland fisheries, mines, dwellings, mills, manufactories, stores, , or other tene¬ ments ; which tax shall be chargeable on the occupying •tenants. Also, a tax of one shilling in the pound on the actual rents arising from lands, building ground, inland lisherios, mines, and dwellings, or other tenements ; which shall he chargeable on the owners of the rents, hut shall he col¬ lected from occupiers, and he allowed to them by their landlords; and where lands or tenements shall he sub¬ let, the head rent and profit rent combined, shall be the object of taxation, and the owners of said rents, or persons entitled to them shall bear the tax proportionably. Theee shall also be levied, A tax of three shillings in the pound on thefullrent value of all lands, building ground, inland fisheries, mines, and dwellings or other tenements, in possession of the proprie¬ tors—which may be levied on any rents arising from other portions of the proprietors’ estates, and be collected from any of the tenants, or be levied off the lands or tenements liable to the assessment; and if collected from the tenants, they shall be entitled to deduct the amount from their rents, and the receipts for it shall be equivalents for cash in the payment of such rents. . There shall also be levied, a tax of six-pence in (hopound on the interest payable upon the funded or unfunded debt, i now, or which shall hereafter be existing in Ireland; or upon loans raised in Ireland for foreign countries; or upon the stock or debentures of public corporations, companies, and associated bodies of all kinds, other than friendly or benefit societies; and such tax shall be deducted for the public, at the banks and other establishments from which the interest chargeable shall be receivable. And be it further enacted, that mortgagees, bond-holders, 4. and annuitants under wills or deeds, shall in all these cases pay a rateable proportion of the tax chargeable on the rents incc'mie I'lrui'mr!” or other realized property whereon they shall have liens; ‘“"“’’h • which shall be deducted from the payments to be made to them, on production of the receipts for the tax. And be it further enacted, that government offices and 5. buildings, except official residences; also charitable institu- Exviiuiiiuns. lions, an'’ public colleges, schools, and libraries; also, hou. ■ c at rents not exceeding £10 a year, whore no fine shall have been given, and houses let to lodgers, none of whom shall pay a rent exceeding £10 a year; also, lands used for the support of charitable institutions, and interest or rents applicable to the like purpose;— shall be exempt from the foregoing taxes. But rent in all cases, except the last, whether arising from lands or tene¬ ments, shall be chargeable with the rent tax of one shilling in the pound. And bo it further enacted, that commissioners shall be (i. appointed by his majesty to superintend the collection and Tto uiiminUtm. application of the taxes, and execute the several powers and trusts herein created; and that their head office shall bo in Dublin. Also, that secretaries, accountants, civil engineers, surveyors, collectors, clerks, and requisite assis¬ tants, shall be appointed by the commissioners, with the approbation of his majesty. And that the commissioners, their officers, and other persons on their establishment, shall rece ive out of the taxes, fixed salaries, which shall be appointed from time to time by his majesty. But that commissioners, officers, or other persons employed, shall not be entitled to, or receive, any superannuation allowance, pension, or gratuity, on retiring from active service. Nor shall they be absent from duty without leave, to be ob¬ tained by"^ the commissioners from his majesty, and by the officers and other persons from the commissioners. Nor shall they be allowed to be absent for more than one month during a year, except in case of temporary sickness. And they shall be removable from office at the pleasure of his majesty. ' 4 And, .be it further enacted,,,that.,all persons liable to iany,iqf t]^e taxe^,,herein imposed, or so many of them as 'shall,attend,,for the,, purpose, shall on the first day of August,^in every,.year, if the same shall not be Sunday, or.ion.the. next succeeding day which shall not be Sunday, assemble,, in, some, convenient place within the respective parishes ,wherein they, shall.be resident, and elect by ballot, twenty-four persons,,whether peers or commoners, who shall be named;,in.a list of habitual residents of the county of a city, or,,town, or the barony, wherein each parish shall ,be situate, and which list shall be prepared annually for .each county of a city or town, and each barony, by the chief cpmmissipners appointedunderthisact, andshall contain the names of the persons chargeable with the largest portions of the taxes herein imposed. And the votes shall be taken in boxes, for two hours, in presence of three persons appointed at each meeting, and then the votes shall be scrutinized and published, and the scrutineers shall make a return forthwith to the chief commissioners, of, the names of the twenty-four persons for whom the greatest number of votes shall be given. And the chief commissioners shall select from each return so made from every parish in Ire¬ land, twelve persons to be local commissioners for the exe¬ cution of this act in the county of a city or town, or the barony, for which each return shall be made, during one year commencing on the first of September. And be it further enacted, that the chief commis¬ sioners and their officers, and also the local commis¬ sioners, shall on their appointment or election, be seve¬ rally sworn to execute faithfully the trust reposed in them; the chief commissioners by a baron of the court of ex¬ chequer, in Ireland; the officers by one of the chief com¬ missioners ; and the local commissioners by a magistrate of the district for which they shall be appointed. And be it further enacted, that five of the local com¬ missioners shall be a quorum. A quorum shall sit daily . (Sundays excepted) in Dublin; twice or thrice a w eek, (as the chief commissioners shall appoint), in Cork, Belfast, and Limerick; and in all other places once a week, on some day fixed by the chief commissioners; and each member of the quoruiti shall receive for attendance on the,day, one pound, out of the produce of the faxes herein iniposed.' And the first five commissioners in atteridance shall be the quorum. And be,|it,,further .enacted, .that,the,officers pf the .chief commissioners employed ip,each; district, .shall,be:amenable to the orders of the local commissipiiers.. , . . And bo it further enacted, that all taxes hereby imposed, 11. shall be payable'quarterly, to the collectors of the chief commissioners, and be by them lodged weekly in the public bank of the district wherein collected; And their boolrs’ shall he filled up in the head office, with checks prefixed to the receipts; and these hooks shall be inspected weekly, as hereinafter provided. And a registry shall be formed in every district, and kept in dvpUcdte, 6i all lands and tenements liable to the tax, showing the full rent value, and the amount of tax payable thereon;'also of all rents, and the amount of tax thereon; also of all lands and tenements occupied by proprietors, and of the tax thereon; also of all public securities, and of the tax thereon. And this registry shall be made by the local commissioners and the officers for each district, for which purpose they shall have at all seasonable times, free access to all lands and tenements, rent rolls, leases, and the records ofall public securities. And it shall be revised every quarter, and when revised, one copy shall be sent from each district, to the head office; and thereupon the receipts shall be filled, and be then forwarded to each local office, with the registry. And be it further enacted, that the lo cal commissioners 12. of each 'district shall be valuators for the time being, of Valuations, lauds and tenements therein, for the purposes of this act, and shall be sworn to the faithful execution of this trust, when elected. And the registry of each district shall be open to the inspection of the tax payers; and any valuation may be revised, on a requisition for that purpose in writing, to satisfy a party affected by it; and such revision shall be made in presence of the party, if desired; and the grounds of any new valuation shall be fully set forth, , on . the minutes of the commissioners proceedings, reference being made thereto, on the registry. And it shall still be competent for any person afltected by such revised valuation, to appeal to the chief commissioners, and they shall thereupon inquire into and adjudicate on it; and their decision shall be final. And be it further enacted, that a competent part of the 13. produce of the taxes on lands, tenements and rents, shall Application of be applied to the repair or improvement of all roads, streets, laites, and footways already formed, or hereafter to be formed, -which shall be requisite for public accommodation; also'to the repair and maintenance, or reconstruction of bridges; fences, and sewers for such public ways; or to such otlier'AbjectS'connected-with the public tlioroughfares,' as the chief commissioners'with the' approbation of his majesty, or the lord lieutenant of Ireland, shall direct. B - And that another pai't of the taxes on lands, tenements, md rents, sliall be paid to' the commissioners of cliurch temporalities in Ireland, to'aid in niaintaihirig the clergy of the'-established church of Ireland, in lieu of tithes and ministers’'nioney,‘heretofore paid to them, and also to compensate certain impropriators of lay tithes, who shall claim compensation for them. ' And the remainder of such taxes, together with the tax oh the ihterest'arisihg from public securities, shall be applied to the purposes hereinafter specified, and to the maintenance of a competent police establishment for cities, towns, and the country at large; and of local court-houses, prisons, and penitentiaries. And be it further enacted, that the annual grants which shall be made by parliament out of the public revenues of the united kingdom, for any of the foregoing purposes, shall be' placed at the disposal of the chief commissioners who shall be appointed under this acti as equivalents for the use of the roads for the conveyance of the public mails, and for the preservation'of property’and the public peace. And be it further eriatted, that the'chief and local commissioners shall establish district asylums for the poor, who from bodily infirmity of any kind, or extreme youth, shall be unable to earn a subsistence. And the inmates of each asylum shall be provided with com¬ fortable apparel, diet, and bedding. They shall also have full liberty of egress and ingress at all seasonable hours, but shall be subject to the bye-laws of the commis¬ sioners for enforcing order, sobriety, and decency in each institution, and shall be under obligation (unless totally disabled, or too young,) to attend at their respective houses of worship, on each day for the performance of the divine service. And the children in each institution s^ll, when of fit age, be educated in the public ’ school nearest to it. They shall also be trained to labour, and required to work for a certain number of hours on working days, accord¬ ing to their ability. And at a proper tinie 'they shall be apprenticed, either for husbandry, domestic'servants, or trades, according to their apparent-cajrability, their own desire, and the discretion of the 'local commissioners. - And, where asylums shall'‘he, on‘ :the sea coast, the male children disposed' and ht, shall'be'trairied to fishing, and‘ihtoicte'd'in'boat‘ building, nk tn'akirig, and navi- .gation, so that they shall become” expert‘ fishermen and skilful pilots. And there shall not he maintained out of the public taxes or other funds of the. comnu'ssioners, any distinct institution for foundlings, or children^no,t,..born;in;\vgdipck,; nor shall any distinction; whateyer, be.’made- iti, the,general asylums, to,.mark or indicate. the,,origin, oj^. auy..children sheltered in them. And when infants or other .children shall.be,presented for,reception, the local commissioners shall,djrect,,that,.they be received, and then.ascertain the condition of .'the,parents. If the.parpnts ,shall appear to, have means, for,.suppdr,ting the child ,or .children presented,, they,,shall pay, a'certain weekly stipend, for, each, child, to be fixed by. the local commissioners, according to an estimate of the ayerage .cost of each child; or othervyise shall be guilty of a, misdemeanor, and shall be punished accordingly, at the discretion oif the court of local judicature. And if only the maternal parent shall be kiiown, she shall in like manner be compelled to pay a weekly , stipend for the maintenance of each child sent in by her, or be guilty^ of -a misdemeanor, unless on proof of inability to maintain the child. And if a quorum of local commissioners shall determine that the parents are incapable of supporting the child or children sent in, a weekly stipend shall not be levied. And if any commissioner, officer, or other person, shall by false representations, unjustly cause the payment of a stipend for a child to be remitted, then such stipend shall be a debt due by such commissioner, officer, or other per¬ son, and payment shall be sued for if necessary, in the court of local judicature. And in no case shall a child be expelled from an asylum. And the local commissioners, whenever any asylum shall he crowded, shall apply to the chief commissioners to remove a portion of the paupers or the children for whom no'stipend shall be paid, and the chief commis¬ sioners shall thereupon cause a sufficient number to be removed to such other asylums as they shall appoint. And the, children or grandchildren of helpless paupers obtaining public relief, shall pay a weekly stipend for their maintenance, according to the average cost of maintaining a pauper, and to the nieans of the person from .whom the stipend shall be sought. And jn default of payment, such persons, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour,.unless, when,on. positive,proof pf inability, a quorum of .the local .cp.mmis- sioners slxall-femit, the payment. , , s in every case of misdemeanour, herein provided I'ov, arising out of the non-payment of money, the court of loral judicature may sentence the offender to imprisonment and spare'diet, until the debt shall be paid. And,'pereons who shall abscond to avoid trial or punirii, ment, shall be outlawed. -And in like manner, husbands who shall desert their wives or children, and leave them burthens on the public institutions, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, oii proof of the desertion, and shall be outlawed until amenable. And it shall not be necessary, that helpless paupers or children shall have been bom or usually resident in the district where relief shall be sought. But all persons soliciting a subsistence, or for whom it shalf be solicited, and who shall be incapable of labour, shall be maintaired in an asylum. ' And if army, na\y, or other pensioners become helpless, and shall not have a sufficiency for subsistence,- they may be received into an asylum, and notice shall be given to the department from which the pensions issue, whereupon they shall be paid to the commissioners. And it shall not in any case he lawful to give money to the paupers for any purpose whatever. Neither shall it bo lawful to support them in any other manner than as inniales of the asylums. And all asylums now existing for the support of paupers, whether children or adults, which shall be maintained by parliamentary grants, or public taxes, shall be district asylums, under the management of the chief and local com¬ missioners. And henceforth, grants shall not be made to any institution for paupers, nor any local assessment in aid, be lawful, unless the institution shall be managed e.xclu- sively by' the commissioners. |g_ And be it further enacted, that if any persons shall Mendicant nn- henceforth be found begging food, money, apparel, or alms of any kind, on the streets or roads, or - in any places of public resort, they shall be taken before the magistrates of the district, and- on proof of their being mendicants, shall be held guilty of a misdemeanour,, and be punished at the discretion of the magistrates, .with imprisonment and hard labour, for any term not exceeding threemonths. . ■ :. , i 17. And be it farther enacted, that attached to or.near Pubiic farms and each asy'lum for the poor, there shall; be a farm, to supply- it work-room.-. jmJ. fequisile matcrialsy- aud.the sui-plus^ pro¬ duce shall be used for the nearest prisons aild.'penitentiaric.s, or hospitals, but care shall be taken to adjust the exteni of each farm to the wants of tlie Institutions to be supplied [Sco from it.. And there sliall also be attached to the asyltuns, or on the farms, work rooms for manufacturing, constructing, or preparing requisites for the asylums, hospitals, prisons, and penitentiaries, to be e.iecuted by the children of the asylums, and hired labourers. , ■ . And be it furdier enacted, that the local commissioners shall inspect all charters, acts of parliament, deeds, or ctmm wills, under which grants or endowments shall be held for Ewni the poor, and the annual proceeds shall be paid to them for the purposes for which they were originally designed— but in tbe fulfilment of such original design the trustees or other persons charged with it, shall be joined in the e.xecution of it, with the local commissioners—and the endowed institutions shall be separately maintained, accord¬ ing to the desire of the founder. And be it further enacted, that all persons, whether male or female, who shall be able to labour and cannot obi am i n oinployment, may require the local commissioners to pro- when i vide employment for them. And the commissioners shall >* thereupon employ (hem on public work of some kind which shall bo suitable to their capabilities, and shall also bo profitable to the public; in forming or repairing roads and footways, sewers or fences; or in raising or preparing materials; or in draining, improving, or cultivating lands under the management of the commissioners; or in manu¬ facturing, constructing, or preparing requisites for the 19 . [i] There is asmall farm attached to the Female Orphan House on the Circii- lar-road, Dublin, nc.ar the Park, wliich fizmishes a strouff exeiiiulification of tlie advantages derivalile from having farms attached to all institutions for tho support of the poor. Tliis farm contains about twelve acres, the rent and taxes of which, amount to about lOOf. a year. There are from eight to ten cows fed on the produce of the land, except during two raontlis in Hummer, when they are fed on hired pastures at an expense ot about 16/. During seven months of the year they are fed at night on hay and mangel.wurtzel, the produce of the farm. All the land broken up is tilled with the spade; and there are employed in every way about tlxe institution, four labourers through the year, at 12*. a week, each. There is also ahorse for conveying water andmanure. The whole outlay, for rent, wages, hired pastures, &c. docs not exceed 250/. a year. For this, the institution obtains a supply of milk, wliicli, at only a pennyworth per diem for each of tlie IGO girls maintained, would cost 2-12/.: there is also a supply of butter, and a surplus quantity exceeding ISOOlbs. for sale, wliich yields about 60/.- a year: there is an abundant supply of garden vegetables: there are about tliirty-six tons of potatoes, which if purchased at 3d. per stone, would cost 72/.; and there is offal of various kinds sufficient to maintain, constantly, from two to 10 asylums, and other public institutions; or in repairing, improving, or erecting quays, piers, harbours, asylums, hospitals, schools, or other works, under the direction of. the local commissioners. And all persons so employed shall be remunerated- with wages, the minimum ol which shall he sufficient for a frugal subsistence, and which shall he advanced beyond that minimum in proportion to the conduct and capability of each person employed. 20. And be it further enacted, that it shall not be lawful uiiaiwft”" when*^ S*''® gratuitously, to any person who shall be able persons ran to labour. And, that any money,' or food, or apparel so labour. given, shall he charged against the local commissioners who may order it; and that the amount of the charge shall be a debt due from them to the chief commissioners. 21. And be it further enacted, with a view to restrain Compulsory cm. Occupiers of Land from unduly extending Pastures, to the p oymcn on an . gp a densely populated district, and from abusing [SCO note B.] g|. saJfering to lie waste any land in their possession which lies employed in agriculture: t: Tiie census returns supply the following stutistical view of the agricultural Provinces, | 1 raflnboiwi inj3ii' Leinster, . Munster, . Connaught, .... 4,270,213 5,210,472 4,0-11,627 3,GG0,45l 1G2,4I7 212,347 ! 120,795 : ill 120,2G8 189,087 17,182,703 1 507,411 1 - 35,330 5G4,274 includes the wastes, which'are computed to contain about five m- - Deducting tliis nuinher of, acres fr^m the total in the table, tliere app.ear holding from one to ten acres? Assuining'the whole number of occupiers «’/w rfoHoi employ labourers,^to he cottiere, and muItipIyiiY that number by five, cs for occupiers employing le commissioners: it is cv^.. renpiers would be still more diminii hall be lit for cultivation, whereby the primary source of imployment shall be forced or withheld from its natural uses, ind the stock of subsistence, and of materials for the exercise )f human industry, curtailed, and pauperism and vice iromoted among the labouring classes;— That it shall be lawful for the local Commissioners, and hey are hereby required, to levy off the lauds occupied by ■ach person in their respective districts, which shall not be iable to be flooded, or be otherwise unlit for tillage, and vhereupon there shall not be employed at least one labourer 'or every ten statute acres suited for the profitable employ- nent of such labour, a rateable proportion of the wages vhich shall be paid to labourers resident in the district, vho, unable to obtain employment from the landliolders, hall be provided with it by the local Commissioners. Hut if, in any case a landholder shall, by his lease, be irohibited from cultivating more than a certain number of lores, being less than a tenth of the quantity of land fit 1-2 ofF the Jandholder’shall be chargeable on the rent payable to the landlord, and the receipt for such proportion shall be separate, and shall be an equivalent for cash in the payment of the rent: And it shall not be'lawful to levy the wages, in any case, off lands on which there shall be employed for every ten acres, one male! labourer aged twenty years or upwards, whether a resident of the barony or not, or whether a member of the occupier’s family or a hired labourer. Neither shall it be lawful to make such levy for any labourers not resident in the barony .three years preceding. And wherever a levy shall be made, it shall be charged proportioriably on all the lands fit for tillage, according to the number of labourers continuously employed on them, short of the proportion of one for every ten statute acres. And the commissioners shall give ten days’ notice of the levy, and shall at the end of that time proceed to apportion it in the presence of any occupiers of land, who may attend. And if any occupier shall feel aggrieved by the levy, appeal may be made to the chief commissioners, and they sb.all enquire into, and adjudicate upon it, and their decision shall be final. And be it further enacted, that whenever it shall happen that the rural labourers of any barony shall exceed the pro¬ portion of one for every ten acres of reclaimed land contained in it fit for tillage, it shall be lawful for the local commis¬ sioners, and they are hereby required, to charge the wages paid to such redundant labourers as they shall employ, against the proprietors of the waste lands of such barony or situated nearest to it. And in every such case a return shall be made to the chief commissioners, specifying tlie number of acres of reclaimed land fit for tillage in the barony, the number of labourers employed by the occu¬ piers, the number of residents employed on works by the local commissioners, and the nature, locality, and extent, of the wastes, the proprietor of which is to be charged with the wages paid to the redundant resident labourers. And a copy of such return, with a notice of the levy to he'made, shall be seiwed on the proprietor, or his agent, steward, or servants, or on some one of his tenants, if there shall not be in or near the district any establishment occu¬ pied by the proprietor. And it shall be then lawful for the local commissioners to require any one brmore of the tenants to paytheamount of the assessment biitofmny rent which shall have become due, or to retain it out!of any growing rent ; and the! collectors’, receipts'for the amount shall be received from the tenants by the proprietor or liis agent, in payment of the rent, as equivalents for cash to the. amount expressed in each. And if the proprietor shall feel aggrieved by such levy, he may appeal to the chief commissioners, who shall there¬ upon adjudicate on it, and their decision shall be final. And in every case of a levy on the proprietor of wastes, it shall be lawful for the local commissioners of the district, to contract with the proprietor for the reclaiming of such wastes, and thereupon to employ on them the redundant labourers;—and it shall be lawful for the proprietor, not¬ withstanding his being hit a tenant for life, if such he shall be, to assign and convey to the commissioners the fee of a certain portion of the wastes, sufficient to repay the outlay on reclaiming the whole, provided the proprietor shall prefer making such compensation, to giving security for the repay¬ ment of such outlay, in money. And the conveyance or the security, (which must include a rent charge,) which ever may be elected, shall be good and valid, notwithstanding the existence of limitations by settlements or wills. And the security shall take precedence of all other charges and incumbrances whatsoever. And bo it further enacted, that in every city, town, and county, hospitals shall be maintained, under the direction of the chief and local commissioners, for public accom¬ modation, containing distinct wards for eontageous dis¬ eases, ordinary maladies, bodily injuries, and lying-in women; also distinct wards for persons who can pay for the care received. And it shall not be lawful to receive sick or injured persons gratuitously, unless they shall be paupers. Neither shall it be lawful to make any dis- tiiiction between the paupers and the patients who shall make compensation, other than administering relief in distinct wards. : And there shall be a dispensary at each hospital to supply medicine to the intern patients, and to such paupers in the asylums as may require it. But medicine shall not be sold at the dispensary; nor shall it be given gratuitously to any persons except paupers; and the compensation to be made by hospital patients, not being paupers, shall include a charge for medicine generally. .1 And the receipts at each hospital shall be handed weekly to, the: collector of the,idistrict, and by him be lodged,in bank’with.the general receipts of the week, to,the credit of the. coinmissioners. ^ And;all existing public , hospitals, supported by endow- 14 ments, or partially endowed, and partially supported out of local or general, taxes, shall bo placed under the controul and direction of the chief, and local commissioners ; but the trustees of the endowments shall, nevertheless, be joined in the management of their respective institutions, and shall continue to. exercise a legal controul over the property in their care. They shall, however, pay the annual proceeds of the property to the commissioners, and shall render an account of its management, and exhibit their rent rolls and books, annually, to the commissioners and their officers. And the several hospitals for lunatics now supported by local or general taxes shall also be placed under the care and direction of the commissioners. Lunatic hospitals, supported by endowments, or partially endowed, and par¬ tially supported out of local or general taxes, or by the pensions of inmates, shall likewise be placed under tlio controul and direction of the chief and local commissioners, in the same manner and to the same extent, as the general hospitals, and the proceeds of the endowments shall be paid over and accounted for in the same way. And, it shall not be lawful to keep or establish a private asylum or hospital for lunatics, or other persons labouring under bodily maladies, without registering a description of it, with the names of its directors, medical attendants, and matron, at the office of the local commissioners for tlie district. And every such establishment may be inspected at any time by a local commissioner, or one of the local officers, or by the physicians of the public hospitals. And all parliamentary grants for hospitals, shall be made to the commissioners. And be it further enacted, that it shall not be lawful to maintain out of local or general taxes, any dispen¬ sary, save those attached to the public hospitals. Nor shall it be lawful to make any compensation out of such taxes, or out of any funds which shall be placed at the disposal of the commissioners, to the medical men in charge of detached dispensaries. And be it further enacted, that tire chief commissioners, with the approbation, of his', majesty, .shall appoint phy¬ sicians, surgeons, and apothecaries, to attend the several hospitals, and asylums. They shall also appoint compe¬ tent siiperintendentsi matrons, • and assistants. And the stipends for the'iv services shall be fixed by. the com¬ missioners, with the approbation of his majesty,' and shall be paidmit of the. general funds, of the .commissioners. 15 And be it further enacted, that tlie commissionors shall 26. provide school houses in convenient parts of every district, t’vtiio schools, and that competent superintendents and assistants, male [Seonotcc.] and female, shall be appointed for each school by the chief commissioners, with the approbation of his majesty. And to provide for the continuing expenses of each school, a due portion of them shall be allocated from the general funds of the commissioners, to defray the cost of educating the children of the asylums, who shall receive an education befitting the station in society for which each shall he destined. And the parents of all other children instructed in the schools shall pay a small pension for each child, according to their means. And if the total amount of pensions shall he insufficient with the sum allowed for each child from the asylums, then the residue of the ex- fc] .Educatio.v. In M94 tlie Scotch parlifiment enacted—“ITiat al! barons and substantial freeholders throughout the realm shall send their children to school.” Penalty for neglect 20?. In 1615 Auactof the Scotch privy council, onipowercd the hishons, with a majority of the landlords or heritors, to Cbtablish a school in every pansh, and assess the lands for the purpose. 'J'liis act wa.s con. finned by parliament in 163.’t. And iu 1696 another law enacted “that a school be established and a schoolmaster appointed in every parish. In 1802 the imperial parliament raised the inaximuvi salary (exclusive of school fees] of each master to '111. -Is. hd. and the minimum to 16?. 13y. Ad. The whole publio cost of the school establishment of Scotland, exclusive of houses, gardens, and fees, docs not exceed 18,000?. a year. ^Appaidlx to Currie’s edition of Burns’s lu Uavaria, 'Wirtemberg, Baden, &c. there is a public school in every parish. No particular system of religion is allowed to be taught iu tlie German schoois : this branch of instruction is left to the clergy and the parents. Parents arc compelled to send their children to school, from the age of six to fourteen yeaw. [Loudon, on public education in ■> In Austria there are 11,151 pr.^ .. in reading, writing, and arithmetic- There as of masters. And tlie funds for the ?fu-, in addition to endowments. In Prussia, Frederick the Great established public schools by an ordinance issued in 1765. Their support was provided for by a school tax payable by nro- prietors and occupiers ot lands, &c. And the children must be sent to school from the 6th to the I3th year, whether their parents can pay the school tax or not. In 1826 there were 20,887 elementary schools in the Prussian dominions. In the same year there were in the schools of the Netherlands 633,859 children, of whom 10VI55 belonged to schools of industry, and 146,617 were poorobildron. In Switzerland, education is universal, under the systems of Boll, Lanc.aster, and Pestalozzi, and that devised for schools of industry by Felicnberg of Berne. There are 6,000 parochial schools in Sweden.—(Wilson, p. 210.) In Norway there are Uvo or three school-masters in every parish, selected by There^were 4,500 school's in Denniark, in' 1828, kvery parish is provided with one or two public schools for elementary instruction j and the Jaw reQiure.s the cliildren.to be sent, from the age of ten to fourteen years. On the 24th of October 1831, Montalii’ct, then minister for public instruction in Franccj brought in a law to complete and extend the system uf public elemen¬ tary education in that country. Cominunal schools under this law iifford gratu. If the additional tax on a commune, for schools, do not yield a sutiicient sn..., the department assists, or the state of the department cannot; The proposition to compel Irish parents to send their children to the public schools, if hot otherwise educated, may be objected to, as compulsion would be unnecessary: If it be unnecessary^^ then the penal clause is inoperative, and of course unobjectionable. The principle is good. Education is the bes^ security for public order and rational public liberty. Therefore the law should provide that no one shall be debarred from it by want of moans, or ivant of inclination. 16 penses shall be made up from the general funds of the commissioners, : or. from any ■ endowments that may exist for aidingdocal schools. And all parents and guardians, who shall not send the children in their charge to private schools, or have them educated at home, shall send them to the public schools, until apprenticed or set to work; and if - after the said parents or guardians shall have been duly noticed by the officers of the commissioners to send the children to the public schools, they shall neglect to do so, a penalty of two pounds shall be inflicted, which shall be recoverable by information on oath, made by any of the commissioners' officers, or by any other person, before the magistrates in petty sessions. And on conviction, without good cause be¬ ing shewn for having kept the child or children from school, a warrant shall be issued for le\ying the penalty, if not promptly paid, [sec note C.] And the pensions, with any penalties that may be in¬ flicted, shall be paid over weekly to the collector of the district, and by him be lodged in bank to the credit of the commissioners. And the course of instruction shall be prescribed by his majesty’s commissioners, for superintending public education. And to prevent dissension, and at the same time provide religious instruction for the children, they shall be con¬ ducted on one day in every week, not being Sunday, to their respective houses of worship, to be instructed in reli¬ gion by their own clergy, who shall be compensated for the labour required from them, by the commissioners, and the stipend given shall be included in the continuing charges of the schools. And the continuing charges of the schools shall consist of rent, the salaries of superintendents and assistants, the compensation to clergymen, and the actual cost of school requisites and fuel. And the chief commissioners shall invest money, where necessary, in erecting school houses, and charge rents for them equivalent to the interest of the money expended. And the trustees of endowments in aid of schools for the poor, shall pay the annual proceeds to the commis¬ sioners, and exhibit rent rolls or other records, with their accounts, whenever required. And schools endowed for the education and maintenance of children, or only for the former object, and exclusively supported by the endowment and. private resources, or by the former■sdlely,':shall continue under the , sole' care and (•.ontroul of tlieir special guardians. But the chief, and local commis-sioners and their officers,, shall inspect their endomnents, and from time to time visit the schools to see that the design of the founders shall be fulfilled. Thev shall also inspect their rent rolls and accounts, and an annual report of the results shall be made to parliament. And access to these institutions, and their records, shall be given to the commissioners or their officers at all seasonable And all schools which shall receive grants from parliament (e.vcepting public colleges) shall be under, the controul of the chief and local commissioners ; but if there shall be also iin endowment, then the trustees of the endowment may in¬ spect from time to time, to see that the object of it shall be fulfilled ; and they shall pay over its annual proceeds to the commissioners and e.'diibit the rentals and accounts whenever required. , And be .it further enacted, that it .shall not he lawful fi'om henceforth, to charge a whole county, city, town, or barony, with the expense of forming a new road or street, unless it shall be part of an improved line of a great public thoroughfare, directed to be formed, by his Majesti/or the LordlUeutenant of Ireland. But the local commissioners may contract with proprietors and occupiers, for the forma¬ tion of mew roads or streets, and take from them an agree¬ ment under their hands and seals, for a voluntary annual tax,on their lands, houses, and rents, which shall be suffi¬ cient to repay the expenditure in a certain number of years, and shall be levied for that time under the agreement, b\ the same-means, as if specifically imposed, by laic. And proprietors shall have power to deduct a rateable propor¬ tion of it, from any rent-charge or other income wbicb. shall be payable under any settlement or will, affecting EXCLDSIVELY the property so improved, and enhanced in value. '. . . And be it further enacted, that all lessees of turnpikes, whose .contracts , shall be in existence at the time of the passing of this act, shall be released from them, on payment to the commissioners of a rateable proportion of the rent contracted for, with rel'erence to the expired part of the period for which each contract shall have been made. 18 ‘ Arid the commissioners shall pay all just debts which shall then be due for the execution of any works or repairs, beyond the amount of any turnpike funds which shall then exist; and they shall undertake all other just debts, which there shall not be funds to liquidate, until parliament shall provide for the discharge of them. And they shall take-possession of all property annexed to the turnpike roads; and all power and rights relative to such roads or property, now vested in any persons what¬ soever, shall then be vested solely in the commissioners. And be it further enacted, that the debt incurred, and the property acquired, by the commissioners,appointed for forming wide streets in the county of the city of Dublin, shall be henceforth under the exclusive controul and ma¬ nagement of the chief commissioners to be appointed in pursuance of this act, and they shall exercise all the powers now vested in the commissioners of wide streets, save that of levying taxes on the whole city, for new lines of streets, or widening old lines, other than those already formed or widened. And they shall proceed to render available, all the property of the wide street commissioners, and to form a sinking fund of the taxes now payable, for the purpose of reducing the debt to an amount at which the available property shall become sufficient to pay the interest and charges of it; and then the collection of the tax shall be discontinued. And be it further enacted, that it shall not be lawful henceforth, to levy off the citizens of Dublin in the year, for supplying them with water, more than the actual expenses incurred. And that the corporation of Dublin, while supplying the water, shall make application annually to the local commissioners for Dublin, for a levy on the citizens to repay the outlay; and the local commissioners and their officers shall inspect the accounts of the corpo¬ ration, and ascertain the charge incurred. And thereupon such a levy shall be made on the citizens, according to the rated value of their houses; as with the payments for special supplies of water shall be sufficient to defray the actual charge. And the collectors of the commissioners shall receive the tax and pay it into bank, to the credit of the corporation. .• And the receipts for this levy shall be filled up and con¬ trolled in the head-office of the coirimissioners, in like manner as the receipts for the general taxes. ‘ And’if any persons ’shall feel--aggrieved by the levy, they may appeal to the fchief''cbrimiissi6riers, who shall 1 !) inquire into and adjudicate upon it, and their decision shall he final. And be it further enacted, that the lighting and cleansing 31. of Dublin, and of other large cities or towns, and the inl'MidwS'riJf"' watering of streets or roads, shall be defrayed by local levies; the cost of lighting and cleansing to be levied off the whole city or town; and the cost of watering, off the house¬ holders or landholders on the lines of streets or roads watered. And it shall be lawful for the local commissioners to establish and maintain public lights in all towns containing more than ten thousand inhabitants, and to make a special leiy for cleansing all towns containing more than four thousand inhabitants. But streets or roads shall not be watered, except on the requisition of three-fourths of the inhabitants liable to rates. And small towns may be lighted or watered on the like requisition. And the levy in every case shall be according to the rated value of the lands and tenements ; subject, nevertheless, to the revision of the chief commissioners, in case of appeal, which revision shall be final. And the levy for lighting shall be permanent. And be it further enacted, that the present commissioners 32. for paving, lighting, and cleansing the City of Dublin, shall i™,' cease to be such, from the period at which this act shall be in force; and that all their powers, save that of levying a special tax not herein authorized, shall vest in the chief commissioners and the local commissioners for Dublin. And be it further enacted, that compensation for property 33. maliciously or wantonly destroyed by incendiaries or rioters, Li!v|raformaiia. or taken by thieves between the rising and setting of the imd'tlSiation sun : also, townland fines incurred by the illicit distillation of spirit: also, the charges of any increased force of police or military, .rendered necessary by lawless tumults and de¬ predations ; shall bo levied by the local commissioners, after obtaining full proof, on oath, of the perpetration of the injury, , or robbery, or of the incurring of the fines, or of the actual necessity for the increased force of military or police, and after ten days’ public notice shall be given of the day on which the levy will be imposed. And all persons liable to, the levy shall have access to the records of the evidence, and all documents given in support of each application for a levy; and if aggrieved by such levy may appeal against it to the chief commissioners, who shall adjudicate on it, and such adjudication,shall be final. •20 vTu-kul iw:every-:ensaitlie levy shall bcextended to a wluiie djstrict,/oriliniited'te;ai parV'atithe idiscretion. of the com- missioners, accordiiig;'to dthe^'State of' the district. And ab donble-’assessment;'shallr be made oh houses wherein >[)iVit -shall’'be-’retailbd -in-quantities less-than a quart, -accordingtto-their rated-value respectively, provided such houses-shall'not’he’public inns or taverns, licensed and'con¬ ducted; as such',', exclusively. ' - ; - And'be-it further enacted, that it shall be lawful for the localxoriimissioners,-whenever conthgeous diseases shall be prevalent^ toirequire by public-notice, the landlords of all houses occupied by the working classes in cities, towns, and villages; to cleanse and whitewash with lime the passages and yards - of such houses. And where a notice shall not be conformed to within three days, it shall be lawful for the local commissioners to get the passages and yard of the house cleansed and whitewashed, and to assess the cost on the rent; which cost the occupiers shall pay, and they shall be allowed for it by their landlord, upon producing a receipt for it when paying their-rents. . And be it further enacted,-that all powers heretofore and still vested in grand juries, corporations,-and public commis¬ sioners, for preventing or removing nuisances shall hence¬ forth be vested solely in the chief and local commissioners, appointed or elected under this act. And -all applications touching same shall be adjudicated on by the commissioners, according to the forms prescribed by law. -And be it further enacted, that all tolls or charges now payable on ships and merchandise in any port in Ireland, shall be continued as herein-before provided, until parlia¬ ment shall by law repeal or alter them. But they shall be paid, solely, to the chief, or local commissioners, or their officers ; and shall be by them applied to the repair and maintenance of light houses, light ships, piers, quays, and land-marks, and to all other objec's, for which they shall have been granted by law or charter. And the-right of raising and selling shore ballast shall also-be vested, solely, from-henceforth, in the chief and local oommissioiicrs, and their officers.' : And they shall keep separate accounts-of-all the receipts and outlay for harbours; -and shall-lay copies .of same be- foreiparliament annually.-; ’ --- ■ And the pilot establishments for thei.coast and rivers of Ireland, shall also be under themanagementofthe chief and local-comraissiohers, from-henoeforth.-'i.i And'they shall have proper'persons trained- forhthis service, mnduhave, them iil oxaniiiied in navigation, and-the localities of the entire coasti and pronounced to be; duly qualified; . before dioing investerlwith'the pilots badge or-insigniai - . ■ - • •And.'be it further enacted, that'alb powers now vested 37. in- 'ballast offices, corporations, and commissioners, for maintaining and improving ports and harbours, or for office" &c. erecting' new harbours, and piers, shall be vested from henceforth in the commissioners and local commissioners'to be appointed or elected under this act, and shall be exer¬ cised' by them exclusively. And they shall take charge of the records, accounts, and applicable funds, with the iegally contracted debts, of all the separate establishments for ports and harbours which shall exist in Ireland, at the passing of this act.' And they shall provide for the liquidation of all just debts of simple contract. And they shall also provide for payment of the interest on any vested debt. And they shall apply all surplus revenues arising from harbours respectively, to the liquidation of the permanent debt of each. And be it further enacted that all grants which shall be gg. made by parliament,' and all parliamentary loans, in aid of Parliamentary theffunds for: improving or erecting Irish harbours, shall he placed atdhe disposal of the chief commissioners. And in'like; manner all grants or loans heretofore made and not.'yet wholly expended, shall be placed at the disposal of ithe ichief'comriiissioners, after the passing of this act, to whatever extent they shall then exist. And the contracts made for the execution of the works, and not yet completed or discharged, shall be also transferred to the chief com- " Ahd'be it further enacted, that it shall be lawful for the 39. chief'and local commissioners and their officers, to inspect thexharters and-other titles of all corporations, lay and ecclesiastical, and of all other lawfully constituted public bodies in Ireland, or having property in Ireland, to ascertain whether any property in their possession shall have been acqubed; in part or wholly, for public works or improve¬ ments,-or' for the poor, or for public education, (save w'liere applicable to the uses of the University of Dublin, and the public colleges,) or for the maintenance of clergy- ineu,t(save'where lands or .tenements or securities shall have been vested for the uses oCthe church establishment.) And thexhief commissioners shall make returns of all such prope'rtjV'iits nature,' extent,- and denominations;: to pai-lia- nient; IhAnd the annual proceeds of it shall- be paid over to the coinmissioners,-and be applied by them to the objects for which originally destined. 22 And!be . it ^further ,enacted, that the commissioners of ■ church terriporalities,, in conjunction with the bishops of the established church, shall immediately after the passiinr of this act investigate the church income of each parish or union in Ireland, from the year 1790 to the close of 1830, making a period of forty years. And a report shall there¬ upon, be made for each see, signed by the archbishop or bishop and the , commissioners; setting forth, as accu¬ rately, as possible, the average amount of the income of each parish or union, arising from glebe and tithes, or minister’s money, during ten years closing with 1800, 1810, 1820, and 1830; aho, whether any school has been main¬ tained out of each income, and, if so, at what average annual expense; aho, whether a curate has been main¬ tained, and if so, at what expense; aho, whether the in¬ cumbent is resident, and whether divine service is regularly performed in the parish or union. And the commissioners of church temporgjities, and the archbishop or bishop of each see, shall make another report for the same periods, showing the average amount or value of lay tithes, annually, during each period of ten years; and specifying the amount of any deduction from such income annually made for a school, or for the poor, or for a clergyman. And each report shall also specify any further deductions from the average incomes of the incumbents or impro¬ priators : allocations to the bishops, the expense of collect¬ ing tithes, or other abatement. And these reports shall be laid before his majesty in council. And they shall be accompanied by lists, made by the archbishops or bishops—stating the name, actual place of residence, date of ordination, and date of induction, of eacli incumbent, and the amount of income in addition to existing glebe, which would he a proper income for the future, with reference to the past annual proceeds of the parish, making all just deductions, and also with reference to the duties performed; and fmther, stating the income which would be proper for each curate. . And his majestyin council, having all those statements, shall, fix, the future incomes; to' be paid to the lucumbents in addition'to existing glebe ; a)id: aho, ‘the , incomes to be paid to the curates ; ■'««(? aAo, the amount of annual compensatioiii to ibe. made" to such; owners of' lay tithes named .in ..tho , returns,. as, shall,not be the proprietors or occupiers'of' the land on which the tithes shall have been chargeable. > , 23 And a return in detail of thei ncomes to be paid to the clergy, shall be made by the clerk of the council, to the . commissioners of church temporalities, and the archbishop or bishop of each see. Whereupon, those commissioners shall appropriate to the payment of such incomes so much of their disposable funds as can be so appropriated, and then draw on the funds of the commissioners to be appointed under this act, for the remaining sum required. And they shall thus provide quarterly, in every year, for the payment of the incomes assigned to the clergy. And the clerk of the council shall make another return to the commissioners who shall be appointed under this act, of the compensation adjudicated to each impropriator of tithes, not being the proprietors or occupiers of the lands chargeable with them; and the commissioners shall pay out of funds herein authorized to be created, a full equivalent in money for such compensation, in every case in which it shall be claimed from them within one year and six months after the promulgation of the order made in council; and such equivalent shall be the amount of the compen¬ sation for a term of fourteen years. And be it further enacted, that whenever a vacancy shall 41. occur in any incumbency, the archbishop or bishop of the see shall decide whether the incumbency shall be added to cseenoteE.] one adjoining, or anew incumbent be appointed; and if he shall decide on uniting the incumbency to another, he shall report to his majesty, all the circumstanees moving him to [b 3 The 5tli article of the Act of Union, the 40th Geo. III. cap. 38, contains the fonowing clauses “ That the churches of England and Ireland, as now hy law established, he united into one.” “ That the continuance and preservation of the said united church, as the establislied church of England and Ireland, shall be deemed and taken to be, an essential and fundamental part of the Unions - The rational interpretation of these clauses seems to he, that while there shall be persons in Ireland professing the religion of the established chnrcli, that church shall be maintained by the state; hut tlic state is not therefore hoimd to maintain an unnecessarily extensive ecclesiastical establishment for the clmrcli. That it is bound to maintain an establishment is palpable; but it is contrary to reason to infer that such establishment should he greater than the wants of the church require it to be. Therefore it is proposed that the number of the present clergy shall be dimiuished, whenever vacancies occur, which there shall he uo occasion for filling up, and also that the incomes to he assigned to the present clergy shall bo reduced to their successors whenever deemed expedient. To meet the objection so often made to a state provision for the established church, to which the members of other churches are compelled to contribute,— woiiid^ boar,'could be no ..... ..a..... ....... ...— Roman church required,a large establishment, its members would form a body proportiohably large, and the public taxes paid by theju would be also large— and if the Pfesb;^eriari church required only a small establishment, its members would form a body proportionably small, and cousequeutly-tiieir contribution to the public taxes would be also small. - Therefore the objection made to an eccle. ai.-istical state provision, to which the members of other churches contribute. 24 such decision; and,the report shall be laid before liis majesty .in council; and if the decision made shall be approved of,ithe approbation shall be signified to the arch¬ bishop or bishop, and the commissioners of church tempo¬ ralities. And if the decision shall not be approved of, it shall be lawful to direct that a new incumbent shall be appointed with such income, as shall seem expedient. And if the archbishop or bishop shall decide that a now incumbent is necessary, he shall in like manner report the circumstances moving him to the decision. And his ma¬ jesty in council may either confirm or set aside such deci¬ sion. And the decision in council shall be final, and shall in all cases be communicated to the archbishop or bishop and the commissioners of church tempora¬ lities. 42. And be it further enacted, that the trustees of the Roman Catholic College of Maynooth, and the chief ministers of Romm Cnthoiic; the Presbyterian Synod of Ulster, shall report to his ?eiigtoiS, in™”" majesty, whenever required, the number of clergymen of *™s!'mioteF] located for each religion throughout Ireland, (excepting the members of religious orders or frater¬ nities, in the Roman Catholic church,) and the aimiial stipend which would be sufficient for the comfortable anil suitable maintenance of each clergyman in each class, in addition to gifts for the performance of the marriage cere¬ mony or other rites. And it shall be lawful for his majesty on receiving such reports, in council, to assign befitting incomes to bo paid to the clergymen of each religion; and returns ■ thereof shall be furnished by the clerk of the council to the Ti-mtees of Maynooth, and to the Presbjderian Synod of Ulster, respectively, and also to the commissioners who shall be appointed under this act. would be removed. And altbouffh tlie Protestant cliurcli would have a provi. siou greater tliau either of the others, it would be entitled, to it, as the greatest amount of taxes would be paid by its members, in oousequcnce of tlie tux on rents, the principal part of which belong to Ih-otestant landlords. It is not proposed to make a provision for the clergy of other religions, as the separated sects, comprise, comparatively, so few members; und as a pro. vision for any other than the clergy of a religion, of long standing, would be a. [f] It is commonly objected, to j^prov^mnfor^heciergy'oftheRoraauCatiJo- the crown:—the;^woiildbaremTinff stipeiids'^ed for.them by.tiieir'Eiishops out of a general funisiippHeiby members of tUe«.’,o.wn.^eli^on j;.end, it is propoficd to'place tills fund for distribution,- in tJiOichargi^of thc.trustces oOIayuootli, a.s the^oman Catholic ^i3l)op.s—lhe trustees being^iie several Unman bishops of Ireland, and three Roman Catholic noblemen. •25 And if such provision shall he accepted, the commis¬ sioners shall quarterly pay to the trustees of the College and to the Synod, respectively, one-fourth part of the tofal amount of annual stipends assigned to the clergy of each religion ; and the sum so paid shall be thereupon distri¬ buted by persons appointed for tbe purpose, wbo shall keep accounts of the distribution, and take receipts for the stipends paid. Arid from thenceforward, it shall be unlawful for any clergyman, receiving a stipend out of the fund so provided, to make collections for his maintenance. And be it further enacted, that it shall be lawful for his 43. majeky, for the purpose of securing a proper education to PiTinnucnt gr the clergymen of the Roman Catholic and Presbyterian fllMtlraia™ ''' religions in Ireland, to order in council, a certain sum, annually, to be paid by the commissioners who shall be appointed under this act, in aid of private endowments, contributions, and students’ pensions, for tbe support of colleges for Roman Catholic clergymen, and also for Pres¬ byterian clergymen of the Synod of Ulster. Such annual payment not to exceed-of the endowments, contributions, and pensions, the total of which shall be certified to the commissioners annually, by the visitors who shall be appointed for each college; and by the commis¬ sioners shall be reported to bis majesty, with the details of the total income and expenditure for the year. D •i() •i-f- And lie it further enacted, that for the purpose of I. making a provision to supply any deficiency in the funds ■je , formed by the taxes herein imposed, and the other resources ,, 1 hereby placed at the disposal of the commissioners, it shall be lawful to raise for the commissioners, by exchequer bills, such sums as they shall so require within the year; and the amount so raised shall be repaid with interest out of the produce of the taxes of the succeeding year, or shall be charged as public expenditure in the accounts of the united kingdom, whichever parliament shall in each succeeding year determine. d j. And be it further enacted, that it shall be lawful for the •Vi.r' ‘ commissioners to issue debentures for sums of £100, £50, [Sr- n..!f H.] £'20, and £10, to such persons as shall deposit in bank to their credit, sums of those amounts, to be advanced by them as loans to companies or individuals. And the commissioners shall cause deposit books for this purpose to be opened in the bank of Ireland and its branch establishments, and in the several establishmeiiLs of the provincial bank of Ireland, in which shall bo recorded the name and place of residence of each depositor, and the date and amount of each deposit. 27 . And the depositors shull lie entitled :to. receive deben¬ tures ol any'amount issuable, equivalent-, to, theAotal. of i each-deposit; and'the debentures shall be numbered,and dated, progressively, but shall not specify, the,depositors’ names. , ■ And the debentures shall be on parchment and shall bo for ever exempt from stamp duty. And the depositors shall receive interest- on their depo¬ sits, at one pound per centum under the current rate of discount or interest which shall be chargeable from year to year by the public banks for the use of money. And the interest shall be paid half-yearly—on or after the first day of May and the first day of November in everx And for the purpose of securely denoting the payment of interest and preventing fraud on the public, a new issue of debentures, bearing the original numbers and dates, and also bearing the-date of the new issue, shall be made at-every-period for the payment of interest. .And each depositor, or debenture holder, receiving interest, shall give up the-old debentures, which shall be thereupon cancelled. And be it further enacted, that holders of debentures 46. desirous of obtaining money for them shall be at liberty to Traubrer and pr self them. ScnturM.“”"* And to secure the, holders against loss of capital by ll'uc'tuatidus in the , prices of such securities, it shall be obligatory on each-bank to receive the debentures for Beiug asked, what class of the community it is, that make the small ‘‘ f deposits, he gave the followiug answer ‘ they are generally the luljouriiig I cljigae.'i, in towns Uko^^sgow.^ t?* ^‘ ^bank. deposit.! . There m now',n facility iov their pliiciug money in the pro. “ ‘vident banks, which receive money till the deposit amounts to ten pound.s. .“.‘When it comes to-ten pounds it is equal to the minimum of a bank deposit. The system of hankingm Scotlmidisjustaii extension of the provident bank “./systcm.'.'Half-yearly or yearly, th6se depositors come to the bank and add “ * the savings of their labour with the interest that has accrued upon the dejm- sits from, the previous half year or year, to the principal: and in this way if ‘goesion. without being at all reduced, accumulating till the depositor is able .“.‘either to -buy, or-buUd ajidiise, wheait comes to be one, or two, or three “‘hundred poiuidSj'or'till heisable,tdconnnence business as a master in the “ ‘ line in-whieli he has liitherto.been a servant. A great part of the depositors ‘f ‘ of thtfbank are of description, and « jynci of (Ae of “ f idual/£tich sums lif money jis he,may,from tiihe to.time rcqnire, not exceed. ing iirthe.wholc.a certaui defipite amount - the individual to whoin the credit “ is given, entering ihto’abonll'with siiciiritiesj .generally two in number,'for ■^Im^epaymentou^de of tlic,s|^,?,aetual!y^a^^^^ “ fhousanjpounds, a'ndoccasiondlly^Jarge^^^ ^’’ ' ^ ■28 iransfer. when required; and every person wlio shall de¬ posit a debenture for that purpose shall receive an acknow¬ ledgment for it, and shall be entitled to receive the amount of it from the bank after the lapse of seven days. And to prevent an increase of the sale price of deben¬ tures, beyond the amount of them, whereby a profit or premium would be acquired on them without benefit to the public, and to the detriment of the loan fund, it shall bo law ful for the commissioners to extend the issue of deben¬ tures, in proportion to the increase of the demand for - them. 47. And be it further enacted, that the commissioners shall lend the money deposited, to companies or individuals, as Sprofr;?ci:t- hereinafter provided, and they shall also apply it for public purposes as herein directed, charging for the use of it, in all such cases, the current rate of interest chargeable for money by the public banks. 48. And be it further enacted, that the money deposited shall l he lent on competent security, in small sums which shall not exceed £500 in the whole, in any case, to persons who shall be engaged in farming, manufacturing, or in carrying on some branch of trade; and such persons shall be charged the current rate of interest on all sums which they shall so obtain. •2!) And when a secmity shall be deposited for a cash credit, with the commissioners, they shall issue a warrant to the proper bank to open an account for the persoir who shall be named in it, and to advance to such person, small sums as they shall be required, not exceeding in the whole the amount which shall be expressed in the warrant. And in every case of cash credit, the banks shall receive lodgments in re-pajnnent or abatement of the sums lent, and shall allow for them the like rate of interest as shall be payable on deposits for debentures. And be it further enacted, that the banks shall receive 49. for the trouble of management, such profits as shall be realized by the use of the deposits, beyond the amount of “"to n-3 the expenses which shall be incurred by the commissioners in their part of the management. And be it further enacted, that the commissioners shall 50. lay before both houses of parliament, within two months after the commencement of each year, an account specifying ” • the total sums deposited and lent in the preceding year, and the total amount of interest received and paid, and the expenses of management in respect thereof, which shall be incurred by the commissioners, and the profit reserved by the banks, and the total amounts of deposits existing at the commencement and close of the year. And be it further enacted, that it shall be lawful for the 51. commissioners to apply money out of the loan fund, to the erection or- improvement of harbours, piers, light houses. 'paid tip witk great '-punctmlity. ilany of^the persons relieved hp tl mere previousiti paying from 12 to Wper cent above ready money prii different articles to carry on their oceapations." The report on the “ a7tdeood order of the country.'* On tlie general principle of giving assistance to the lower trading classes, by loans or cash credits, it may be asked, if the liigher trading classes require the Andif the suspeimon of bank aid would (ffj it dm done) stop the business of the liighertraders to whom it is given, must it not be equally impossible for the inferior traders’ to get on without aid ? ' In Scotland all classes get aid: the result is cbmmerciafprosperity, sdcial quietude, and ability to pay higher rates of taxes, and a greater number of taxes, than are paid in Ireland, witli an equal amount of total revenue, although the population is two-lhirds less than the It is sometimes-objected to the Scotch banking system of deposits, that it draw their money.’ Thp’same objection may'be made to savings baiiks; and so sfultibed as tlius to’deytfoy its^otm pruperty,'' (tor' a fun on'h Sedtd? bank would be a ruii*of the bankers on'themselves, while h ran'on aif ordinary bank is the aimultdrieous deihan'd'of‘cfcditors''ou' a debtor,''and nbfe’on tlnimselvcsyl 30 and ([uays; and in such cases they shall appropriate to the payment of the interest on the money so applied, such part of the tolls herein made payahle to them as shall he necessary for the purpose. And it shall also be lawful to lend money out of tlu' - fund for the extension or improvement of inland navigations, roads, and railways, on the security of tolls arising from existing works, sufficient to pay the interest on the sum lent; or on the security of a local tax or charge on any district which shall he snfficient to pay the interest; or on the security of a charge on rents, which shall be sufficient to pay such interest. And be it further enacted, that it shall be lawful for tin; and comm'ssioners to lend money for the erection of farm houses and offices, on security for repayment of the prin¬ cipal, and the prompt payment of the interest half-yearly; or on instruments of agreement under hand and seal, to which the landlords shall be parties, and whereby the tenants shall consent to repay the loans by half-yearly instalments, to be raised by a certain acreable rate, which shall be collected with the taxes of the district, and may be a deduction from the rent, wholly or partly, or an addition to it, as shall be agreed upon between the land¬ lords and tenants, according as either or both shall liqui¬ date the charges of the improvements. And the rates so agreed to he paid shall be recoverable in like manner as the taxes made payahle by this act, and shall be first charges on the lands or tenements of the con¬ tracting parties whether they shall be tenants for life or otherwise. And in all cases wherein advances of money shall be made for erecting farm houses or offices, the work shall he executed on contract, according to plans and It is also obiectcd against communitv banks, that if they w eovemment would find It difficult to get loans. Happy would Englan her covemment had been mot bv suSi a difficulty m the roigu ofGe ... Third. She would uot now owe ilie enormous public debt that has luaded lier indnstrr with taxes. But the era is gone bv, ni which this ol^eetion would ho tenable. The time for suffering corenunents to incur debts by. currying on wars, is passed awav. This is the period of liquidation. And now, that our p^ubH^de^is to be ^nallyrnd off, by purchasing the slock of wl^it consists. could be obtain^ bv the increased wmpGtition for public SMuktics would be the incorporation of 3i and 3 ijer cent stocks, by which asmaJI reduction might be effected in the annual charge of the debt; Vuwgh- the confiactOionofa larso amount capital innskd lu the public; and ultimatelv the Z per cent, ttock ihould f.e redemidatpar, although its present price is only 88f. per cent. extimales to be approved, of by the commissioners ; and tiie mpnejv shall not be. paid until the proper public officer shall certify the completiph of tlie work according to the approved plans and estimates. ' i , And be it further enacted, that it shall be lawful for'the conimissioners to advance loans for erecting public granaries, and mills, or for erecting or repairing houses of worship, on housra agreements from a sufficient number of proprietdrs and ^’'jlsee- occupiers of lands and tenements, to pay a rateable charge on lands or rents, or both, for a certain number of years, which shall be sufficient to secure the prompt payment of the interest, and to repay the loan within the time. ,And such rateable charges shall be recoverable like the ordinary taxes, and shall be first and valid liens bn lands or tenements whether the contracting parties shall be tenants for life or otherwise. And the work shall.be executed by contract according to plans and estimates, to ,be approved and completed, in like manner as those for farm-houses and offices. ■ And the granaries and mills which shall be so erected, shall be the property persons whose money shall be given for the erection of them. And 'the houses of worship shall be free to all members of the,congregations for whose use they shall be erected; and it shall not be lawful to make any charge for admission to theni, except such as' shall be agreed to by a majority of each congregation, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of repairs, and those attendant on the performance of divine worship. And b.e it further enacted, that it shall be lawful for the chief arid local commissioners to take possession of and inclose .all public, coirinions, or such portions thereof as to them shrill seem expedient, with reference to any public uses made of such commons ; and also to take possession ojT, inclose, and reclaim, all wastes to which no right of appropriation shall exist before the passing of this act. 32 And for these purposes they shall give public notice in a newspaper of the district, or some journal which shall be extensively circulated in it, once a week for one month, that on certain days to be stated, they will publicly investigate and value all existing rights of common in such lands, and therefore require all persons concerned to put in their claims , previously, as otherwise such claims will not be entertained. And at the appointed times they shall adjudicate on all claims duly made, in presence of all concerned who shall attend, publicly allotting to each person having a bona-fide right, an equivalent portion of the lands, (saving for the crown or lord of the manor all mines and right of access to them,) which portion, deducting as much as shall iu value be equal to the cost of inclosing and draining, shall be inclosed and drained for the claimant, by the local commis¬ sioners. And each inclosed allotment shall be the property- in fee of the claimant to whom it shall be adjudicated; and a certificate from the commissioners, describing the allot¬ ment, shall be possessor’s title. And the residue of such lands, unallotted, shall be the property of the public; and the commissioners shall inclose and drain so much of these lands, as it shall not be expedi¬ ent to leave open. And specific returns of the extent and denomination of the land inclosed for the public, shall bo made to the head office of the commissioners ; whereupon it shall be sold publickly; and the proceeds of it shall be applied by the commissioners to public purposes. 55. And be it further enacted, that it shall be lawful for the appropriS"® to contract with proprietors of waste lands wastes. for the reclaiming of them; where the proprietors shall give security for the repayment of the outlay by a rent- charge on reclaimed lands which shall be sufficient to secure the prompt payment of the interest, and to provide for the repayment of the principal sum within a certain stipulated time; or where they shall convey to the commissioners the fee of a portion of the wastesj which when reclaimed shall be sufficient to repay the whole expenditure, with interest. And proprietors who shall be tenants for life, or shall have their lands incumbered by settlements, mortgages, or judgments, shall nevertheless have full legal power to give the rent-charge aforesaid, or, to convey to the commissioners the fee of a portion of the wastes affected by such incum¬ brances, as a consideration for rendering the remainder available property. And the commissioners shall sell, or let on lease, any property which they shall thus acquire. 33 And be it further enacted, that the advertisements, agree- 56. raents,' bonds, contracts, conveyances, leases, and other instruments of whatsoever kind, which shall be required™”’’’ or executed fob the purposes of this Act, shall be exempt from stamp duty, except certificates of allotments which the commissioners shall make of wastes or commons, and conveyances which shall also be made by them, of lands or tenements sold. And on these certificates and conveyances the duties shall be paid by the parties who shall obtain them. And be it further enacted, that it shall be lawful for the 57. officers of the commissioners to levy by' seizure of chatties, Hecovcry of any arrears of taxes, assessments, or voluntary rates, which shall accrue on lands or tenements. And it shall also be lawful to proceed for them summarily, as for ordinary debts, by civil bill process, in the name of the collector for the district. And debts due from persons who shall obtain cash credits, shall not be sought from such persons, except where the sureties shall prove to be insolvent, but shall be en¬ forced from the sureties under their bonds, if they shall be solvent; and for this purpose the bonds shall have warrants annexed, under which it shall be competent to issue prompt executions against goods and chatties. And be it further enacted, that every person who shall 58_ be appointed by the commissioners to collect taxes and Th.. loiicctors. other moneys payable to them, shall give security for the full amount of the trust, by the bond (with warrant an¬ nexed) of two persons who shall be possessed of lands or tenements, or by an investment for loans, the debentures foi’ which shall be deposited with the commissioners. And each of these officers shall be supplied with books of receipts filled as herein-before provided, and shall keep account books at the office of the local commissioners of the district, in which he shall make entries of all sums receiv- iible and all received in each quarter of the year. And the local commissioners shall inspect those books weekly, and also the books of receipts, and also the returns which shall be made from asylums, hospitals, and schools, of sums collected there; and having thus ascertained the total collection of each week, they shall require the collector to produce a bank receipt for the lodgment of such sum, made as herein-before directed; and the production of the receipt and the amount of the collection shall be thereupon reported to the head office. And be it further enacted, that the payments of the chief 5y_ or local commissioners, shall be made by drafts, signed by Payinenis of the three of them, and addressed to a bank of the district. commissionors. 34 ■And be it iiirthei-.enacted, that the: ^accbunts of. the receipts, payments, profits* .and losses, of the commissioners, shall be auditfed annually, .by examiners who, shall he appointed hy the commissioners for auditing the-public accounts of the United Kingdom; and, for this purpose, those examiners shall have access to tdl vequisite papers and records, but shall .hot remove them froin the ofiBces of the commissioners. And a copy of each audited aCcount 'shall be laid before parliament. And the commissioners jshall.make:an annual report to parliament of all their proceedings, , and of the state of the various institutions which shall be in their charge.