THE IRISH RELIEF BILL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2326, 31 August 1880, Page 3

THE IRISH RELIEF BILL.

The Irish business, which has engaged so much of the attention of the House of Commons, may bo briefly' explained. Originally' the Government only' proposed to pass an Irish Relief Bill to enable them to lend more money' to Irish land-lords and local bodies, and thus to redeem the pledges of their predecessors who had failed to provide funds sufficient for their execution. At the last moment, however, Mr Forster gave notice that he would move to add to this bill in committee a clause which, in certain distressed districts in Ireland, to be named in the schedule w'ould cause Irish landlords who during the next two years evicted their tenants to be liable under certain circumstances to a claim for compensation, the validity of the claim and the sufficiency of the circumstances being decided by a County Court Judge. When the supplementary clause w r as made known the strongest opposition was offered to the Relief Bill proceeding into committee. Tlio new provision, it was contended, really' conceded the principle of Mr. O’Connor Power’s Land Bill, which makes the claim for compensation universal, and was in contradiction of the previously intimated and express assurance of Mi’. Forster that the Government did not intend this y r ear to touch the Irish land question at all. Ultimately the Government gave way', and declared that they would embody the new clause in a separate measure. Upon this understanding the Relief Bill was allowed to go into committee, where, however, none of its provisions have yet been considered.