On Thursday a portion of the financial provisions of the
Bill came under consideration. In the course of the debate a Radical Scotch member, Mr. Cathcart Wason, protested against conferring on the Irish Parliament even a limited control over the Customs. Should Ireland reduce the Customs duties she would never be in a position to contribute towards the cost of Imperial services, and British members would ask why the Irish should be relieved from taxation and at the same time receive contributions from the British Exchequer. The Postmaster-General found it very difficult to parry this shrewd thrust, and somewhat feebly argued that unless this power were granted to the Irish Parliament they would be unable to raise the revenue needed—which seems to show that the Government quite seriously contemplate Ireland developing a separate Customs system.
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