By the Tithe Rentcharge (Ireland) Bill, tithepayers in Ireland will in future have to pay tithe based upon the actual amount of the rent, instead of upon a value which was fixed as long ago as 1872, when rents were much higher, and which has never been altered since. Agricultural rents having been largely reduced in Ireland, this is only a matter of justice, as tithe is really a proportionate charge upon rent. The cost of this change is to be met out of the Irish Church Fund, and this may result in a deficiency in the Fund in the course of the next generation. The deficiency, however, could be covered by an annual Vote of £20,000 or £30,000.

On the Third Reading of the Bill in the House of Commons, Mr. Asquith attacked it as another "Dole" to a privileged class, and went on to condemn what he calls the other "Doles" of the Government. But Mr. Balfour soon exposed these tactics. For electioneering purposes Mr. Asquith tries to make out that the Government have favoured certain classes or interests at the expense of others.

This was Mr. Balfour's reply:

"The truth is that the motive of the right hon. gentleman's speech was sufficiently apparent when he gave his brief historic survey of what he called the annual dole which this Government. gives to their supporters. (Opposition cheers.) I thought so. It is no particular love for the Church Fund, it is no burning anxiety to support hon. gentlemen below the gangway (the Irish) that has produced this unlooked for intervention of the right hon. gentleman. He has taken occasion to make a speech which, perhaps, he supposes may be an electioneering speech. He has travelled far outside the four corners of