http://hdl.handle.net/2262/8720 2013-05-22T19:39:13Z 2013-05-22T19:39:13Z Hancock, W. Neilson http://hdl.handle.net/2262/8401 2010-06-03T15:55:41Z 1851-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: On the general principles of taxation, as illustrating the advantages of a perfect income tax Author: Hancock, W. Neilson Abstract: Gentlemen—The duties of a government, as enumerated by Adam Smith, are four in number:— 1st—To guard against foreign aggression. 2nd—To secure against internal fraud or violence. 3rd—To maintain public institutions which private individuals cannot support with profit. 4th—To make all the subjects of the state contribute their fair share towards the necessary expenses of government, by the payment of taxes. Now, in this paper, I propose to direct your attention to the last duty, or in other words, to explain the general principles of taxation. There are few branches of political economy more interesting in themselves, or of more importance at the present time, than the subject of taxation, and yet there is scarcely any on which greater errors are prevalent. I shall, in the first instance, direct your attention to some of those errors, involving general principles, which, in fact, arise from a wrong way of looking at the subject, and which are, consequently, sources of an infinite number of minor errors in the cases where these mistaken principles come to be applied. Description: Read November 18th 1850

1851-01-01T00:00:00Z Kane, Robert, Sir http://hdl.handle.net/2262/7958 2010-06-03T15:55:55Z 1851-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Report of the address at the opening of the fifth session of the Dublin Statistical Society Author: Kane, Robert, Sir Abstract: Honoured by the request of the council of this society that I should, as acting vice-president, open the business of this its fifth session with such observations as might serve to supplement the annual report which has been laid before our members, and should afford same explanation to our visitors as to the objects of the society, and the progress we have as yet made, I hasten to comply with the duties of a position in which my personal and legitimate appreciation of the honour conferred upon me does not blind me to its difficulties, or prevent me sincerely wishing that the cause of the society, and of the important departments of science which are its care, had been intrusted by the council to some more able advocate. Description: Read November 19th 1851

1851-01-01T00:00:00Z Hancock, W. Neilson http://hdl.handle.net/2262/7799 2010-06-03T15:55:55Z 1851-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: On the effect of the usury laws on the trade of lending money to the poor in Ireland Author: Hancock, W. Neilson Abstract: In the course of some investigations into the condition of the poorer classes in Ireland, my attention has been directed to the state of the trade of lending money amongst them. I find that whilst the large farmers resort to regular banks to make deposits and obtain loans, there are no banks established by private enterprise for the smaller farmers and the labourers. They are forced to carry their deposits to charitable savings banks, and obtain their loans from charitable loan funds at 9.5 per cent, or else resort to local usurers at from 25 to 100 per cent. An inquiry then naturally suggests itself as to the cause of this difference. Why has private enterprise not done for the poor what it has done for the rich? The common theory which ascribes the rate of interest charged to the poor to a want of capital is manifestly fallacious, for such a cause would raise the rate of interest to the rich as well as to the poor. The cause of the phenomena to be explained must be something peculiar to loans of small sums, and especially to loans to small farmers. Such a cause is discovered by an examination of the state of the usury laws. Description: Read February 18th 1850. This paper was also read at the Statistical Section of the British Association, Birmingham, September, 1849.

1851-01-01T00:00:00Z Hancock, W. Neilson http://hdl.handle.net/2262/7785 2010-06-03T15:55:55Z 1851-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: On the utility of making the ordnance survey the basis of a general register of deeds and judgments in Ireland Author: Hancock, W. Neilson Abstract: In treating of the subject of this paper, I propose to direct your attention to the consideration of the following questions :— 1st, On what principle of classification should a general register of acts and deeds relating to land be constructed? 2nd. Are our existing registers of deeds and judgments constructed on the best principle of classification? 3rd. If not, by what changes can the best system of classification be introduced into our registers of deeds and judgments ? Description: Read November 19th 1849

1851-01-01T00:00:00Z Hancock, W. Neilson http://hdl.handle.net/2262/7783 2010-06-03T15:55:55Z 1851-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: On the cost of obtaining patents of invention in different countries Author: Hancock, W. Neilson Abstract: In this paper I propose to direct your attention to some statistical information respecting the cost of obtaining patents or brevets of invention in different countries, which I have arranged in the following tabular form. Description: A paper read before the statistical section of the British Association, at Edinburgh, August 2nd, 1850.

1851-01-01T00:00:00Z Larcom, Thomas A. http://hdl.handle.net/2262/7782 2010-06-03T15:55:55Z 1851-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Address on the conclusion of the third session of the Dublin Statistical Society Author: Larcom, Thomas A. Abstract: It is usual and desirable that at the close of each session of our Society, when we pause for a time in the prosecution of our labours, we should look generally at the position we have attained, and, suspending for the evening the reading of new papers, consider the whole session as a page in our existence closed. To what purpose have we met? What progress have we made? Are our labours proceeding in a right direction? May we from the past gather hope for the future? I think we may; we have ample ground for hope. Description: Read June 18th 1850

1851-01-01T00:00:00Z Haughton, James http://hdl.handle.net/2262/7781 2010-06-03T15:55:55Z 1851-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Statistics of crime Author: Haughton, James Abstract: On the present occasion I purpose to lay before you some statistics of crime, principally derived from the "Returns of the Dublin Metropolitan Police", which appear to have been carefully compiled. To these I shall add a few items of information derived from other sources, and then draw my own conclusions. Although this society is not composed of legislators, it is composed of men of such character and station that their opinions are likely to influence those who are our legislators. It is even probable that some of our members may yet be placed in that responsible position; so that, in this point of view, it is of no little importance that our proceedings shall be characterized by intelligent views on questions of public interest. Description: Read April 23rd 1850

1851-01-01T00:00:00Z Shackleton, Ebenezer http://hdl.handle.net/2262/7780 2010-06-03T15:55:55Z 1851-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Thoughts on reading the Hon. John P. Vereker's paper on absenteeism Author: Shackleton, Ebenezer Abstract: Even if we grant that Absenteeism is an evil, in an economical sense, what then? How would you cure it, without interfering with personal freedom? Who do you call an absentee? Is it the man who derives rent from one part of the kingdom, and spends it in another—from Ireland, for instance, to spend it in England? Mr. Vereker speaks of this man as an absentee. Might he not as well call the landlord of an estate in Munster, who reside in Leinster, an absentee?—or even closer—in the adjoining county, or parish? Again, it is said that money spent in the country must do good, and augment its wealth, either directly or indirectly. It might be better for a tenantry that a landlord should spend his rents in the gambling houses at Baden-baden. Such a thing is possible, and in point of fact, the tenantry of absentees are more thriving than are the tenantry of some resident proprietors. Description: Read March 18th 1850

1851-01-01T00:00:00Z Maley, A. J. http://hdl.handle.net/2262/7779 2010-06-03T15:55:40Z 1851-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Observations upon the economic effects of absenteeism on Ireland Author: Maley, A. J. Abstract: There are few questions generated by the peculiar condition of Ireland more interesting to its people, than that upon which I am about to offer a few observations; for if the opinion which I, in common with many others, hold, that the nonresidence in Ireland of those who, as landlords or creditors, receive the amount of rents payable out of lands in it, is injurious to this country, be not well founded, there is a prevalence of error amongst us that cannot but operate injuriously upon the Irish community, by creating false notions as to what many of us regard as one of the principal causes of our poverty, and one of the greatest impediments to the improvement of our condition; and if, on the other hand, the doctrine we hold be sound, it is not less important that the error of those who entertain a contrary opinion should be corrected. For although it may not be practicable to remedy the evils resulting from absenteeism, by compelling Irish proprietors to live in Ireland, the pernicious influence of their absence upon the prosperity of the country, in an economic, as well as in a social, point of view, ought to be mitigated by those who have it in their power to do so; because it is an evil which we are obliged to suffer to a great extent for the benefit of our British fellow-subjects, and as the result of our political relations with them, and therefore we ought to be compensated for its endurance by the enjoyment of some countervailing good. Description: Read March 18th 1850

1851-01-01T00:00:00Z Hancock, W. Neilson http://hdl.handle.net/2262/7778 2010-06-03T15:55:55Z 1851-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Some statistics respecting the sales of incumbered estates in Ireland Author: Hancock, W. Neilson Abstract: In this paper I propose to direct your attention to some statistical information which I have collected respecting the sales of estates in Ireland by the Incumbered Estates Court. The questions which I proposed to myself in arranging the information which I collected are the following:—First—"Does it appear that any necessity existed for establishing the cheap, simple, and expeditious forms of procedure of the Incumbered Estates Court, in lieu of the proceedings previously required in the Courts of Chancery and Exchequer? Secondly—Is there any evidence of the parties most interested having confidence in the proceedings of the new court? Thirdly—At what rates of purchase have the estates been really sold? Fourthly—To what cause is the difference of prices realized for the different classes of estates to be ascribed? Description: A paper read before the statistical section of the British Association, at Edinburgh, August 6th, 1850.

1851-01-01T00:00:00Z