Most of the unions made provision for the payment of first annual instalment under the Consolidated Debts Act (_13th and 14th Vict. cap. 14_),[191] the arrangements under which, including the advance of 300,000_l._,[192] appear to have been all completed by the end of September. But in the following month a Treasury minute was issued, declaring that although “my lords” are of opinion that the present state of the greater part of Ireland does not call for any relief from the operation of the Act, yet they cannot doubt that there are districts in which relief must be given—“in the case of those districts, for instance, where the local resources are insufficient to meet the ordinary expenditure for relief of the poor, and where it is necessary to have recourse to assistance from the relief-in-aid fund for this purpose, it cannot be expected that further sums for payment of the consolidated annuities can be raised.” With regard to _postponement_, their lordships are of opinion that it would only tend to prolong a feeling of uncertainty as to future payments, whilst it is deemed of great importance to restore confidence in the owners and occupiers of land in the distressed districts, to which end the demands should be definite both in amount and in time. It is thought therefore that a remission of payment, either altogether or in part according to circumstances, is preferable to postponement, and an intimation is given of its being intended to apply to parliament with this view. Meantime however, the Poor Law Commissioners were authorized to direct the treasurers of the unions to retain the whole annuity payable by electoral divisions of which the expenditure in relief was ascertained to be 4_s._ in the pound, or more; and also to direct “so much only of the annuity to be paid in other divisions as might, together with the relief expenditure, amount to 4_s._ in the pound.” ----- [191] Ante, p. 374. [192] A statement of the appropriation of this loan is given in the Appendix to the commissioners’ fourth Report. ----- [Sidenote: The Treasury minute, October 21, 1851.]