THE BERRY INFLUENCE, 1875-1882 195 



it was determined to block appeal to the ordinary Courts of Law. So 

 three Commissioners were appointed with despotic powers to deal 

 with complaints, and their decision was to be absolutely final. For 

 resisting such decision a landowner could be committed to gaol with- 

 out any intermediary process of law. In fact, all persons liable for 

 this tax were, in regard to it, deprived of the protection which a 

 British Court of Justice is supposed to extend to the humblest sub- 

 ject of the realm. The administration of the Act was very costly, 

 the army of classifiers and other officials adding materially to the 

 swelling expenditure, but it opened a fine field of patronage. When 

 Mr. Berry succeeded in securing Sir Bryan O'Loghlen for his Chief 

 Law Officer, he installed his stop-gap Attorney-General, Mr. Le Poer 

 Trench, in one of these Commissionerships at 1,500 per annum. 



The debate on the Land Tax Bill in the Assembly was lopsided . 

 The Opposition pointed out several defects and indulged in solemn 

 warnings, but in action they were powerless. The second reading 

 was carried by the enormous majority of fifty-nine votes to five. A 

 week later it was transmitted to the Council. As the electors of 

 that Chamber were almost the only people affected by the measure, 

 it was not unreasonable that it should receive more attention there 

 than in the Assembly. Yet when the members of the Council 

 jostponed the second reading for a fortnight, in order that they 

 might receive some returns which had been asked for from the 

 Lands Department, Mr. Berry struck an attitude of defiance. Un- 

 doubtedly the information asked for by the Council was equally 

 necessary to enable the Assembly to arrive at a proper decision in 



matter, but discussion was not encouraged there, and the Bill 

 was rushed through. Irritated by the delay, the Chief Secretary 

 expressed his suspicion that a plot was afoot to overthrow the chief 

 item on the programme he had submitted to the country. To 

 emphasise his intentions he elected to treat this reasonable delay as 

 the equivalent of a no-confidence motion, and arbitrarily adjourned 

 the Assembly for a fortnight, as an act of intimidation to the Council, 

 stating that no further public business would be transacted pending 

 enactment or otherwise of the Land Tax Bill. So dominant was 

 Mr. Berry's rule that in a House of sixty-two only nine members 

 had the courage to oppose a motion so unprecedented and so 



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