The Express. — London, England, 1851-02-18 00:00:00

•••••= 0 .••• IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE. OF LORDS.—MoNDAT, Fns. 17. The Lour Cuallcamon took his seat at 6 **cloak. PETITIONS PREM.:NV:D. Parra Aooszasion.—By the Earl of ItANDON, Doe Cork Lee Earl of ERNE, from places in Ireland, and I tea Morithae Is barmy _• Lord St ANLEY, from sever al the Earl of ENNIAKILLEN, from places in l irrO s ne, Armagh, and Limerick; Earl NELSON, from the, in Wiltshire ; and the Marquis of LANSDOWNE, Tres the county of Wilts, and the towns of Devises and Warmiaskr ; against pupal liggrrlrilull. ADITIaIIoN or JIM,. To PA HU mmiT. B Lord 8 fANLEY, from a place not heard, astrinst the a • of Jews to par:iamost. Tale on K n.,wcznos.—By Earl FITZWILLIANI, from a peso re beard , against the ts If on knowledge ~lta. tp(pW DVTT.—By the Earl of St. GERMANS, from Stoa...hosme, praying fora repeal of the window duty. COONTY COURT EXTENSION ACT. Lord BROUGHAM said that he would state the nature of his amended hill on this subject on Friday nest, instead el Thursday, as he had before &rumor , U. Their lordships then adjourned. MOUSE OF COMMONS.—MoNDAT, Fr.a. 17. The bruins took t U k C e chair SINESS. at 4 o'clock. PBLI BU PETITIONS PRESENTED. Numbers of petitions were presented against the paper dots and window tax. TIM OSUMI Moot CIL—By Sir E. 11. INGLIS, from the trustee* of the British Museum, praying for parlia mentary aid. TIIR B/SLI tlonorot.T.—By Mr. lit ME, from Here ford and otht r places, against the Bible monopole. fia.AVE-I.It.MN SIMAS.—By Mr. T. BARING, against the admission of alavc-grown aura:. Poirot. A0011.3101(0,1.—By Lord A. E. HILT., from Bonitos, Coventry, and from places in Ireland; Mr. D'EYNCOURT, from churchwarden , and inhabitants of Bt. Paul's District Church, Herne Hill ; Mr. G. A. MAMILTON (14), from different places in Ireland ; Mr. TURNER, from district of St. Peter's, Coventry ; Mr. R. CLIVE, from place. in Salop; Mr. MANGLES, from a mar ein Surrey, again -t papal aggre.sion. By Mr.COWAN , Irmo Ohan and Truon, to the same t, and praying that price-Moots may be protected in the posstlision of and in the perusal of the Word of Ood,:and agaitiM the denunciations of the priesthood. NEW MEMBER. Mr. Ls WI.ST took the oath. and his seat as member for Pontefract, in the room of Mr. Martin, appointed a baron tW thu Exchequer. • RATING TIIE NEW RIVER COMPANY. On the motion of Mr. Wren, a return was ordered of the assessment and the amount of the rate annually pail, by the directors of the New River Company, for the relief of the poor, in the parish of Saint Mary, Islington, is the county of Middlesex, for the years 1840 to 18.50, in alum re. COUNT HAYNAU. On the motion of Mr. HENRY thivemomo, copies of, or esiracts from, all the correspondence which has taken pine. between the govcrnm' at of Great Britain mail that of Austria, on the subject of the assault committed is London on Count Harnett, a general in the service of his Imperial Majesty, were ordered. CGVFM-STRKET (DUBLIN) RAVINGS BANK. Mr. REYNOLDS wished to know whether the Chancel lor of the litchequer intended during the present {Mil IMA t o CZ). Ir vote of money to make up the defalcutums in this The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he believed his hon. friend wan aware that in the vote which be proposed last year he went to the full extent of, and rasher beyond the wishes of some member. of the commit tee. and that being the case, he could nut propose any addi tional vote. REYNOLDS begged, then, to give notice that he would on as early day move that the house should go into committee with the view of authorising a further payment. TILE SALE OF POISONS. I's reply ben question from Mr. STANrotto, NI, a REY said n hill had been prepared on this sub- ! jpet, but he believed its object was limited to the placing of restrictions on the silk of arsenic. REOISTRAIUS COl'ltT IN CALCUTTA. Viscount JOCELYN wished to ascertain from the Presis stint of the Board of Control whether in conformity with tie ri ., ciane c i d. i rions of the committee which sat last year to inquire into the defalcations in the registrar's court, Cal ruqa, any steps had been taken for the purpose of making pod the nwertaintsl deficiencies. Sir J. 110111101:SE replied that in consequence of the presentation of the report to which the noble lord re forred, is despatch wan sent out to India on the :id of July last year ; and from a despatch which had been retired Ord morning from India, dated the 27th of December, it appeared that nieasunw hail !wen taken for carrying out the oltiect of the inquiry. T BUDfiIET. . . _ The house having resolved itself into a committee of W 7 . 11: ,,t ( 7 1rat.:11.1.0R of the EXCIIFAIT ER prefaced hi. statement of the financial condition and priest - art. of the country by an announcement that all hi. tremens; and ralculatirms were based upon the presumption that the re newal of tile income tax and Iri'.h stamp dude. would be 1 , m:411.41 by die house. Loving panne margin to cover passible error. in the estimate of totals for a financial year which would not expire until the sth of April next, be proceeded to .:ay-1 shall first of all give a probable estimate of the income and expenditure up to the sth April seat, and, sulwequently, a probable estimate of our income and es peroliture for the year ending sth April, 11452. Sir, the income which I estimated hot year a. that which would probably be received wax 52,2)4.0001., and the actual amount of elalaile tip to the sth January has been !,.810.000/. I .10 not Mlie.e, front the means I have had already of judging. that the present quarter will be r. good as the corresponding quarter of last year, the reduction it. the stamp duties having of tonne not taken p1a.... in the early parts of the year, and t ..r.10r.• Id o not hope that the inruete for th e year 'Am.! the Stli April next will exceed 52,656,0001. It is, however, a most gratifying circumstance to observe that there is an increase in dyne items which are usually taken are lorming the best tests of the comforts of the people. (Ohm%) la April last I estimated the excise at 11,015,000/, lug subsequently the brick duty ceased to he collerted, and fla amount Ming deducted left the probable income from the Carl. 13,49n,nu01. Takings not unresisinuble estimate op to the sth ApUNlril neat, I think it will he increased by no IMr• sum than ,1001. The estimated expenditure in last y saes InidgetweadealtMl,oool., and there was %med. including 250.000.f0r the parehase of annuities of the equisalentcom issny an,l2ll,ooofl'.r naval mice .0,50,087,735/. Now the naval earns was paid be fun. the sth of April, and does not appear in the r stimntdexpetditure of the current year hut the latter 501.776.000/ The actual expeiuliture up to the sth of January has bars 110,206,14:10/., and deluding the unclaimed di. idends width form no part of the ordinary expenditure. I believe that the expenditure up to the sth April w ill be less than ''t,131,000/., showing that we have so administered the public funds intrustisl to oar care, a. to have efferent a re duction of 610,00nt below the primate. The probable sur prise on the sth April nest will be 2,521.000/. I now cow to the estimated intoner for the e n su i ng yew. Hun. gentlthea will see that the receipt of enstonms up to the sth sof January, as rather upward. of 20.400,000/. In the course of the ensuing yen, the last risluetion of duty on colonial sugar. and a birth. r rislitetion in the duty on foreign sugar an pienianee of the art of ISIS will take place, nevertheless, although die ;indulge reduction from this cause was bet down in • former isMnate. at 330.0001., I feel fully justified in Lather the rest of ti,- customs for the ensuing year at about the same amount, na.n.ly, in round numbers about Abionaavg. In the excise lam inclined to think that I cannot ralculate on so large on amount as last year. The main portion ..t the excise depends on duties derived front malt and spirit.. Now en 1549 there woe a remarkably favour:Oil. barley harvest, and consequently there was a large amount of malt made, and spirits also. The liarley of is. I am afraid, of an inferior quality, and then 'hoc I do not think it will he possible to derive the same amount of revenue from it. My hon. blend the chairman of the excise is usually a most sanguine esti auger, hut it was with groat diffiCulty he allowed me to state the probable estimate at 14,000:0001. On the strum* Own. will be a furthet tiertase in the course of the issuing year, because the Set passed last sessime did nut come into operation until the 10th of October. The pro bahle amount of Mee from the reduction was estimated at abort .100,000/. and experience has fully justified that coil mete Of course, in the quarter ending October sth people delerred taking out stamps, in expectation of the reduction on the 10th. but iu the quarter ending the 6th of January the amount of stamp duty was 213,0001. less than in the corresponding period of the former ear. So far an I Can judge of the present quarter the tkenase is filly main tained, and, in point of fact, rather exceeded. and therefore I believe the falling off cannot be leas than 250,000/, or 600,0001. in the year. and 250.11001. more next year. Allow ing that I take stamp. at 8.310,0001., the assessed, tic , titers, and the property tat I take at the amounts which I belies,- they will produce, namely, tam*. 4,348,000/, and property tax, 6,3210,0001. Post-office shout 10.000/. more taws last year, namely, 830.000/. take the crown lands at the same vote an leer year. because. whether any alteration he mule in the management or not, gre r.uoilt will be last the nab, and then fore I take them the eame as but year, namely, 100,0001., and miscella neous receipt. at 262.000 i. The old stores are rather higher than last year, namely, 430,000/, which gives me an income altogether of 42.140,0001. I now come to the chalte—and I think the home will probably hear with some satisfaction of a decrease in a portion of the charge on the debt, arising from • very large purchase of terminable annuities. That' provides for the extinction of a certain amount of debt ; and therefore, although • present charge is imposed on the oonntry, yet we must ultimately derive • benefit from the Ming in of these annuities. There will also be some reduction in the charge of the consolidated fund. The surge on the funded debt, including annuitic., will be 27,688,0001., and the charge for interest on Exchequer Bills 404,000/ making together 28,002,0001. The charges on the consoli dated fund will be 2,600,000/, making the af•a4a charge on the funded debt and consolidated fund, taken together, 30,692,000 T. The charge fur the army, eluding the commissariat department, I take at 6,593,94.51.; foe the navy, at 6,537,055/ ; and for the ordnance, at 2, 1 121,1711 s There is here some reduction of expenditure ,• bat. looktoir at these three estinithes—the army. navy, and orinause—there would have been more, but for certain cir cumstances to which I shall allude hereafter, and c)..imree, some permanent, for the %nett of soldiers and sailor., and sem of a temporary nature, but there will be no reduction aI doers. (Rowe hear, from the eamorvaiive benches) The i him THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 18, 1851. government feel that, in the pelmet usirettled state et matters an the continent of Europe, it wild be laces- sistent with the best interest& of the county that the aged and 111131itary forces of the country should be reduced. (Cu.. servatiroavers.) Those 'theme hest acquainted with thine matters are quite aware that our ports &adenoma's are not it that state of defence, in which it will be conceded, it is nett► sari for the safety and benefit of the country they should bey and that it is most necessary to provide efficient safeguards for the depositaries of our national wealth in the event of any disturbance of that peace which I hope will be long preserved. The proposal for these purposes contains no large sum certainly. except those for continuusg the de fensive works in Peinbruke dockyard, ant fur connnenciug the defences of Portsmouth on the land side. I must say that leaving these matters unprovided fur would be &respon sibility which her Majesty's present advisers are not pre pared to incur, and my firm conviction is that however strong and justifiable may be the general feeling in favour of economy in this home, the majority of • British House of Commons will not consent to leave their country in • defenceless and unprotected state. (Cheers.) But still there is a reduction in the army and navy estimates. They were last year for both services 20,012,0001., and this year they will he 19,555,0001. for army, navy, and ordnance, making the reduction about 457,0001. 'From this, however, must be deducted the vote of last ye ar 'for naval excess, so that the absolute reduction of expendi ture under the three heads will be 246,0001., or nearly a quarter of • million. This reduction would have been greater but for two or three changes which have been made in both meeker, some temporary and some permanent in their nature. (Hear, hear.) Gentlemen who sat on the committee on the army and nosy estimates will re member that the question was raised as to the rations al lowed to the soldier *erring abroad, most, on the recemmen dation of that committee, it was determined to diminish the stoppage's of the soldier serving out of the country, and which had hitherto been charged at sd. per day. I propose to main tain the principle of stoppages, but to diminish the amount. The additional charee arising under this head will be about 60,0001., and for:both, supposing the same form to be kept up, 140,0001. The mixes:Hem-owe estimates were 4,065,0001. last year, and of course it is quite impossible to say . what will be the charge this year, when I propose to take in a chum of a temporary nature, but which had not appeared in the estimates of former years, or been borne by the public re venue. The expense of taking the census was formerly borne by the local rates, but I think it is one of them ob ject+ of public interest which it is reasonable should he paid out of revenue, and therefore I have set down 110,0001. for that purpose. Including that estimate, and taking round numbers to cover any small addition that may be made this year, I propose to take 4,000,000/. for miscellaneous esti-1 mates. The expenditure for the year will, therefore, be 60,247,1711., and deducting the possible expenditure from the possible income, there will remain an estimated surplus of 1,802,0001. Now, sir, the first point to which I wish to bring the attention of the committee is, how these estimates bear on the main question I propose to submit to it, namely, the renewal of the income tan, and a concomitant stamp duty. The tax raised last year was 5,400,0001., and the stamp duty produced in 'alma about 120,0001. ; but some reduc tions made last smoke* will bring it down to 100,0001. If, therefore, the committee refuse the vote which I am about to place in Unhands of the chairman, there will be a fall in the revenue to the amount of 5,500,000/. Deducting from that the probable amount of surplus, namely, 1,890,0001., the nett deficiency will he 3,610,0001. In the present year it would not amount to quite so much, because one-half of the present income tax will be receivable in the course of the ensuing year. During that year there will be received 2,700,000/. on the account of the present income tax, and therefore the deficiency would be only 910,0001.; but in every subsequent year, suppusing there should be no im provement in the revenue, the amount would be, as I have atatcd,in round numbers 3 , 600,0001 Now,sir,those gentlemen who were members of the late (louse of Commons will remem ber that the time when Sir B. Peel proposed for the first time the imposition of the income tax, the deficiency for the year ending January, 1642, was only 2,100,0001., and that was considered by hon. gentlemen, most of whom now sit oppo site, a sufficient ground for the imposition of the income tax during that year. (Hear, hear.) I can scarcely suppose, therefore, that they will now refuee a vote the refusal of which would create • deficiency exceeding that which existed in 1812 to the amount of a million and a half. (Hear, hear.) The house will do me the justice to remember *at in opposing the income tax I stated that if it were to be imposed for the purpose of covering a great alteration in the import duties that if the money to be raised by such • tax were to he applied in repealing or reducing the duties en timber, corn, and sugar—l stated that, under those cir cumstance. I should be prepared to support it. (Hear, hear.) And in subsequent years also I repeated what I have always felt that the use which the late Sir It. l'eel made of the revenue obtained from the income tax fully justified him in the course he took. Con curring, then, in the principle of the application of the money thus obtained, I supported the renewal of they tax when it was again proposed by Sir It. Peel, in 1845, and upon the same principle I myself proposed a further re newal of the impost in 1848. (Hear, hear.) And, enter taining the same opinions now that I did then—concurring in the selfsame policy, and on the same grounds—l am pre pared again to propose to the house the renewal of that tax for a further limited time. Since the income tax was imposed the timber duties have been reduced—(hear, hear) —the corn duties have been reduced—or rather abolished— and the sugar duties have also been reduced. Partly by the measure of 1814, further by that of 1816, and subse quently, to a still greater extent, by the measure of 1818, all tending to the great lenefit of the consumer, these several measures have been carried into effect, which in my opinion, in 1842, as now, would justify the impo.itiono of an income tax. (Hear, hear.) Now, sir, if the bolo- is not prepared to adopt my proposal for the renewal of th.et tax for a further period to be li mited, I may be permitted to suggest the alternative which must revolt, viz., a deficit in the revenue to the amount I have stated, or • reduction of expenditure to that extent. (Cheers from the benches Mow the gangway.) brut I do nest believe that any person who has looked eeriouely at this subject can for a moment entertain the opinion that it is poneible, from en aggregate expenditure of about 40,000.0001.. to make a reduction of 3,500,000/.—(" hear, lane." from Lon" J. ltuesell)—and if not, it is clear that the only way of meeting that deficiency would be to im pose new taxes equal to the amount. it'ith regard to this question of the income tax, there is only, one other ohserva. tem which 1 &OA necessary now to make; that is, that I pro- I pow, fur a limited time, to continue no Ireland the exeep tioe from that tax which she has hitherto enjoyed. (Cries of " Oh !") I believe, after the shock which property of almost all descriptions has experienced,the diminution in the value. and the complete revolution which has taken place in the condition of all classes of proprietors in that reentry, snit from which they ere hut just beginning to recover—(hear, hear)—it would. I think, nut only be Impolitic hut cruel now, fur the first time, to impose upon Ireland the burden of the income tax. But I propose to re enact (end for the 'Lame time) the stump duties which Ireland is bow subject tn. (Hear, heir.) These duties have hitherto accompanied the renewal of the income tax, and I propose to re-enact them as before. 1 propose to re-enact both the incest tax and the Irish stamp duties for a further period a three years, and upon that proposition it will be my ' duty to ass, the house to come to a vote. I will also ask the house to come to a decision upon this important subject as early as it may be convenient to do so. because it must be , obromeo that the financial scheme of the sear will depend upon the renewal or non-renewal of the income tax. Now, sir, my hon. friend the member for Montrene asked me the other day to make ro return, or rather, perhaps, referred to some promise he thought I haul given on a former occasion to make • return, as 1. undergoesl him, of the incidences of taxation. (Hear, hear.) Ile seemed to expect that I would lay on the tads some return of the incidence', of the different items of taxation. (Hear, hear.) But my hon. friend hardly seemed aware that he had imposed upon me one of the hardest tasks ever imposed upon a Chancellor of the E x eh equer ("hear," and laughter)—because, as regards the inrielenere, of many of those items at least the most learned authorities differ. Therefore, when my hon. friend rolly upon me to state what are the incidences of taxation. he can expect no more than that I should state what are my own opinions; but, with regard to preparing returns, I must decidedly object to being called upon, to the government being required to make returns involving what, after all, can be merely matter of °pinhole. (Hear.) Upon this subject of the in eideuee of taxation I have prepared to a certain extent a sort of table, in winch I have classified the different items of taxed, which I ones ready to lay before the house--Shear, beer} —leaving hon. gentlemen to form their own opinion ea to hoe ter I am justified in the elassittettion 1 have adopted, and to enable them the better to come to a conclusion upon the proposals I am about to submit. (Hear, hear.) I will I explain how this amount has been made up. I have taken the finance account toe the year ending the sth January 1 last—the gross receitots of the custom., including that Rub- I sequently repaid a. draa hack. Omitting the incidental re. eeipts. I have taken only the amount paid iu duty. I have taken the same course with the excise, omitting tie item bricks, the duty en which has been nbelishol. I have taken, first, the produce to the revenue on article, of food, whether sold or not, and tobacco. Now, under the head of Customs, there are some 45 different items of this description, the principal being butter, cheese, coffee, corn, lemons, oranges, currants, raisins, peppie. spirits, sugar, mollusc ' s, wine, tea, tobacco, amounting together to more than 20.800,0001. In the excise I take three items in the same class, malt, hops. and spirits. which produce nearly 11,000.0001., making the whole amount of deity levied on what we eat. drink, and smoke, 31,920., £4Bl. (('heers. and a laugh.) There are then certain , items of manufactured articles, the principal of which are in the customs, as gloves, silk, and some miscellaneous arti cles, a& books and opium. (A laugh.) These, with other lmanufactured artieks, as paper end soap, and certain others which pay a stamp duty, as medicine, cards. &e.,the whole produce of this class of manufactured articles is 2,452,6581. Then I take the duties on certain raw materials ; the only materials of this clam, subject to duty, se &pricy'- , tore seed, tallow, and timber, these amount to 764,0001., all of which clearly falls upon the consumers, the penonswho use the manufactured article. Those who consume the ' , ' food, or pay is any way for the articles, in the composition' of which the raw material enters, pay then, as it appears to me, the whole of these, amounting together so 35.03,,0001. Thera are then certain duties falling on trades and prof . , miens, as licenses to trade, bills of exchange Um.era' bills and notes, rewire, marine inn': maces, to which I add the income tax, duties l on trades and professions, and I must put in the same clam the salaries of persons in the public service, for I can not see any jest distinction between them and others who derive their meanies from their own labour ; therefore I include the duty paid on incomes in schedule B with there in de-It-elute d D and E---the amount of these charge .d tozether is 4,461,'J601. I . hen there are the duties id on post-homes. stage carriages and railways, which are d by those who use thew. tl'moss kinds of coavvyanct ; amount to 648,0001. Of the tame class are the stamps on newspapers and adver dements, amounting to6ll,oool.—the assessed taxes,which, exclusive of the window duty, amount to 1,491,0001. The ; amount of all this mass of taxation, the precise incidence of which, though it may be difficult to pronounce any opinion upon, it is obvious does ant fall all a tax upon property—the tidal amount is 42,153,5751. I now come to what are called ! the taxes on property—taxes which are paid by property in one way or another—these are the stamp duties on morts gages and transfers, the probate duty, the legacy duty, and the duties charged on fire insurances, all of which I take it arc taxes on property, and which amount toge ther to 5,188,0001. The produce of the lend tax is 1,159,0001. lam aware that the hon. gentleman opposite has stated it at 2,000,000/., but in that he does not make allowance for the commutation. It is, however, quite fair to take as • charge upon land the whole amount paid. Add to these the taxes charged on property under Sche dule A—the window duty 1,856,000/., the charge, levied upon property . under Schedule A, 2,656,00X1., and under Schedule C, 750,0001., making altogether the general taxes levied upon property 12,451,7001. To this we have to add the amount of the local rates—vie., for the three countries, 13,000,000/. When the hon. mem ber for Bucks made his estimate of the amount of these local burdens for 1819, he included in the item " local taxes" certain tolls, dues, and fees which, though local taxes, are not properly a charge upon property. (Hear.) The total amount of rates properly so called borne by pro perty is 13,000,0001., making the total amount of the tam payable by property 25,451,7761. The other items, as tolls for turnpike roads and dues of that kind, I do not include, because these are charges borne by persons using the roads. These amount to 3,300,0601., mak ing the taxes of all description., local and general, 45,453,5751. I exclude the Post-office from this elamification because that is merely payment for service done, and though there is a net receipt un that revenue of 832,0001., the charge for packet service and for conveyance of letters comes so nearly to that amount, that on the whole I may say the expenditure of the Post-o ffi ce equals the in come. Therefore I am not prepared to take that item of revenue at all into the account. Now hon. gentlemen will here see how large a proportion of the whole taxation of the country is borne by the consumer—and I am bound at the same time to add that I believe upon the whole it is pretty easily borne. (" Hear," and a laugh.) For I find that comparing different years one with another, when • reduction has taken place in taxation, or a period of dis tress diminishes the consuming power of the country, a very short time usually elapses before the revenue equals what it was previous to that reduction or that pressure. Now, sir, having, as I hope I have, met the view of my honourable friend behind me, in stating generally the heads under which our taxation may be divided, I will *theft to the topics which call for immediate remark, I have said that the probable surplus at the end of the year will be 1,800,0001. or 1,900,0001. An observation was made by an hon. friend of mine elsewhere to the effect that any surplus there might be next year would be found mainly owing to the large SUMP placed at the disposal of thegovern ment by the :taxpayers, not to any reduction of taxation. Now, I do not think that observation quite fair. (Hear.) If any hon. gentleman will compare the income of the year 1817 and the income of the year 1850,—if he will con treat the balance sheets of these two periods, he will find, no doubt, that in spite of the great reduction of taxation which has in one way or other taken place there is an increase of income of 739,0001. But, if he will compare the expenditure at the same time—if he will take the ex penditure of the army, navy, and ordnance, the great items of expenditure a s everybody knows—he will find that the expenditure for these three services in the year 1847 was 18,.500,0001., and that in the year just terminated the ex penditure for the sam' three services was 15,391,0001., the reduction in the three being no lees than 3,109,000/. (Hear, hear.) Now, though our proposals may not probably have gone so far as the wishes of some hon. gentlemen behind me could have desired, yet I think the house generally will do us the justice to say that we have not been unmindful of economy, and that having reduced in three years upwards of 3,000,0001. of expenditure we do not deserve to be told that no portion of the surplus is owing to our exer tions in that respect. (Hear, hear.) Now, sir, I come to the proposals which I shall make to the house on the sup ' position, of course, that the income tax is renewed. I think that the first claim upon us is some reduction of our debt. I stated last wear that since the year 1830 we ' had borrowed 35,000,000/. We had applied to the reduc tion of the debt 8,000,000/. having therefore added in twenty years of uninterrupte d: p,'ra'e, 27,000,000/. to the I debt of the country. I do not think hat we ought to ab stain from gradually reducing that amount. (" Hear," and cheers.) I propose to maintain the surplus at somewhere about 1,000,000/. (hear, hear.) Now, the surplus at the disposal of the government—the surplus that may remain available for the reduction of taxation—has been variously disposed of by my numerous friends. (A laugh.) I hare seen within the last month nearly every class of parties who pay any sort of taxes. (Hear, hear.) They all stated that the taxis; they paid were the most harsh, iniquitous, and un just of all the taxes that were paid in this country. (" Hear, hear," and laughter.) Some of my friends who came up with more than one deputation made that statement, and I confess that I was rather surprised at hearing their friends afterwards making the same statement—(" hear, hear," and laughter) —as to half a dozen taxes, any one of which, if totall- repealed, would have absorb the whole surplus. Hear, hear.) Now, amongst those various classes I hail to decide which taxes upon the whole I thought it must for the benefit of the country one way or other, to repeal or reduce. It is quite obvious it was perfectly impossible for me to reduce taxes to any thing like the amount asked, or to anythingliketheamouut probably anticipated. But, as snore must conic before others, t hope they will be satisfied with my saying that I am proceeding in the direction which they would wish; and I hope the revenue of the country may es increase and the expenditure be so reduced, that 1 may be able to go further in the same direction in which I propose , to a cer tain estent, now to procee d. (Hear.) Now, s ir, I must say that of all the trades which have been with me—that of all the trades which made the request that I would take their particular taxes off, I think that that tax whielt presses on the well doing and be urn on the morels of the lower classes has the first claim to our attention. (Hear, hear. I mean such an alteration of the window duties as will reduce the taxation. (" Hear," and cheers.) Now, when I state that the amount of the window tux is 1,846,000/., it must be ohs loos that that which has been requested in later day', and to which a petition presented to-night refers— namely, the unconditional repeal of the window tax—would absorb the whole sum I have at my disposal. (Hear, hear.) I do not propose, therefore, to deal uncondition ally with the tax, but I do propose to give a con siderable relief in its amount ; and I um the more disposed to do this because it presses more on country houses than on houses in towns, and, under present eireum stancea, I am not unwilling to give that relief to the country gentlemen. (Loud laughter from the tionist;.) I remember last year that the hoe. member for Borsetshire (Mr. Banker) spoke in favour of a reduction of the window tax, upon the ground that it would benefit the landed interest ; and, us he is a very good exponent of the views of the country gentlemen in this matter, they will consider. I hope, that I am now taking the view of one of their most prominent representatives. We have already given to the labouring classes of this country an improved com mand of food and an improved command of clothing: we are prepared now, I believe, to go a step further, and improve their lodgings and their health. (" Ilear," and cheers.) Sir, the present tax, as you arc aware, is a tax imposed upon houses according to the number of windows and lights they have. I propose altogether repealing that mode of levy ing the 11/01.S.111(nt of the houses—to substitute, as a princi. ple, • tax according to the value thereof, and to apply that to all new houses. (Hear, hear.) I propose to adapt the principle on which the tax is to be levied to the value of the house. But adopting this as a rule in re g ard to all new houses, I feel it to be absolutely necessary to make considerable modification in the mode of applying it as to any existing houses. I hope I have benefited by the lessons I got last year in attempting to modify the stamp duties. I approve of an ad valorem duty. It must be obvious that the present tax was exclusively levied on the number of windows, and that to substitute • test by value would utterly elunote the amount paid. Fur iu ranee, a house in a fashionable square would pay more in proportion than a house in an unfashionable part of the town ; and a shop in Hero nt-strett, which now pays no more than a house situated in the purlieus of London, provided that both have eight or ten win dows, would have to pay very much more. This objection has been stated by a noble lord who waited on me with some window tax payee. the other day. lie showed that the tax laid on to this manuer would unfairly raise one class and depress another class of houses ; and it has seemed to me that such a change would he unsound iu principle, not calculated to meet the justice of the Ca , e, and indeed not practical. (Hear, hear.) The proposal, therefore, which i shall make will be this : I shall propose that in the case of all new houses, the annual value of which will be 20/. a year and upwards, n house tax shall be calculated at a certain rate iu the pound; that all houses now paying the window tax of a value not amounting to 201. a veer shall be exempted from the tax altogether ; and that nil houses of the value of 20/. a year and upwards, now paying the window tat, shall pay two third. of the amount they now pay that is to say, that they shall pay a house tax, which shall be two-thirds of the window tax they now pay. (A laugh.) lion. gentlemen will observe that a certain number of houses are to he mpted altogether, and that in the case of those which are taxed they will be taxed without any reference whatever to windows, of which they can have a, mans- as they like (Cheers.) Then, there is a certain via , a which no . are about the value of 20?. a year, but +Oath do not pay at all the window duties. I propose to impose on them two thirds of the lowest amount paid to the window tax by any houses (so we understood the right ho nourable gentleman), leaving it to them to open any number of windows they please. I propose, further, to provide that in the ease of houses iu regard to which con ditions may be made increasing their value, of 201. a year and upwards, that they shall then pay upon the poundage. I have calculated. as well as I can, what will be the amount equivalent to two-thirds of the present amount of the window tax, and I find that it will fairly be met by • tax on all houses of the value of 201. a year and upwards of one shilling in the pound. There will then be the lowest class of houses rented at from 101. to 20/. a year, and which heretofore paid la. fal. in the pound, which will pay nothing at all ; and all houses above that will ord) in future have to pay two-thirds of what they did pay, namely, Is. in the pound. I have not omitted from my consideration those houses which enjoy at present an advantage in respect to the window tax—l mean those dwelling houses portions of which are used as shops. In the proposal for levyiag the !rouse tax it VAS desired to give a cern" advantage to houses in that condition, and I think it is quite fair that it s' ould be so. (Hear, hear.) I pro ! pose, therefore, in the cased f houses portions of which are pow , t for the the exposing goods for sale, that instead of paying Is. in the pound, they shall slily pay 9d. in the pound. (Hear, hear.) I propose to extend the same advantage to houses kept by persons selling spirits and beer drunk on the premises, and to farmhouses occu pied by agricultural tenants. Now, I believe that the re sult of these changes, should the house adopt them, will be as follows exempt altogether from taxation about 120,000 houses which now contribute to the window tax. I include in taxation, at the rate of 12s. a house, which would be two-thirds of the lowest amount they would pay to the window tax, about 30,000 houses. I exempt, as far as I can go, the great majority of farmhouses, because I believe very few could be regarded as of the value of 201. a year, and those farmhouses which will be taxed will only have to pay equivalent to one-half ) of the present window duties. l'he reduction will be as , follows:—The produce of the window tax is at present 1,856,0001. I calculate that the loss from the exemptions of houses under 201. a year will be 150,000/. That leaves 1,706,0001. payable on a new scale by houses at present paying the window tax. One-third of that they are to be relieved from, leaving 1,137,0001. I purpose to obtain the rest from 30,000 houses at 12s. a house, which will be 18,0 0 01.; leaving the produce of the future house tax 1,156,0001.; the loss to the revenue being 700,0001. I repeat, then, that the proposal is this—to exempt about 120,000 existing houses from all taxation, and to reduce, in the cases of houses which will be taxed, the amounts they pay by one-third ; and no restrictions whatever will be placed upon any house in reference to the windows or other openings for air and light. My next proposal to the house is with regard to Ithe duties on coffee. (Cheers.) Hon. gentlemen will have seen by the returns and tables of the trade and navigation that the revenue derived from coffee has materially fallen off within the last few years. (Hear, hear.) Dunne the last year it has fallen off no less than 77,0001. Now, this question is connected with anther question which was last ye ar brought before the house —l mean the admixture of c hicory with coffee. Ido not often allude to personal matters in this place, but I hope I may be permitted to take this opportunity of re ferring to a statement which I have seen given, not as a rumour, but as a fact—that I myself have a direct interest in the growth of chicory. It has been re ported to me by many gentlemen who have had interviews with me on this subject, that that is a general impression. I cannot say that I am very susceptible of offence in general, but when a matter of this kind is thus stated it is perhaps not unbecoming in me to refer to it. (Hear, hear.) The public prem, I think, has a perfect right to comment on one's opinions and misconduct, but it has no right to make such an assertion as this without ascertaining that it is a fact. (Hear, hear.) First I will say that I never grew a root of chicory. Next, I will say that I believe not a single root of chicory has ever been grown on my property; and lastly that all I know of chicory is from what I have seen from the roadside, and that I do not possess a single acre of land on which chicory is grown. Now, having ilia chargyd my conscience in this respect, I will proceed to explain my proposals in respect to coffee and chicory. lint, I may express my own belief that the admixture of chicory with coffee does not, as has been so constantly asserted, diminish the use of coffee. lam convinced, on the contrary, that to a great extent it promotes the use of coffee. That mixture, according to grocers, who are the best judges, and who speak from experience, produces a good and palatable beverage, at a less price than the coffee not mixed could be sold fur; and these persons repre sent that its use is daily extending among the working classes. I have only further to obseeve that even in coun tries where no coffee duty exists at all, the same ad• mixture takes place. There is a similar admixture indeed in many other articles of commerce. Adulterations of this kind, some of them injurious, but some of them by no means so, will take place, and it is perfectly impossible to legislate against them. (Hear, hear.) I was called on, last year, to take up the subject, and my attention was called to adulterations in sugar, pepper, coffee, tea, and half-a dozen other articles. I believe the buyer may protect him self. (Hear, hear.) The buyer may buy pure coffee in the bean ; and we may rest assured that when a tradesman sells that which is unpalatable, he will sooncease to have customers. (Hear, hear.) lam not prepared, therefore, to incur the odium and difficulty of imposing • new excise duty. (Cheers.) Least of all ant I prepared to impose an excise duty on un article of agricultural produce, which in some districts is a produce of cousiderable importance. But I do think it quite fair to attempt to meet the case to some extent by reducing the duty on coffee. (Cheers.) I hold in my hand a return of the quantities of colonial and foreign coffee entered fur consumption in the last four years. In 1816, the quantity of colonial coffee en imported was 23,734,00010.; in the next year it was 27,0 0 0,0001b5,* in the year after that it was 30,000,00011 w.; is 1849 it fell off to 29,769,0001b5.; and last year it fell otTto 28,892,00010. Oa the whole the increase in colonial coffee during the last use years has been 5,000,0001b5. In the case of foreign coffee, on which there is a duty of sixpence, as compered with colonial coffee, the result is very different. In the year 1816 there was entered nearly 13,4*0,000110. of foreign coffee. In 1847 it was 10,439,00011 n. In 1848 it was 6,959,0001b5. In 1849 it was 4,660,0001b*. ; and in 1850 it was only 2,345,0001b5. Thus, while colonial' coffee has increased to the extent of 5,000,000110., foreign coffee has fallen off upwards of 10,000,0001 b%. I think an inference is clear front this that a differential duty is telling most strongly against the entry of foreign coffee. (Hear.) I propose partly to du justice to the consumers in this country, partly to promote the consumption of colonial soiree, to reduce the duties on foreign and colonial coffee, and to equalise them. (Cheers.) I propose to reduce the duty on both, hosing an equal duty on all coffee of 3d. per lb., and at the sauce time to reduce the duty on foreign chi cory and other articles used fur the same purpose, and which have always stood at the Amite amount. I propose to reduce the whole to a uniform duty of 3d. per lb. I will state bow this reduction of duty would affect the revenue. The reduction would amount to 170,000/. The next pro- posal which 1 have to male to the committee is in reference to another article on which we had a good deal of discus dim last year I mean foreign timber. The proposal of last year was that a drawback of the duties should be allowed on timber used in ship-building ; and to that proposal there is still an insuperable objection. (Hear, hear.) In my opinion one of the best results of our recent commercial policy has been in entirely doing away with the system of drusyliackx. (Hear, hear.) What I now propose, and it is grounded on further consi deration of the expediency of diminishing the cost of all taw nein:riot, is to reduce the duty on foreign timber. (Ikar, hear.) Ido not know that I have received very great ihauks for the measure which I adopted last year in regard to the brick duties. Some lion. gentlemen, however, have agreed with me in thinking that that measure contri buted very much to cheapen the cost of the erection of those buildings which the system of modem agriculture re quires. (Hear, hear.) And I hope that the build ings necessary to a new system of agriculture will in future cost very considerably less, in consequence of the. abolition of the excise duty /re bricks, end in conse quence of what I now propose, a reduction of the duty on foreign timber. (Hear, hear.) It is a little remarkable that the timber used for the supply of the western districts and the manufacturing districts comes mainly from North America, and that this timber imported into Hull, Leith, and Yarmouth is nearly all foreign. The duty on colonial timber used iu the manu facturing districts is merely nominal, while there is a high duty on the timber which comes into use in other parts of the country. I think eiucerely that by lessening the price of timber, and thereby reducing the cost of funs build- I ince, we should confer a material benefit on the agri cultural districts. I propose, therefore, to reduce the duty on foreign timber one-half its present amount. The duty on sawn timber is 205., and on hewn timber 155., and I propose to reduce the duties to 10s.andis.Gd. One Some might wish I should have gone further, but I can only say that if I had been pre pared to take off the whole duty, it would have been only putting so much in the pocket of the foreigner. tinder no circumstances what ever ought the reduction of the duty to be more than that I now propose, namely, one half the prevent amount. One, other item I have already mentioned, upon which I propose to reduce the duty. On a former occasion, it may be re-1 memhereil that I named three principal articles of raw mate rid upon which a Leavy duty premed upon the agriculturists. I allude to agricultural seeds. There eta heavy duty upon this item, and I believe it to be the only duty which the agriculturist pays from which he ought • to be entirely re lieved. The amount of duty is not large, but it is olijec tionable ' • and I find that upon Dutch clover seed—sup posed to be better than ours—and grass seed, both being used only in the cultivation of the land, is raised a duty of 30,00 W.; and it appear. to me to be only due to the agri cultural interest that they should be relieved from a duty like this on a raw material of this kind. (fleas, hear.) remember hearing a great farmer in the north of England say, when the former duty on seeds was reduced, that he had actually saved in clover seed the amount of the income tax. The present duty on fo reign seed is 5e., and as it is necessary to retaiu some por tion for registration, to afford the opportunity of examining foreign seed, I propose to get rid of the differential duty, and leave Is. per cwt. on all seeds, the amount lost being 30,000!. 'With respect to the reduction of the duty on tim ber, when I say that the loss will be 286,0001., I am not stating the In, to the revenue. These, sir, are the pro sals I make in reward to the reduction of taxation. The hon. gentleman then said, that lastly, although strongly opposed, upon principle, to any extension of the centralising system, or removal of impost from local superviiion, he pra te tranfer a proportion of the charges for pauper lunatic e asy lums from the local rates to the consolid a t e d fund. A ltogether, he calculated that the Ruin to the public would stand thus : From the modification of the window tax there would be an alleviation of 700,000!.; on timber, of 285,000!.; on coffee, of 172,000/.; and on seeds, of 30,000/. The pauper lunatic asylum charge would not be a gain in the whole, but a relief in detail, and would wet the public revenue 150,000/.; and there was, in addition, a further loss to be expected upon the sugar duties, under acts passed in previous sessions, amount ing to 330,0001. But though the tax payers would be relieved to the extent thus estimated, the !a venue would not lose the entire sum. A part of the reduction would be made up by increased consumption, and he calculated that upon the balance he should lose 1,280,0001., leaving for future years a surplus of about 612,0001. ' • and, for the now ensuing tw e l vemont h s g i v i ng him nearly the million he wished for to pay off debt, be came the reduction would not take effect until the October ourter. After briefly defending the principles on which the measures he had indicated were based, the Chancellor of the Exchequer deferred taking any vote for the present, requiring only an assent to the general proposition that the Income tax should be renewed for a period of three rears, an admission which, he said, would nut pledge the house against making any n modifications in the impost when the bill came specially before them for discussion. To: ('ray testae then put the resolution as follow. •• That towards raising the supply granted to her Majesty the respective duties in Great Britain on profits arising from property, professions, trades, and offices, and this . stamp duties in Ireland, granted by two acts passed in the sixth pear other prevent Majesty, and which have been continued and amended by several subsequent acts, shall be further continued for a time to be limited." Mr. HERRIES having briefly remarked upon the im portance of the subject, and the necessity of giving it a ma ture consideration, Lord JOHN RUSSELL agreed to take the discussion on Friday next. Mr. HUME thought it right that time should he given to consider, not only the statements which the right hon. gen tleman had made, but his omissions also. Ile regretted that the right hon. gentleman was not prepared to make' any reductions in the establishment of the country, the esti mates he had given them being within 150,0001. of those of last year. They were told that because two million of men had appeared in arms somewhere that this country could make no reductions in the army. He knew no reason why the Canadians should not govern themselves. The clergy re serves had been given up to them. He thought it became a question whether we were to keep up establishments there. They were quite unnecessary, and he was in formed that if we gave them up the Canadians would not maintain them for one day. The question was whether the country wan satisfied with the expenditure amounting to 54,000,000/., which, including the costs of collection, was the amount, and whether the house would take any steps to effect a reduction in our civil and military establishments. With regard to the window tax it was quite right to remove it, but he must say, as to the house tax, that while they had been spending years in simplifying taxation, the pro posed house tax was of a most complex nature, and he thought it would be a year before the regulations could be brought into operation. He trusted that the house would repeal the wit.dow tax and not impose the house tax. With regard to coffee he thought the reduction proposed was a wise one, and that it was better to have one duty on both foreign and colonial. He also thought that the right hon. gentleman was acting wisely in refusing to put an excise duty upon chicon-. As to timber, the only objection he had was, that the reduction did not go fax enough. It was also proposed to reduce the duty on agricul tural seeds. He had only been surprised that country gentlemfig had been so long silent on that head. They constituffirl a raw material, but a most important material ; and in 1842 he expressed his regret that the duty on Weds was not taken off. Ile hoped that country gentlemen would see the importance of having seeds at as low a price as possible. With regard to pauper lunatics he could not see why they should become a charge upon the public any more than other local charges. The result of the measures taken by Sir Robert Peel and Lord Althorp in relieving counties of the expenses of prosecutions, haul shown the want of wisdom of such measures. That which coat 11. before, now cost 41. or 51. The government had no check or control ; it rested with the county magistrates, and not with them entirely, as from the evidince of the chief con. stable of Stockport it appeared that there were parties interested in every county in carrying on prosecutions. Ile entirely disagreed with the right hon. gentleman RA to applying any portion of the surplus to pay off the debt. The paper manufacture was one which might give employ ment to thousands, and might become as extensive a manu facture as any in the country, not only for our own use but for foreign supply. With the means and materials which this country possess, it might become as prosperous a manu facture as any we had. The employment it would give, and the mischiefs it would prevent, acre incalculable. It would be much better to repeal the duty on paper, then to apply so much of the surplus in buying up stock, an operation which was sure t o b e attended by a loss as on a former occasion, when the Chan cellor of the Exchequer had funded at 86 per cent. and hail purchased again at 00, thus causing a loss of about 250,000/. (Hear, bear.) This was no time for throwing away 230,000/. in such an operation. He was as great an advocate as any one for maintaining the public faith ; but he would not apply a surplus; in paying off the debt when it might he de voted to a better purpose. How much better would it have been to have repealed the duty on soap log year than to have bought up 1,200,000/. of Three per Cents ? (Hear, hear.) Why not let the consumer have the full benefit of that competition which we had declared should be the principle of our fiscal system, by repealing all the taxes on the products of industry ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—WouId the hen. gentleman go the length of repealing all tuxes ? (Laughter. Mr. llt -) IF. said the right bon: baronet greatly misre presented him. lie slid not say let all taxes be repealed : that was the argument of fools out of doors. (Hear, hear.) But he contended that the application of the surplus ought to be so regulated as to remove the existing impedimenta to the employment ,if industry and the investment of capital, for the beneficial employment of which every outlet was needed. Ti, buy up any portion of the debt, with these objectionable taxes existing, would be extremely imprudent. Viscount DUNCAN concurred with moat of the hon. gentlemen who had preceded him, in thinking that, until the question of the property tax was settled, it would be almost premature to make any observations on the other parts of the right hon. baronet's scheme. As to the pm 'lefty tax, he thought Sir Robert Peel was fully justified in introducing it :slung with the changes which lie made iu our fiscal system, inasmuch as he removed the taxes from the food of the people. So far the experiment hod been per fectly suece,.sful; and it was mainly owing to that policy that the condition of this country was now so different from that of other countries; for it was the only country in Europe which ball any surplus to dispose of. Ile hoped that if the property tax was re-imposed it would he done on the same principle on which it had been originally imposed, rind that corresponding reductions would he made in all taxed, which affected the comthrts of the working classes. Ile had a motion on the hook for Thursday next for the repeal of the window tax; but, as he understood from his right hon. friend that the arguments he bad us d on a firmer occasion had at length convinced the government of the necessity of repealing that tax, he trusted there was non no difference of opinion between them. Ile feared the proposition of a house tax WORM cause con siderable disappointment to many ; lie wished the substitu tion of that tax could have been avoided. Sir JOHN TYRELL thought the noble lord who had just sat down ought to be satisfied with the victory he had gained over the Chancellor of the Exchequer. As to the agricultural interests, he thought it would have been much better hail the government stoutly denied their distress in the Queen's speech ; for the measures now shadowed forth were not at all of a de-eription to administer any substan tial relief to those classes whom they admitted to lie dis tressed. He congratulated the right hon. hart. on having made one admission, great in principle, though small in amount—that of having recourse, on certain occasions, to the consolidated fund. Mr. W. WILLIAMS said he was quite sure the Chan cellor's statement would disappoint the country as well as that house. If the house wished to foree taaluctions on the government, they must begin with our expensive establish ments. After connuitteea hail been sitting for three ses sions on the army and navy estimates, the government ought to have been prepared to carry out some very exten sive reductions. But it appeared that, whenever the finances were in a flourishing condition, there was always an extra vagant expenditure. But, as further opportunity would occur for the consideration of all these topics, he did nut deem it necessary to refer to them more particularly on the present occasion. Alderman SIDNEY recommended the house to refuse any assent to the income tax until the ministry had pre mixed to adjust the burthen, and relieve the unjust pres sure it exerted upon incomes derived from commercial and professional industry. Mr. HODGES trusted that the tax upon hops would not be overlooked when future opportunities offered. Mr. SLANEY hoped that the ministry would persevere in the course they had adopted this year, and continue to pass measures by which the moral, sanitary, and social con dition of the working man might be improved. Mr. FREWEN enforced the necessity of relieving the hop-growers, who were much distreve d. Mr. COWAN complained of the burden of the income tax, and of the taxes on knowledge. Sir B. lIALL declared that he would take the sense of the house upon the proposed house tax and inquired whe ther the impost was to be extended to Ireland. Mr. ALCOCK wished to see barley relieved from the tax now imposed upon it. lie calculated that the crop of that article covered more than a ninth part of the cultivated ground in England, and paid, un the average, nearly 51. taxes per acre. Sir W. JOLLIFFE had listened with pain to a most lame and unsatisfactory financial statement. The promised remission would not save a shilling to the tenant-farmers, many of whom would have, iu addition, to pay a new house tax. Lord DUDLEY STUART haling reiterated the question touching the extension of the house tax to Inland, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied that he did not purpose creating u new impost in that part of the I United Kingdom. Mr. NEWDEOATE would like to know from the right hon. gentleman at what amount he estimated the customs duty on corn. In 1819 the right hon. gentleman estimated the duty on corn at Is. the quarter at 250,0001., but it realised 617,8151. (Loud cheers.) Last year, again, he estimated the duty at 250,000/. and he received 472,1701., being 70 per cent. or 200 , 000!. more than he euleuluted. Now, he was anxious to know the e s timat e o f the right hon. gentleman for the present year, because the anticipated revenue from that source would enable them to form some idea as to the probable importation of corn, and to ascertain the matured opinions of the government nn that important point. (" Il ear , h ear ," and laughter.) The right honourable gentleman (the Chancellor of the ExChequer) had proposed to continue the income tax, that under corer of that he might continue free trade. The income tax was to be continued with out the slightest hope being held out of a remission of excise duties, although the hop duty had been repeatedly brought before the notice of hon. members both in private and in the house, and although he (the Chancellor of the Exche quer) had heard from hon. members on his own side of the house that a large majority of the farmers demanded as an act of justice that the restrictions on the production of I barley should be dune away with, in order that they might profitably cultivate their land. (Hear, hear.) lie com plained that the Chancellor of the Exchequer was continuing 1 the injurious sptem o f rem i tt i ng duties to favour of the fo- ! reigner as against the colonial producer. In regard to agri cultural distress the right hon. gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) appeared determined to ignore the very eapresaions which government had recommended her Majesty to use, and the intimation of opinion which the house had given the other night on the motion of the hon. member for Buckinghtunahire (Mr. Disraeli.) Mr. FRENCH maintained that a great portion of the income of Ireland already paid income tax. Out of the nine millions which composed the remnue of Ireland, seven millions he believed were assessed fur income tax in the shape of funds, and the property of absenteea. (Hear, hear.) In comparison of its means, "ft:land was not only more heavily taxed than Great Britain, but the most heavily taxed country on earth. Mr. BANKES would resist the extension of the house tax to Ireland. lie was satisfied that no difficulty existed in changing the duty on windows to a house duty, and that to the advantage of the occupiers of houses. (Hear, hear.) Mr. MITCHELL had last year expressed the opinion that the remission of the timber duties would give nn im petus to our ship-building trade. lie had the greatest con fidence in repeating his belief that the remission of these duties would prove of great advantage to this country, and would give employment to one of the most valuable classes of our labourers—the shipwrights, with whom machinery did not interfere. Colonel SIB f HORP, after his experience of twenty-four rears in parliament, had heard many statements made by Chancellors of the Exchequer, and he had said that although an angel from heaven came down —(laughter)— he could not please all parties with a financial statement. (Continued laughter.) He (Colonel Sibthorp) begged however to say, that in his humble judgment ho had never heard a more weak statement than what had been made that evening by his right honour able friend, and he might add his most respected relative—(laughter)—the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Chancellor of the Exchequer in trying to plea's , esury body would plea.se nobody. The government had in Let set a most unworthy trap on purpose to catch this honour able members who represented the rider kingdom, and without whom they knew they could not do. Therefore it was that they proposed to continue the income tax in Eng land, but nut to extend it to Ireland. lie did not blares the government, fur they had set many traps and spring guns to catch anything they could get. Ile only trusted that the Irish members would not he deceived by the trickery of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and become subservient to his will. Mr. MU NTZ also thought that the government in trying to please everybody would please nobody. If they had en tirely repealed some oppressive and obnoxious tax they would at least have given satisfaction to somebody ; but they had taken away the whole of the grace from their co tees sion of the window tax by their substitution in its place of a house tax. (Cheers.) They were also continuing another tux which was one of the worst that could be imposed—the property tax. But he (Mr. Mums) had risen more parti cularly to ask the right hon. baronet to explain how he pro posed to levy the tax on warehouses and similar premises, a thing which persons who used manufactories would be very anxious to know. (Rear, hear.) Mr. W. BROWN observed that it was impossible for a country not to have some suffering branches within it. When buckles and hair powder went out of fashion, the buckle makers and hairdressers bad to endure great depres sion for a time. . . . . . Mr. SA.NDARS had heard the statement of the Chan cellor of the Exchequer with feelings of mingled satisfac tion and regret—satisfaction at the large amount of surplus, and regret that hr had not announced the repeal of more taxes. lie trusted that the right lion. baronet would have a still larger surplus next year, and then he hoped he would turn his attention to the 10 per cent. which had been added some years ago to the assessed taxes, and the 6 per cent. which had been added to the customs and excise, in order to meet a deficiency. (Hear.) lie hoped, too, that he would abolish the tax on receipt stamps, which wets an ex ceedingly objectionable one, and one which was commonly evaded in the country, where, generally speaking, if you asked a tradesman for a stamped receipt, he would think that you doubted his honour. The insurance duties, also acted prejudicially, inasmuch as they caused business to be transferred to foreign offices. Mr. If. J. B. HOPE appealed to the house on behalf of the hop growers, more particularly of Kent and Sussex, who were absolutely and positively undone by the heavy tax upon them. After a few words from Mr. ANSTEV. HENLEY wished inesliitheChaneellor of the Ex chequer whether he proposed that the 150,990/. towards the maintenance of pauper lunatics should be distributed be tween England, Ireland, and Scotland ? Ile also &sired to know on what principle houses which should hereafter be built were to he valued ? if he understood the matter rightly, farmhouses and trade buildings, which were under 201. in value, were to be wholly exempt from payment. He also wished to be informed whether farmhouses above 20/. a year were to be taxed at the rite of 9d. in the pound? Lastly, he would like to know whether the right honourable gentleman proposed to renew the income tax fur three years without any alteration or modification u re garded the landed interest ? As to their looking fur relief in the general prosperity of the country, hon. gentlemen who made that their cuckoo note appeared to him to be in this prestirament they must either admit that the state ment of general prosperity was not well founded, or they must allow that the condition of the agriculturists was in the inverse ratio. (Hear, hear.) How they were to find consolation in that he did nut know. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he would take that opportunity of replying to two or three hon. gentlemen who had spoken. 't he hon. member for Birmingham had asked him whether he proposed to lay a house duty on warehouses and manufactorim He would have thought that when he was reducing the duty upon dwelling-houses, in respect to windows, nu apprehen sion could arise that he intended to impose a tax upon warehouses. (Hear, hear.) Both the window duty and the old house duty applied exclusively to dwell ing -houses; and while his proposition had reference to houses in respect to these windows, what he proposed was to alter the mode of levying the duty, and to take away all reference to windows. With regard to the question which had been put to him, upon what principle he proposed to levy the poundage, he would observe that be pro hosed to adopt the principle of the old inhabited ouse duty. As long as the income tax existed that would afford the readiest means of irceet: • tit the value; but supposing that tax not to be renewed, the softie must be ascertained in the same manner as it was for the purpose of raising the old inhabited house duty. As to existing farm houses, t h ose which we re nut of the annual „ „..-. value of 2UL a year, would be altogether exempt ; those above that value would pay two-thirds of what they pay at present. A new house would pay a poundage upon its annual value. lle proposed that the measure with respect to the maintenance of pauper lunatics should extend to England, Scotland, and Ireland. Without ph dging himself to any particular distribution of the amount, he proposed to apply a certain 'proportion to the maintenance of paupers congaed in county asylums, and a less proportion to paupers confined in private asylums. Capt. HARRIS regretted that there was to be no alle viation of the distress of the agricultural interest. Mr. WAKLEY said he dare say the right hon. tHan was anxious to know what effect his proposal to levy a home tax would produce out of doors. lle wished to ask the right hon. gentleman if he would he kind enough to intimate when he would receive a deputation from the inha bitants of the metropolis upon the subjeet—(laughter)—and he would inform him, beforehand, that it was his firm con viction that the proposal would be met with so much hostility out of doors, that he would not In able to carry it into effect. Mr. lIILI)YARD wished to know whether a house which had not yet been assessed was to be demand a new house. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied in the affirmative. In reply to the question of the hon. mem ber (Mr. Wakley), he could only say that, having had the satidlietion of seeing the hon. gentleman a few days ago with a large deputation, and having listened on the occa sion to 10 ur 12 gentlemen, he had certainly no wish to sec another deputation. (Laughter.) The CHAIRMAN then reported program, and obtained leave to sit again on Friday next. PASSENGERS' ACT AMENDMENT BILL. . —...... This bill was mad a second time and ordered to be com mitted on Thursday nest. MUNICIPALCOUNCILS INCOUSTIES (IRELAND.) On the motion of Mr. Alvirrstr leave was given to bring in a bill fur establi►hing municipal councils in counties in Ireland. VALUATION OF RATEABLE PROPERTY (IRE LAND) BILL. . . Sir W. SOMERVILLE, in moving for leave to bring in the above bill, stated that the practice of valuing the land in Ireland for the rating had got into sad ennfusion. The right hon. gentleman concluded by asking for leave to in troduce his bill. Mr. SADLEIR regretted that such a measure had not been brought under the consideration of parliament during the last session, fur no subject was of more importance to the owners and occupiers of land than that of improving the present system of valuation. In reply to Mr. Facies, Sir W. SOMERVILLE explain's' that it was intended that the old towulaud valuation should be changed under the hill. Mr. SCULLY thought some other court of appeal ought to be afforded besides the central commissioner. To fin the value for fourteen years, without giving a power of revision annually or at some short period, would be unfair. After a few words from Dr. rowan, the motion was agreed to. CONTRACT PACKET SERVICE. Upon the motion of Lord NAAS, copies were ordered of an correspondence that has taken plate between the lords of the Admiralty and any steam ship companies employed in carrying the snails, relative to the exclusion of iron steam ships from the contract packet service. RENEWABLE LEASEIIOLD CONVERSION ACT. Major BLACKALL obtained leave to bring in a bill to extend the remedies provided by "The Renewable Lease hold Conversion Act, for the recovery of fee furor rents under that act, to all other tee farm rents, and to other rents in Ireland, reserved upon grants of haul in which the grantors have no reversion. The house adjourned at a quarter to twelve o'clock. DEATH OP 711 E OFFICEIt COMMANDING TIM ARTILLERY AT HoNo KONO.—A correspondent from Hong Kong December 2R, IMO. Lieut.-Colonel Ncvett, ILA., who very lately landed here from the In‘e..- tigator to assume the command of the artillery, died ou the 2let instant. ---- --- THE EXPLOSION AT THE BnOONIELAW.—We have reason to believe that a third person lost his life from the late disastrous explosion of the boiler of th e Plo l er steamer at the Broomirla , . A carpenter, who was intend ing to proceed to Dumbarton to work there, was seen on board the steamer, near to the funnel, immediately before the explosion, and has not been heard of since. There are parties who state that they saw his body tossed into the air and falling into the river. When it is borne in mind that there was a strong current in the river, it i.. not improb.i ble that the body may have been carried out to sea. This makes the third individual who has lost his life by the accident.—Wasgote Courier.