The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-03-30 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

On Monday, March 26, in the House of Lords. the Royal
assent was given, by Commission, toe Finance Bill.
In the House of Commons. the main business of the evening
was the midget, which, being produced on the eve of the
Easter holidays, attraoted a much smaller audience than Is
usliaL The preliniinn7 questions lasted a considerable time,
sod embraced several matters of importance.
In answer to Mr. Otway, Mr. Gladstone said the Govern-
ment had restelved no information of the oonclusion of a
Treaty between Germany and Italy.
Lord It (lower 'asked whether there was any probability
of the allowance to [ado Mayo being increased from the im-
perial revenues and the Chancellor of the Exchequer ex-
cused himself from giving my answer on the ground that he
had not had the opportunity of consulting his colleagues.
Mr. B. Osh Toe gave Indica that, if the answer be unfavour
ante, he will move an Address to the Queen. praying her to
beano.' genie Icitler inarlis of her favour Oh the e Mow and
children of the late Viceroy, and assuring her that the House
will make good thr same.
Sir If. Hoare appealed to Mr. Gladstone not to fix the
Royal Parks and Gardens Pill for the first night after the
recess; and Mr. Monk, in commenting on the Prime
Minister's refusal to postpone the bill, remarked that of late
the Ministry had shown Cu increasing spirit of opposition to
Gin feelings of many of its supporters, which, if persevered
in, would carry it to the other side of the House.
The Douse having gone into Committee of Ways and
Means,
The Chancellor of the Exchequer made his Financial State-
ment, commencing with as elaborate cuinparnion of tile
actual ExpeinlitUre of the year with his Estimates in last
year's Budget, with the sows sanctioned by the Appropriation
Act, and with the sums actually voted, including
supplo Estimates. Ilia actual Expenditure of the
year has been £71,720,000, which is a easing of
£1,016,000 on the amount voted, and Is £508,000
less than he estimated it at In the Putiget of 1071 72.
This, he claimed, bore testimony to the vigilance with which
the Expenditure hail been watched, although much of it
excite from the neceamiry li...e's with which the Esti-
mates were framed, end which i could only be remedied by
more frequent recourse to supplemental Eitiniates and
Votes 011 Aceialut. Ucinparing, in like manner the actual
with the estimated Revenue, Mr. Lowe stated that the
Revenue had produced I:2,220,000 more than was
anticipated, showing an actual excess of Revenue
over Expenditure of £2,815,000, of which £1,010,000
is due to cCOnumies in expenditure. Mr. Lowe went at auntie
length into the details of the increased Revenue. Justify-
ing his estimates and dwelling with especial satisfaction on
the increase of £1.000,000 in the yield front Stamps,
notwithstanding the reductions of last year. and on the
Increased yield of the Income Tax, which has risen
now to £1,000.000 for each penny in the pound. Next
he presented to the Committee a comparative review
of the Exchequer balances. Tbese 013 the lit of April
next ha calculated would amount to £8,890,000 or about
double what they were in 2809; though during the same
period we have utfreted a gross reduction of .P 12,740,00 of
debt, and have had to spend limns out of capital account for
such purposes as purchase of Telegraphs, Fortifications,
Abolition of Purchase, and the War in Europe, amountibg hi
all to nearly 580,010,000. The total amount of the debt is
£702,740,000 of wliich 731,757,000 is banded Debt, £05,757,000
in Terminable Ahileitiea £5,220,000 Unfunded Debt. Passing
on to the next year's finances, Mr. Lowe dealt first with the
Expenditure, which he thus estimated :
Charges teethe Debt .. L 20,030,00.,
Consolidated Fund charges • . 1,780,000
Army (not including Abolition of Purchase) 14,82.1,000
Navy .. .. •.. 9,508,00 u
Civil Service • • 10,052,000
Revenue Departments .. '2,021,000
Post 011ice........2,010,100
Telegraphs 500,000
Packet Service .. 1,135,00 u
Abolition of Purchase .. 863,000

!-m-e-ritat

Total £71,313,000
This Is £1,4,000 less than the actual grants of last year, aml
admitting teat the supplemental Esthuates this year may be
£410,000 as they were last year. there will be considerably
over a reductimi of a million. The Revenue for the coming
year on the present footing, before any reductions are made,
the Chancellor of the Exchequer estimated as follows:

Customs
Excise ..
Stamps ..
Taxes ..
Income Tax
Post (Mice
Crown lands
Telegraphs
„__

£2O 300,00
23,32 ,000
0,700.000
2,30,000
9,950,000
4,770,000
375,000
870,000
1,300,000