The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-05-09 00:00:00

THE MALT TAX.

Mr. Beddall moved, "That this Council has seen
with surprise and disappointment a surplus of six mil-
lions distributed by the Government without any
attempt to reduce or repeal the Malt-tax." This was
seconded by Mr. Heneage.
_ _
• • ••

Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., referring to the recent
budget, said he was rather disappointed, but not 'sur-
prised. Budgets were made to pass, and he main-
tained that if the strongest possible Government were
to propose to repeal the Malt-tax that Government
would not have been in existence another day, and if
it were proposed to reduce the tax to one-half that
Government would not have been in existence another
week.
Mr. Storer, M.P., thought a great portion of the
brewers and malsters were not indisposed to do jus-
tice to the agriculturists on this great question, and
this Wasi shown by the fact that Mr. Bass voted with
the " immortal seventeen" supporters of Mr. Maslen.
Lord Hampton regretted the repeal of the sugar
duties and the abandonment of a revenue of twsimil.
lions without anything like an adequate relief to the
consumer; but if it were an unwise step, the blame of
it should not be thrown on the present Government.
It was generally admitted that the inevitable cause of
the repeal of the sugar duties was the reduction
made in those duties when Mr. Lowe WM Chancellor
lof the Exchequer, and after that abandonment
If a large portion of the sugar duties it would
, have been very. difficult for any Chancellor now to
attempt to maintain the permanent continuance of
duties which bad been so much reduced. They very
much regretted it. There weretwo main subjects which
had been of great interest in the proceedings of that
chamber, viz., local taxation and the malt tax. The
Government had dealt in their budget with local taxa-
tion. Some speakers had stated that they were not
satisfied with the budget, and spoke rather in terms
of censure, and not of gratitude. He thought they
should consider the circumstances. The Government
had to bring in a budget at the shortest possible notice,
and they took office at a period when a great portion of
the session had usually elapsed. He could not join in
expressing any surprise that the Government had not
dealt with the Malt-tax. It had been stated that even ,
in barley growing countice the farmers themselves were
not unanimous about the subject of the Malt-tax. He
thought every Government in dealing with taxation
was bound to deal with those subjects which would do
the most extensive and general amount of good.
Local taxation touched the whole country, the Malt-
tax did not, and in his own county (Worcestershire) the
subject of the Malt-tax was not mentioned. He
earnestly hoped that the Chamber would adhere to
that rule which set forth that they had nothing to do
there with party feeling.
The discussion was continued by Mr. Whittaker,
Mr. Hodsall, Mr. Phipps, M.P. Mr. Corrance, Sir
George Jenkinson, M.P., Colonel Brise, M.P., and
others.
Mr. D. Long moved the adjournment of the dis-
mission for six months, and this was seconded by Mr.
H. Chaplin, Ml'.,and supported by Colonel
Paget, M.P.
On being put to the vote the amendment was lost
by a large majority.
After a few words in reply from Mr. Besldall the
resolution was carried.
The Council then proceeded to consider "Legisla-
tion with respect to Compensation for Unexhausted
Improvements."