The Express.
London, England, 1864-07-20 00:00:00

STATE OF THE PAPER TRADE.

Mr. MAGUIRE rase to move for a select committee to
inquire into the present position of the paper manufacture
of Great Britain and Ireland, with respect to foreign taxi-
lion. The hon. gentleman said that • gnat and grievous
wrong had been done by her Majesty. government, with
the sanction of the British pa:Remelt, to an imixrhat
branch of British industry ; and that industry appealed
now, through him, to the government and the House of
Commons for consideration, and if possible for redrew.
(Hear. bear.) II was said the British manufacturers ex-
ported largely. But how did the matter stand They pro-
duced 7,0001,0001. worth of paper a year and they exported,
the Board of Trade told them, half • million worth. (Hear, I
bear.) But it should be membered that men who had
embarked large capital in trade were obliged to keep their
mills gong and their people at work—they could not give
is until they saw ruin mast conic. whoa they would
be crushed beneath the monster that opposed. (Hear,
hear.) He had been told that they might import the raw
material from India in large quantities, bat if we could do
that, end did do so, it would not reduce the price of rep ;
but if the price of rags was reduced or raised in this country
the foreigner would still be protected by the duty
imposed by his own custom house. (Hear boar.)
But the English market was an open one,
and the Americans came here and took away a net quantity
of raga, and they kept the market price up in this country
to what the price was abroad, with the tax combined.
(Hear, hear.) To understand how the law operated, let
them take the article of jute, which was imported from
India. The Frenchman came to this country and bought it
free from all duty. and took it to France and manufac-
tured it, and then emit his goods to Dundee for sale free
from d but if a Dundee paper manufacturer wanted the
refuse tithe jute from France, he must pay a heavy duty.
(Hear, hear.) Mr. Potter, • large manufacturer, was travel-
ling some time since in the north of Spain with a
Frenchmaa, • moat interesting man, and be said
that the new British lagislatiou seemed so favourable
to foreigners that be had • brother who had • brother-
in-law who was determined to take advantage
of it, and would build a paper mill in the south of Fiasco
j for the purpose of supplying the English market. The
Frenchman said he had previously thought the English
were an astute and clever people in business, but ha won-
dend how they could have been each utter fools as to pus
I each • law against themselves. (Hear, hear.) Whoa he
had brought this matter before the house on former occa-
sions the right boo. seethe= the Chancellor of the Exch..
quer had denied that the molts were correct. (The CHAN-
cutoz of the Excliesioxa : " I Dever denied thew.' The
right hoc. gentleman said so evil malt would follow from
a change is the law—(hear, bear)—aid In said three mouths
ago that the fang which be (Mr. Maguire) elated did not
justify his simenion. But after what he had stated to
the hones that night he would ask whether they were
still incredulous. (Hear, hear.) If they were let them
give these men a committee, for they had been derided in
Downing-street (Hear, haw.) He bad stated cm the part
of the trade that it was seriously suffering, and that the
traders were being driven into bankruptcy, sod if the game
manes. were permitted to go On for the nest half dczen
years they would boar very little of the paper trade in this
country, and the government would then be able to get up
and boast that they had handed over a owe flourishing sad
great trade to the forages,. (Hear, bear.) The Chancellor
of the Exchequer might ask him what was his remedy.
(Cries of " What is your policy!' Laughter.) Well, he
might ask him what was his policy, and
that was on • remit manioc a very awkward
question. He would admit that the Chancellor of the
Exchequer and the hoe. member for Rochdale were entitled
to the fullest possible credit for what they had dame in car-
rying out the French treaty of commerce, for they had
Bakal the two countries in bonds of interest, and pow that
they were linked in trade they might, he thought, do with
lees ironclad* arid reduced war expenses. (Hear, hear.)
But he thought the right hon. gentleman sad the boo.
member for Rochdale might get up in that house sad say
that they had made • mistake in reference to the paper
trade. That would be some consolation to those to whom
they had done wrong. But however that might be. it was
the duty of the government to find • remedy tor the wrong
which had been done, arid if the 'overman would net do
that, he believed the house would rise as me man and hurl
the goverment Irma their mats. (Hear, beer.) The hoe.
gentleman concluded by moving for • select committee.
The CHANCELLOR of the ESCHEQUF.R hardly
supposed that on the mb July, when the Al=latiO's
M had been introduced, the ban. gentlemanin that
a committee should it, take evideace, and repeat to the
house this sessioe.

Mr. MAGUIRE said he ahoold be quite 'stalled if apes
the opaline of the wit session the 'o►ernmest would
allow a committee to be appointed, and without farther
dismission.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that was
an explicit statement, sad though be would Dot absolutely
pledge Use government so loss a time beforehand, yet be
would state that neither at that time Dor at the present
would the goverment desire to prevent inquiry, sad it
woold be a that spirit that the government would meet the
for a select commoner, and they would more cheer-
olly t. if without debate. The hon. member bad no right
to meanie that ministers were no friends to the paper makers.
He (Mr. Gladstone) utterly repudiated that assertion ; he
would not retort on the hon. member that be himself wise
the paper makers enemy, but be must tell him that the
effect of his statements would be to cause the farrago
paper makers to use all their influence to preserve the pro.
Motive export duty. He asserted therefore that the
friends of the paper makes created the greatest obstacles
to the removal of the duty. He thought that the
language
of her Majesty's ministers to foreign governments
be this: they should say that justice and the friendly
relations that existed demanded that there should be • free
interchange of raw material, and further that the imps*.
anee of that paper duty had been monstrously ex-
aggerated. The feet was that a great quantity
of paper were made in this ootintry without rags at all, sad
in rot of fact the cry that wee pised was in great measure
• factitious one, perhaps suggesting • policy which did sot
appear on the surfers. The hon. member said that be bad
made a promise ia his bustard statement. What be bad
said was :—•• Wears authorised in hoping that ooscessime
will be made by the French government in the shape of
reduction of duty." Great exertioss had been made towards
that consummation, and he believed it would have !been
obtained but for the motion of the bon. member. (Hear.)
Whether the hoe member's motion would prevent it
altogether be did not know; but what was good for the goose
was good for the podia ; and if the export duty was in-
jurious to the British maker it was proportionably good for
tke foreigner, and an these debates would give a factitious
importance to the question, and tend to encourage those
who were engaged in the protected trade to band them-
selves together for the paresis of maintaining the duty.
He admitted that then was embarrassment in certain
branches of the paper trade, end be had so wish on the
part of the government to resist a general wish for inquiry,
and he also thoucht it his duty to express his opinion
that the parties interested would have much
better consulted their own interests by preserving silence.
Al to the government, they would cootinne to make those
appeals to foreign governments which not only their duty
but their inclination suggested. (Hear, bear.)
Mr. SURTEES was glad to learn that the right boo.
gentleman was not likely to oppose the appointment of a
committee next session.

Lori It. MONTAOU void that the company which bad
been alluded to by the hon. member for Cork wee not eats.
Wished until twelve months after the repeal of the duty,
and its embamesmenta were caused by an attempt to com-
bine the manufacture of manure with that of paper. This
we. not a 0011111110)111 a' battle, but that of a very small internet
in the conntrv. With the argument* which the Chancellor
of the Exchequer had advaeced, sod in which be concurred,
he wee rather aetooialted at the promise that next session the
committee would be granted.
The discussion was continued by Colossi Dickson, Mr.
Norris, Mr. Black, and Sir M. Farquhar, all of whom urged
on the government the importance of granting a committee
of inquiry,
Mr. WATKIN hoped that, if there was to be an inveeti-
ption into the condition of the paper trade, the select coin.
mitten would call for the production of the income-tax
returns of the 400 papermakere in the United Kingdom
before sad after the French treaty.

Mr. MAGUIRE, le reply, deieuded the conduct of the
paper makers in appealing to parliament, and the course be
had taken himself in bringing their MN forward. State-
MOM. like that to•night had been made from time to time,
sad hopes held out ; bat time had falsified all those hopes.
So far from baring any redaction on the rag tax, that tax
had bens doubled Is some countries since the abolition of
the paper ditties. The Chaneelkw at the Exchequer Memel