The Express.
London, England, 1851-06-17 00:00:00

CUSTOMB BILL.

On the order of the day being moved for the second read-
ing of the above bill,
Mr. DISRAELI wished to state the course he intended
to pursue in reference to the Customs Bill, and the Inha-
bited Howe Duty Bill. By the vote which limited the
duration of the income and property tax :to one year, one
large source of the national income bad become merely pro-
visional; and under such a state of things it became a ques-
tion how far a due regard to the maintenance of the public
credit would justify any diminution of the permanent
sources of the national income, such as would be the cue if
the bills in question became law. He did not wish to take
a precipitous course ; but as an individual member of par-
liament, he could not incur the responsibility of allowing
the financial policy which the government scented inclined
to puns., to passed unchallenged. Ile should feel it to be
his duty, should he not induce Mr. }ferries to undertake
the ova, to ask the house to reconsider the question. His
wish was to have a calm, dispassionate, and strictly financial
discussion. If Iced John Russell would allow both bill to
pass the mead reading under protest, and take the com-
mittee on Monday seat, Mr. Disraeli would, in the course
of the week, lay on the table the proposition he intended to
submit. .

Lord J. RUSSELL stated that the further consideration
of the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill had been fixed for Monday,
and it would be inconvenient to alter that arrangement.
When the bills were read a woad time, a day might be
fixed fur the committee. . _

After a few word, from the CHANCZLLOR of the Ex-
Mr. DISRAELI, in reply, remarked that any day
would suit him. Ile merely wished to giro fair notice of
his intention.

Mr. HUME wished to know if Mr. Disraeli intended to
challenge the principle upon which the bills rested ? Ilse,
the discussion should go on then.
Mr. DISRAELI did not intend to proceed on the com-
mercial principle. lie merely wished to ask whether it M.
expedient, prudent, and politic, when the financial arrange-
, menu bad become et•entially provisional, to diminish the
permanent resources of the country.
The bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be
committed on Monday next.
INHABITED HOUSE DUTY DILL.

.....
On the order of the day fur the second reading of the
above bill,
Mr. W. WILLIAMS stated his objections to the substi-
tution of a house duty fur a window tax.
The hill W 44 then read 4 second time, and ordered to be
committed on Monday nest.
SUPPLY.

On the order of the day going into committee of cup-
ply being moved,
Sir D. J. NORREYS intimated that he should bring for-
ward his motion revecting the new House of Commune
when the vote for the new Houses of Parliament was

proposed.
The house then resolved itself into committee, Mr. BER-
NAL in the chair.

EOIIS ESTIMATES,

-,
On the vote for the sum of 97,7471., for the expense of
the maintenance and repairs of the royal palaces, public
buildings, &e., being proposed,
Mr. W. WILLIAMS objected to the vote. He had given
notice to the Woods and Forests so to prepare the vote
that the house might know what amounts were expended
upon the palates, and he had also given notice to the noble
lord that he should propose to defer the vote. He hoped
there would be no objection to that course, for the expendi-
ture upon these royal palaces had been extravagant and
wasteful, snil some check ought to be put upon it by the
house. It was monstrous to find that since the reign of
George 111. millions of money had been espended upon
these palaces, and yet that the expense, were still going on
year after year. (Hear, hear.) There were no fewer than
nine palaces maintained at the public expense. If the
noble lord would not consent to defer this vote he should
divide the committee on the questiou of a postponement of
it until a statement of the particulars was made.
The CHAIRMAN said it was not competent for the
hon. gentleman to move a postponement. lie might move
a negative to the vote.
Mr. lIUME asked Lord John Russell if it was intended
to confines the encroachment upon Kensington-gardens
after the time fixed for clueing the Industrial Exhibition.
Lord J. RUSSELL stated that the use of Kensington-
gardens to equestrians was merely temporary, and would
cease when the Exhibition closed. Should the like neces-
sity arise, he could not say but the !UM accommodation
would be repeated.
Mr. HUME expressed himself satisfied with the answer,
and proceeded to analyse the estimates. Ile stronly ob-
jected to the public being called upon to defray the expense
of repairing edifices inhabited by persons who lived rent
free. Hs objected to the item fur constructing hot-
houses fur the Duchess of Kent. Ile also objected to
the people being charged with keeping up the buildings at
Hampton Court and Kensington Palaces. At Hampton
Court, indeed, there were public gardens, and no man was
more sensible of the enjoyment the people had received
from the opening or their gardens, and it was the last
place e,oneeruing which he should be disposed to find fault;
but when he saw a cost of 6,0001. for merely stables and
out-houses, he could nut refrain from directing public atten-
tion to such abuses. A select committee ought to be ap-
pointed to go through all these items, and see what charges
were right, such as the reparation of the palace building,
as distinguished from those charges which were for the
private accommodation of the persons who were inmates.
Then there was the sum of 1201. fur the house
of the Knights of Windsor. Why, an estate had
been left to maintain the house of the Knights of Windsor,
but the Chapter of St. George's had got hold of the money.
He desired the committee to inquire into the matter; and
four years ago, the boo. Secretary to the Admiralty under-
took to have an examination, because 3,0001. had been
charged fur alterations in the house of the knights. He
repeated that these revenues had been absorbed by the ,
clergy of the Chapter of St. George's, Windsor, and it
was, therefore, • rubbery upon the public to charge this'
sum upon them. He complained also of the dilatory un-
willingness displayed by the government to artisan/
into any questions of this kind, if they affected
the church, or any part of the royal family.
There being a leaning that way, all that he asked was that
• committee should sit annually, and stand between the go-
vernment and the public, in order that proper economy
should be observed. lie objected to this 5201., and a variety
of other charges, which he mould not weary the patience of
the house in going through. Whilst they were appointing a
committee in order to effect reductions in the judicial and
Wavle' salaries they were voting away a sum of 97,0001. for
parks and gardens. it was a mockcry to strike off small
sums front salaries, and continue thus to waste the public
money. Having referred to one or two minor items, he
trusted that the noble lord would grant a committee fur the
purpose of going over these details before the sum were
voted next session.

LonlJ. RUSSEL said that auy hon. member, on looking
at these miscellaneous estimates, would find that although
there was set down about 130,0001., which had not formerly
come under that head, there was a diminution of the sum
total to the extent of 117,0001. so compared with last
year. This was a considerable reduction. (Hear, hear.)
The hon. member had alluded to the sum of 2,6151., for
royal gardens at Frugmore, and had said it was unneces-
sary that so much expense should be incurred on account
of the Duchess of Keut's residence. If the hon. member
had paid attention to this matter, he would have
known that a few loan ago the royal table
had been furnished by several gardens distant from
each other, and causing the outlay of considerable expense,
which was to a great extent useless. Dix (Lord J. Russell's)
late lamented friend Lord Dessborough, when at the head
of the Woods and Forests, had propo ed that these various
kitchen gardens should be given up, and that in place
thereof one large and complete kitchen garden should be
made on the best principles at Frogmore. This had ap-
peared to him to be a very eecroomical plan; it had been
adopted, and hence the expense. (Hear, hear.) He did
not think that it would serve any good purpose for a com-
mittee to go through such items. What would the hon.
member think if the gardener should, in coming before such
a committee, state that there was not a eneltient quantity
of early potatoes or strawberries, and that there were too
few peaches and melons—would he contradict the assertion
of the gardener or give way to the additional expense ?
(laughter.) The hon. member wished to pay the greatest
personal respect to the Duchess of Kent, bat the ob-
jection be had taken did not seem veey graceful.
Fur a committee to inquire into all these details every year
would not, he thought, be desirable. The WON WY fully
aware of the principle on which the estimates WON made
rap. (Hear.) He must, however, beg the ben. member
(Mr. Hume) to observe that of late years additional provi-
sions had been made for the public, and that considerable
expense bad been incurred ou Hampton Court and other
gardens. He would mention one item, for the hon. mem-
ber was willing to refer to all with which he could possibly
and fault, although he forgot to notice where improve-
ments had been effected. (Hear.) Considerable expense
had been laid out on the gardens at Kew, but that expense
bad been well repaid in the increased numbers which had
flocked to visit the gardens, and in the care which was taken
of the grounds. It ape, eared that in 1841 the numberof visitors
to gardens had been 9,174, while in IMO they had in-
ttiwasi 179,000, se that darter; last year 170,000 more