The Express.
London, England, 1851-04-15 00:00:00

noblemen in the country, worth 1001. a year, would come off
lightly, while chops in town would be heavily burthened.
Sir H. WILLOUGHBY cemented to withdraw his

-amendment.
Mr. PACKE, seeing that the hen. baronet the member
for Marylebone had withdtaWn his amendment, would fol-
low a similar course.
Amendment withdrawn.
Mr. MACGREGOR thought the present budget a great
improvement on its predecessor, but should have wkhed
to have seen the income tax modified and its inquisitorial
principle destroyed. lle believed that any systmn of taxa-
non now settled must be traikient, and that Cie whole
system must be soon revised. But that such was his con-
viction, he would not support a house tax under any

pretence.
Sir D. HALL said that his right honourable friend
the Chancellor of the Exchequer having informed him
very candidly that if he (Sir B. Hall) succeeded in nega-
tiving the house tax, the repeal of the window tax must ne-
cessarily be abandoned by government, he had no alteraa-
five but to withdraw his motion, but he told the right hon.
gentleman frankly that he would bring forward the question
again in a future session.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEWER said that
his proposal was to repeal the window tax altogether, sub-
stituting a small house tax. If at a future day reduction
should be possible, there were many taxes, such as those on
soap, &e., which in his opinion called much more loudly
for removal than that tax. (Hear, hear.)

After some conversation,
Mr. MOFFAT proposed certain verbal amendments, the
effect of which would be to extend the exemptions granted
to shops to chambers occupied by tailor.', button-makers,
milliner*, &c.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
if the amendment were conceded there was hardly a house
for which exemption might not be claimed.
After some further conversation,
Mr. MOFF..T said he would not press his amendment,
but he hoped the Chancellor of the Exchequer would con-

cider the ;natter.
Mr. ACHE hoped that the payment of the house tax
was not to he made a condition of the franehiw. (Cheers.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCIIEQUER-1 thought
my hon. friend was anxious that the house to and the
elective franchise should go together. (" Hear, hear," and

laughter.)
Mr. HUME—I am perfeetly content provided you give
the franchise to every householder. (hear, hear.)
A short discussion having taken place,
The resolution was agreed to, and the house resumed.
Report to be received to-morrow cthis day.?
TIMBER, AND COFFEE DUTIES ACTS.
The house then went into committee on these acts.
The resolution for reducing the duties from 6d. on fo-
reign, and Id. on colonial coffee, to 3d. per lb. in each case,
having hecn put.
Mr. T. BARING thought that it was duo to the evffee
planters that they should he dealt with in the
same IVRY as the sugar growers ad been dealt
with, rind that the equalisation shouhld be gradual.
He should he glad to know whether, as regarded Ceylon,
the opinions of the present and the last governor of the
island bad been asked as to what would be the effect of the
proposed change, and if so. what that opinion was? But
whatever objection there might be to the abolition of dif-
ferential duties, there could he no objection to the preven-
tion of adulterating coffee which prevailed to a great extent
at the present time. That adulteration was injurious alike
to the producer, to the revenue, to the consumer, and to the
free trader, and' it was the duty of the government and the
house to take measures to put an end to it. The ronsump-
tion of collie had fallen off considerably since 1817, and it was
still diminishing, and in agreater proportion each succeeding
year. The real c-lose was the adulteration, and the reason why
there was more adulteration in coffee than in other articles
was that a Treasury minute was issued in IMO which is a
manner sanctioned the adulteration, by forbidding the in-
stitution of excise prosecution.. When that Treasury
minute was issued coffee was about double its present price,
and the tea trade had been interfered with by the Chinese
war. Chicory which was then the main article of
adulteration, paid an excise duty. But now both tea and
coffee had fallen in price, and elticory was now cultivated
here and paid no duty. He did not 'believe the proposed
reduction in the duty would prevent adulteration ; and it
VMS neither just to the producer, the consumer, the fair
trader, or the revenue to leave the law as it was.
Mr. PRINSEX was also of opinion that the coffee
planter should be treated in the Sallie way as the sugar
grower had been dealt with, sud that the protection should
be withdrawn gradually.
The C lIANC ELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had already
stated the grounds on which ho had made this proposal.
It was true that the consumption of colonial coffee had
fallen off during the last '2 years, but it had increased dur-
ing the last of years by 5 million of pounds, or from
93,700,000 in the year 1816 to 25,891,515) in IMO. But dur-
ing the same time the entries inward of foreign coffee had
fallen off more than 10,000,18 K) Ile. This Was a proof
that the differential duty wits acting in is most formidable
manner against the introduction of fineign coffee ; and see-
ing that the quantity of foreign coffee imported far ex-
ceeded the total consumption in this eountry, it was clear
the protecting duty could do hut little good to the colonial
interests. Last year 36,5100,000 lbs. of coffee were impartial,
31,000,0',1016,. only were consumed, the quantity imported
exceeding the consumption by about 5,000,000 lbs. In the
same year 3,100,000 rim were exported from this country,
and sold in the continental markets. Upon the ',object of
the adulteration of coffee generally, he would reserve what
he had to say until the motion of which the hon. gentle.
man had given notice was under discussion. At present
foreign coffee paid Od., and colonial fal., with 5 per cent.
additional ; he proposed to levy 3d. a pound on both alike,
without the 5 per rent.
Mr. HUME was not surprised that the Chancellor of the
Exchequer had said nothing of the Treasury minute, for
nothing perhaps was more difficult than to detect adul-
teration in toffee, or almost any other article. Ile
hail heard that formerly almost one-third of the
sugar sold in this country was adulterated. His wish was to
see every excise officer removed, and he fancied the time
was coming when such a removal would take place.
Mr. STANLEY thought that there ought to be a dis-
criminating duty, lest, by the adoption of the proposition
now before the committee, the coffee plantations in Ceylon
would be thrown out of cultivation.
Mr. LABOUCHERE said that unless the committee
were prepared to denart from the commercial legislation of
the last few years, they would not he induced by the Sills,r4
of the lion. gentleman who had just sat down to place
discriminating duties on coffee. More etiffee was
obtained from our own colonies than was con-
sumed, and that proved that the competition
of Brazil was not quite so great as had been represented.
Mr. CAR DWELL said the fair coffee trader had been
injured and the revenue damaged, for while there had been
a falling off in the consumption to the extent of 3,000,000
164., the revenue had suffered to the amount of 8,000/.
Sir F. BARING said that when he was Chancellor of
the Exchequer he asked the honest claws of coffee traders
whether they could frame a set of regulations which would
not so interfere with their trade RS to injure it. Their re-
ply was, that they could not frame any regulations which
would not injure their trade.
Mr. WAKLEY thought it exceedingly strange that any
government should sanction a palpable fraud. (Hear, hear.)
lie had nu hesitation in stating that chicory was an un-
wholesome root, and that its constant consumption was
attended with pernicious consequences. (Hear.)
After a few words from Mr. SwottErr, and Lord C.
Hastitros,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that if
he believed chicory to be obnoxious, he would he justified
in dealing with it, but, believing that not to be the ease, he
considered himself justified in not dealing with it.
Mr. WAK LEY observed that coffee was adulterated with
chicory, roasted cora, peas, and beans, and that thi's was
the sort of obnoxious article the sale of which the Chan-
cellor was sanctioning. Those who purchased chicory very
often rinsed it with the coffee not knowing that the chicory had
been itself adulterated. He recollected that the Chancellor
had last year suffered very much from ill health, and he was
afraid the right hon. gentleman hail purchased too much
coffee mixed with chicory. (Loud laughter.)
The resolution was then put and agreed to, so also was a
resolution for the reduction of the timber duties.
The house resumed and the chairman reported progress.
DECORATION OF TILE HOUSE.
Sir DE L. EVANS rose in pursuance of the following
notice: "Ou going into committee of supply, to call the
attention of the house to the so-called interior decoration of
the House of Commons, persisted in by the architect in op-
position to the declare(' wishes of the members of the
house." lie said he had lately gone into the new house to
see what progress had been made, and he was astouished
and surprised at the unsatisfactory state it was iu. WiICU he
went into the house he found that there were not two
square inches of the wainscot, in any part of the house,
which was not in some way ornamented either with colour
or with wretched fantastic earring, so that it looked
more like some monastery of the tenth or twelfth century
than a representative chamber of the nineteenth. lie
thought the subject was one to which the house should
turn its attention without delay.
Mr. BRIGHT remarked that lust session the sum of
8,500/. had been voted for the alterations in the house. Ile
should be very glad if the lion. gentleman (Mr. Greene)
would state what the alterations already made had cost;
for he was informed that the sum would approach double
what was voted and what Mr. Barry had stated would be
necessary ?
Mr. GREENE said that the commissioners had called on
Mr. Barry to state what the alterations would cost, and he
oiayff, the expense: wimouplmd„nsoiotnexe,,i:hedenthhi. parliamentary
parliamentary
an
of 8,600/. With reference to the other question put brthe
gallant officer as to the decorations, it was certainly his
he desired Mr. Barry to state the reason why
acted on uhiduir;indthineg,manadtt,:tr.he bad nut
distinctly understood the desire of the commissioners,Mr.
had
that the fittings should be plain oak. When he returned
wwhisohhwadithve
Cwhasanneeothaowr aorfetohfeaEnxycd;eq.clu"e'rsd, underi3ur the reply
tieel wan,
t"h le
sespect to thtoeppdeed-
corations of the House of Commons." Upon that he (Mr.
ry kindly
any further works. (Hear, hear.) The commissioners did
not think it right, as the colouring of the roof had proceeded
so far, to go to the expense of having it d
scrape
off—(Laughter)—at least, until the hon. members
Tome
should have occupied the house, and Ix able to form
an opinion.
Mr. WAKLEY asked if any written printed •
or instruc-
tions as to the amount of decoration beto employed had been
handed to Mr. Barry?
Mr. GREENE replied in the negative.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said ft was
expressly understood that the whole decorations were to be
perfectly plain, Us was very much surprised to And tut