The Express.
London, England, 1848-06-09 00:00:00

DUTIES ON SPIRITS.

The CIIANCELEGitJf the LXCHEQI ER said that
early in the session he had announced his intention of in-
troducing two measures for the sake of removing some of the
restrictions imposed by the existing 'ache laws on spirits ;
and he would take this opportunity of doing so, that the
bills miabt be considered at Whitsuntide. As these were
ireasures almost entirely of relaxation, he hoped they would
afford satisfaction to the parties interested. The t ties
on atone bottles, sweets, auctions,glsu, vinegar, and tiles, had
been repealed; those on paper and soap had been reduced;
and a considerable relaxation had been made in the laws
affecting malt, paper, bricks, and other articles. The
beneficial effect which had resulted from these changes was
but shown by the marktd decrease which had taken place
in the number of excise prosecutions. In 1832 there were
4309 excise informations heard before magistrates ; in 1847
the number was 1,0,88: being a diminution of 2,621. Before
the excise commissioners, in 1932, 974 cases were heard; in

1847, 206: being a diminution of 768. The information; in
the Exchequer amounted, in 1842 (only live pars ago), to
18:1; in 1847 to 74 ; being a diminution of 109.
This showed that the laws were administered with as much

consideration as possible. The bills he had now to introduce
referred only to spirits. The first related to warehousing
spirits without payment of duty, both for home consumption
and exportation. In England this was not permitted, but it
was in Scotland and Ireland ; the first bill would put the
English distillers on the same footing. It would also give
the Scotch distiller power to warehouse his spirits without
payment of duty in any part of the kingdom. As to spirits
for exportation, the present law gives an undue advantage to
the foreign trade. A Dutch distiller might warehouse his
spirits here, take them out when he thought proper,
and then export them to our colonies. lie therefore
proposed to give the home distiller the power of
warehousing rectified, but not swetened, spirits.
It was impossible to allow the spirits to be sweetened before
they were put into bond, but they might be sweetened in
bond. The only exports of spirits took place from Scotland,
from which 90,000 gallons were exported. He proposed to
allow spirits for home consumption to be equally bonded in
the three countries. With regard to spirits for export he
proposed to allow them to be bonded in the Customs ware-
houses, but in that cue they must be exported, and could
not be taken out for home consumption. So far as related
to the first bill. The second measure related to the present
system of permit survey. In conformity with the report
of the Commissioners of Excise inquiry, who stated that
the permit system was attended with great inconveniences
without any corresponding advantage, he proposed to re-
serve to the Board of Excise the power of examining spirits
in stock of in hand only in circumstances which would jus-
tify a suspicion of fraud. He proposed to relieve the spirit
dealer from the necessity of permits, and from the survey of
the excise officers. They would, however, be required to
keep certain accounts of stock, and to send a certificate
signed by themselves when spirits were sent from one place
to another. Tee only ether important provision in the bill
was,that it permitted to persons who now took out a 101. license
to sell a less quantity of liquors than they now could on their
taking out a supplemenwry SI. license. The least quantity
of liquors which they could now send out was two gallons ;
but, under this bill, they oould sell any quantity rot less than
an imperial quart. Every dealer would be required to have
a hook in "Inch the quantity of spirits sent out was to be
inserted. Tkis would no in the nature of an invoice. He

intended to apply this provision to the three MllatliZo
although he csnfeseed be had doubt.* whether it ought to he
extended to Ireland, in consequence of the illicit di•tillaticei
wtCch was carried on there.

The resolutions having been r •ail,
Mr. COWAN would not oppose the resolutions, but he
did not know whether the immure would be satisfactory He
expected that the right hon. gentleman would have ais,
nounced an intention to alter the licensing system, which
was productive of much immorality in Scotland ; hut nn
was sorry to find that that was not as. Els must also an.
press his dissatisfaction that no relaxation wu to take ekes
with reaped to that body of manufacturers to which be he.
longed, and that they were to be still subject to the delay
and vexation of the excise regulations. He wished to know
whether a full allowance would be made for the waste of
spirits in bond ?
Mr. CALLAGHAN was glad that the Chancellor of the
Exchequer was about to relax the excise ',notations with
respect to spirits. He holmd the right bun. gentlemen
would allow the distiller for the whole of the waste of ipmja
in bond, and that he would place the Irish diatiller in the
same position as the Scotch distiller.
' Mr. GROGAN hoped that the right hon. gentleman
would attend to the suggestion of the hon. member for Cock,
and place Ireland in the same position as Scotland.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
would allow for the waste of spirits in bond intended for ex.
portation ; but not for spirits in bond for hem. contempt:ice.
The resolutions were then agreed to, and ordered to lee en•
ported to the house this day.
Mr. BROTHERTON here ruse to more that the hem
adjourn, but no notice beisg taken, he resumed his seat,
IMPRISONMENT FOR DEla (IRELAND) Buy.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE moved that the house dodo Min
committee on this bill.

Mr. GROGAN really must object to going on at thatbeat
of the night.
Col. ItAWDON said there were 1,700 persons languid'
in prison in Ireland for small debts, who would be release"
if this bill passed, and he, therefore, hoped Mr. Itrothertoa
would put his nightcap on his head, and permit the bill to
be proceeded with forthwith. (Laughter.)
Mr. BROTH ERTON objected to enter on an IS*
debate at that hour.

The house, however, resolved itself into committee, and
the various clauses of the bill were agreed to withoat
discussion, and with a few unimportant amendments.
Mr. GROGAN urged that the operation of the bill should
be postponed from the Ist of November to the Ist of Januar/
next.

Sir W. SOMERVILLP. said the statement of hie gallant
friend behind him (eel. ltawdon) disinclined him to post-
pone bringing the bill into operation.
Mr. GROGAN held, the only remedy the traders of Dab,
lin had against a debtor was the remedy of arrest and im-
pri.,onment.

Sir W. SOMERVILLE thought these poor eh btors on*
have the privilege of spending their Christmas out of prowl.
lie declined to give way on this point.
Bill to be reported lsth June.
GAME CERTIFICATES FOR KILLING BARES
BILL.
On motion for the third reading of this bill,
Col. SIBTEIORP moved that the house do now adjourn.
The motion was not seconded, and the circumstance gars
rise to some cheering.
Col. SI ISTIIORP then slid ha should op,'ose ptomain
with the bill at that hour as vexatious. (Ob.) He wu
astonished to find his hun. friend the member fa Sander.
land permitting the bill to proceed at that late hour. (ss.
nerved tries of "oh.") lie did not wish to obstruct the
business—(oh)—hut he should move that the bill be read a
third time that day six months.
This amendment was not seconded, and also fell to the
ground. The SPE:Mint then put the question that the bill
be read a third time.
Colonel SIBTHORP.—I shall divide the house.

Strangers were ordered to withdraw and the gallery was
cleared, hut no member being found to act as teller with
the gallant measlier for Lincoln, no division took place.
Un ri-admiaeion to the gallery,
Mr. FRE WEN was mi.v,ng the following eau'. " Pro-
vidtd always, and be it further enacted, that nothing in this
act contained shall be cmstrued to eat, od to allow say
peer or persons not having a game certificate to use say
engine or wire, commonly called a snare, or any trap of any
description for the purpose of killing or taking any gam
or harca.

On the motion that the clause b? brought up,
Mr. HUDSON defended himself Ircm Colonel Sib-
thorp's comi:laint that he had thrown him over. He did
not disapprove of the bill, or he should have been very
happy to do anything he could to co-operate with his gallant
friend.

Mr. COLVILE objected to the clause, an 1 hoped it would
not be presud.
The clause vsu put and negatived ; and the Toll was then
read a third time.
FRAUDS IN TILE SALE OF BREAD.

Mr. SPOONER (for Mr. Dankest coved for leave to
bring in a bill to provide more Effectually for checking frauds
is the sale of bread and other articles of provision.—Leave
granted.
The house adjourned at half•put 1.

ELECTION COMMITTEE— YESTERDAY.
ifrltLlN.—The scrutiny was continued yesterday,
and one vote was ,'ruck from the majority of the sitting
member. Application was made for the committal of a rate-
collector of Dublin, on the ground of having prevaricated in
hi• evidence, but the committee reserved their decision until
this day.

The erpregigi.

MAILS.

The mails for British North America, and the United State,,
will be made up an the evening of the 9•th June.
The West India Mule, excluding Bermuda, Novo, Ha•ann4
Honduras, New Orleans, Vera Cruz, Tampico, and Porto Rico, and
including thew for %Ueda, Jacinel, Carthagena, Santa Martha,
Chagres, Panama, West Coast of South America, and St Juan-de-
Niraragua, will be made up on the meaning of the 17th June.
The mails for Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Madeira, Cadiz, and Mealier
will be made up cm the morning of the I;th June.
The overland smith tot Gibraltar, Malta, Greece, the lonian Islands,
Egypt, Aden, Ceylon, India, Hong-Kong, and China, via Suuthanips
ton, will be made up on the morning of the 20th June.
The overland closed mails, eta Marseilles, to the Mediteminesa,
Egypt, Aden, Ceylon. India, Hong-Kong, &c., will be made up on the
evening of the 24th June.
The mails for New South Wales, Van Dieman's Land, and New
Zealand will be made up on the evening of the 30th June.
The midis for the West Coast of Africa and Mattel= will be made
lap on the evening of the 30th June.
The mails for the Brazils, the River Plate, Monte Video, Pernam-
buco. Bahia, Madeira, and Buenos Area, will be made up on the
evening of the 4th July.

I