The Express.
London, England, 1849-09-12 00:00:00

POSTPONEMENT OF THE PAYMENT OF

HOP DUTY.

A tneetinz was held at Maidstone on Thureday
last, consisting of b.-tweets fifty and sixty gentlemen denoted
h,y the various parishes, in the hop-growing districts of West
Kent, to sear the ettutral eomm tte• appointed at the same
plow on the 29rd of Annul. The leading formers of this
part of the county attended.
lir. P. 8 Porrienrr, of Chart Sutton, took the chair, and
materiels, most nuatar.tuly signed, were handed io, pray.
lug the I:rde of the Treasury to postpone the eollection of
the 1848 ist.p duty.
Ti. Claw IMAM brit fiy <nosed the proceedings by stating
'hat Mr. Hodges had been in communication with
Sir C. Wood noon this euttleet, and he had stated
that as he could give no wooer to a deputation, he
had not thoneht that any good could Milt by one being
formed, but ;that he should be happy to see Mr. Hodge.,
personelly, It he were inclined to waft ups him. Mr.
Hodges hod most readily and cordially pliesel kit:well at the
dismal of the committee, .rho recommend. 1, ss the most
jodisious mesas of more immediately effecting their pur-
pose, that Mr. Hodges should be requested at once to obtain
so interview wi.h the Chancellor of the Ex.hequer, to lay
he urgent case of the hop planters before ohm. Mr.
Hadges had expressed an opinion that he should have a
much hotter chines of sasses if he were enabled to point
out a method for the final arrangement of the hop duty
question, which would be satisfactory and acceptable to the
growers of the various dietrico generally, sod had suggested
that thecommittee should consider whether a compromise of
opinion might not he effected, in favour of reducing the excise
duty down to one penny per lb., or, in lieu thereof, of
charging a fixed duty of three pounds per statute acre on all
lands planted with bops.
Mr. 1101)06S then stated his views on the above objects,
land impressed upon the attention of those present the no
email of cordial unanimity, and said that he hoped that day
I to be empowered by them to suggest to the ethane. llor either
' of the above courses as the basis of an arrangement of the
question, feeling that hie prospects of mows in obtaining
the postponement of the 1848 duty would thereby be much
improved.
After come discoidal, the fellow's; resolution was mend
and seconded : _ _ _

" That Thomas Law Hodges, Req. be requested to go
down into Yorkshire, to obtain an interview with tie Chan
celloy of the Rich, quer, as the most Perlis/ass and immediate
coarse of obtaining the objects set forth in the memorials, s,
numerously signed, and forwarded to the meeting that day ;
and that he be also empowered to ergo upon the attention of
the Cheapener the necessity of the Mal arrangement of the
hop ditty et Id. per lb. oa hops, or by a Aged duty of 31. per
statute acre on land pleated with hops."
An emeada'nt was then moved, that the proposal of a
fixed dity of 31. per statute acre should be omitted; bat,
on being put frm the chair, only foes hands were held up
in Ite f , and the original resolution was carried by a
large maj wity. Mr. Hodges thee le t the room, taking with
him the memorials which had been heeded ia fa the com
=Wee, and szpreaang hie °wildest ezpsetation of being back
by Monday night
Tn. CUALIMMI then announced that the central commit-
tee would meet at the Staplehurst Railway Hotel, on Tees
day next, at 12 o'clock, that several gentlemen from Simi
intended to be there, and that he hoped several of three pre-
sent would attend, as the result of Mr. Hodges's Journey
would ibis be made known, and matters of imp:Main might
then have to be brought forward.
A discussion then ensued, in whisk the chairman, Mr.
.1 wallas Monekton, Mr. W. Golding, Mr. Elvy, Mr. Ro-
bert Taman, Mr. Bemis, Mr. Nome, and others took put;
and, although on. or two gentlemen said they were nos pre-
pared at once to form ea opialon ea the queettee, and some
few eaten doubted the nieseeity of my duty whatever, the
central impression was musk in favour of the fund image
du.
The meeting wee unanimously of opinion that it would
be utterly impossible for the government to collect the duty
alit month, and that any attempt to do so would be attended
with the most serious consequences to the hop districts.
After a vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting
separated.

I/MA=6AL BultIAL/L—Tenterday stternoonan ex-
tmardiaary miming of the members of the MetropoHaut So-
ciety for tits Abolition of Burials is Town wa• held in Ow so.
amyl rooms, Bridgnammt, Blackfriam. G. A. Walker,
, In the choir. for the purpose of adopdtin prompt aim
Mlle for the immediate closing of grave-yards and vaults In
cities and towns, as being esantially esesesuy to stay the
Pof cholera, out its equally fatal The
e=s and several other addressed
the weetlity, resolutions eondeLMAN7ll4l.4l4l4llll* peones of ta•
tannest. in towns, and pointing ode names who persevered
in it the great responsibility width they binned, were
adopted. The Rev. H. Crated send a resolution, which
stated UM the intsawitste and 111•0110/1101 eissing of
=reand vaults in towns was the only ediesenal
v stoyng the present hada Awn, and gl
arrant the loaf ethers at the eases et the year;
that the to when owe was nodded the }shin
Maids eine wetropeln sheen order the opplioation die-
lafestizeweresa thnengreass; and that the mareteary
dean to the II of Meath a espy of this reeele-
:zinselilitisg m interview en the solOset—the fallowieg
to 11.11111111111 the &plateaus. Wt.. Dr. Ivarot
elb .
Jseen. Messrs. G. A. Walker, T. Mentiosr, C. J. T .
IL'Artent, and the Rev. B. Craig's Dr. Mom odemisti the
ressiation, which woo carried. Thanks were that voted to
the akeinun, sad the meeting adjourned.
TIN LATS EXPLOSION AT HISNOINGTON.—Mrs.
Mann Joon the wife ef Mr. Willing Jan.*, the firework-
salon at Lensingure, elms maim exploded on Mosday
allsesen, died fa Leolloglen westneue at two .'desk
yeeeleim waintisig. The nellastewen wean had both eves
Mein .0. saline °disrobe mgt hisialaur injured. Mr
Jens is else way orosrely Mewl ea Me be and no of his
arms. Re had oat a minute Who mimed bone, sad tad
got no farther Mtn the nesse, when the lost expkaies
took plans ignalm, sad was Isietred by elms In the home,
and he was belied is *II ref" Mesa whisk le, with gnat
dificnlty, onlested llgesil, eishaegit lie was eines to tits
deer. TM 1111111111111 hew is astir deitreyed, sad No. Si. in
1 cry dawilmaskelate, the was beim cracked. The pre.
atlw caw inumni. bat Mr. Jesse and die ether residents of
the beam are nelantred. Mr. Jews still remains at the
Ininten workhouse la a vary illesinful mac
Ausos, THE Hisroaus, AT COUST.—Wo under-
stand that Sheriff Alison left Glasgow this morning for Bal-
moral, by special invitation of her Mtjesty.—North Brigid
Moil.