Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-08-13 00:00:00

IMPE HIAL PARLIAMENT.

(By British and Irish Mapregie Telegraph.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-WEDNESDAY.

The Speaker took the chair at 12 o'clock,
Guistinianis Naturalisation Bill was read a third time
and passed.

Capt• Hamilton took the oaths and his seat for Falklrk
Burghs.

On the order for the consideration of amendments to
the Smoke Nuisances (Scotland) Abatement Bill, further
opposition was offered to the progress'of vie mealnre by
Mr. Buchanan, bat was withdrawn after some explanation
from Mr. Kinnaird -to clausel, which provides, that fac-
tories a quarter of a mile from the neighbouring town
should be exempt from the operation of the bill.
••
An amendment was proposed by Mr. Buchanatrto
substitute 200 yards for a quarter of a mile.
Upon a division the amendment was negatived by 57 to
Majority 54..
Clause 12, which provides parochial assessment to meet
the expenses of the bill, was opposed by Mr. Buchanan
and Lord Duncan.

After a brief discussion a division to9k -oh.ce, the
numbers being :

For the clguse
Against it . . 27

Majority
The clause was aceordirgly ordered to stand part of
he bill.

'The various arnenarnents made in committee were then
agreed to, and the bill was ordered for third reading•

The house went into committee on the Sale of Obscene
Books, &c., Prevention Bill, and the clauses were agreed
to without discussion.

Sir E. Perry moved the addition of a clause exempting
Scotland from the operation of the bill, but consented to,
withdraw it upon a promise given by sir G. Grey that
the subject should receive the consideration of the Lord.
Advocate.

Mr. Roebuck condemned the measure as inquisitorial,
and ridiculed the attempts to make the people virtuous
by act of parliament.

After a brief discussion thelbiii paisoi through com-
mittee, on the understanding that it should be re-cote_
mitred for the insertion of certain amendments.

Oa the motion for going into committee of ways and

means,.

Sir H. Willoughby asked in what manner it was intended
to defray the expenses of the armaments sent to India.
,The Chancellor of the Exeheq'eer postpon-d his reply
till after the house went into committee. 3
The Speaker having left the chair,
The Chancellor of the Exchequer rose to move a resolu.
tion upon ,thee subject of the tea and sugar duties.
The right hon. gentleman enumerated the proceedings of
the last few years in regard' to these duties, and
explained' that his object now was not to alter the
existing law, but only to continue for two years, from, the
Ist of April next, the duties leviable under the present
law. The amount of revenue from these two articles was
in round figures, 101 millions in the last two years. The ,
sugar duty produced in 1855, £5,058,000, and in 18"6
£5,129 00J ; and the tea duties in the same two years were
£5,310,000 in the first year, and £5,536,000 in the second.
lie drew attention to the fact that increased consumption
had been the result of a reduction of duty upon these
articles, and ho much regretted that existing circumstances
would not justify a further reduction being made. The
tea and sugar duties were now lower than at any previous
timer The duty upon tea was last year Is 9,1, and it was
now fixed at ts 5d ; and the sugar de ty had been reduced
in the same time from 14; 6,1 to 143 per cwt up on the
average. An interesting document had been furnished
showing the average consumption of tea and sugar by
different classes of society in the United Kingdom, and
he would briefly state the result with regard to tea. It
was found from the bast information, that in England the
upper and middle classes consurnA 56 per cent., and the
poorerand working classes 44 per cent. ; and in Scotland
o, tarp" awr...l
the poorer and working classes 46 per cent. ;
but in Ireland the case was reversed, for while
the upper and middle 'classes consumed 351 per cent.
and the poorer and working classes 6-li per cent. With
regard to sugar in England the upper and middle classes
consumed 60 per cent, and the poorer and working classes
40 par cent. In Scotland the upper and middle classes
consumed 62 per cent, and the poorer and working classes
38 per cent, and in Ireland the rate of consumption was
again reversed, the upper and middle classes consuming
34 per sent, and the poorer and working classes 66 per
cent. He did not think, upon the whole, that the sugar
duty now proposed was excessive as compared with former
years, and to show this he-quoted from a return showing
that the average duty on sugar during-six years, from
1851 to 1857, was 14s per cwt on sugar. Tae smallest
consumption of sugar since 1816 was in 1840, the amount
being 3,594,000 cwts, while the consumption in the pre
vious year was 3,813,0")0 cwts, and. the average duties
were in 1839, 249, and in 1840, 259 23. In 1855 the con.
sumption of sugar was 7,547,000 cwts, and in-1856 the
consumption amounted to 7,071,000 cwts, while in former
years the average duty:was 13; sd, and in the latter 14s
6d, showing a decrease of is la in the two years. The
proposal which he now snide would acid nothing to the
revenues of the current year, and would simply have the
effect of continuing the existing duties for two years
after the Ist. of April next. With regard to the
question put by, the honourable gentleman, as to the
defrayment of the expenses of the armament for
India, the present financial ' means of the East
India Company, were ample to 'meet any demands
that might . 'be made 'upon the Indian exchequer
for the suppression of the mutiny, but should the expenses
exceed those moans, it would be the duty of the Govern-
ment to immediately ask the assistance of Parliament in
providing for the exigencies of the time. The troops
withdrawn from the country for service in India, would
be paid by the Eist Indian government, and, therefore,
.the measures taken up to the present time would have
the effect of diminishing-, rather than increasing, thss
demands upon the English exchequer. The ,Government
had paid off two millions of exchequer bills, and the
charges arising from the redemption of the Sound Dues,
and yet the annual revenue had been found adeq'sate to
meet all demands upon it, and he trusted that with this
explanation the House would agree to the resolution
which ho then moved.

Mr. Gladstone expressed his approval of the course
taken by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in regard to
the tea and sugar duties, and felt gratified. with the
explanation respecting the expenses of the armaments
despatched to India.
Mr. Disraeli said he thought the House' should be in
Possession of some more accurate information respecting
theilndian finances, than had been afforded. So far as he
could understand, the state of the general finances showed
a prospect of considerable deficiency, and he did not
think the increase of these dutieslwouild be sufficient to
meet the deficiency. He should wait the proper time to
enter on the consideration of the financial statement, and
he would not oppose the resolution before the House.
The Chancellor' of the Exchequer stated that the
estimate of the consumption was founded on as accurate
accounts as could be expected.
The resolutions were then agreed to.

On the motion of Mr. Wilson, a vote of 416,227,84215 s 9d,
to make good the supply out of the consolidated fund, was
agreed to was also a vote of .£606,234 3s 4d, to make
good the supply to her.Msjesty, for the year ending the
Ist of March, 85S. •

The Probate and Letters of Administration Bill waa
reads► third time:and passed.
The House rose at five o'clock. :72.

A rONTINENTAL Rumouri.—Stem have been talon, we
leant, by the English Government, to ongagt French
officers on ball-pay to enter the British service in India.
Engagemen's will net be contracted f,l. ICS3 than two
years, and not for more than five, Mr; pip will
,be
--Captains,',EBoo per annum ; lieutenan' s, £6OO ; second
lieutenants, £4OO, cal the travelling evjenses Out and home
to he defrayed by the East India eompany,—Enzancipa -
tion of Brussels.