The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-12 00:00:00

CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL.

On the order of the day for the consideration of this bill as
amended,

Mr. BLACKBURN believed that now was the time for him
to move the amendments of which he had given notice. The
Chancellor of the Exchequer had, at the express wish of the
house, undertaken to introduce a schedule to provide that
the duties on sugar should. at the end of-the war be reduced-
to the old rates. The schedule, however, proposed by the
right hon. gentleman did not effect the intended object, for
by a mistake in the arithmetic of the draftsman, 10s. 6d. was
taken for the two-thirds of 155., and the difference between
the duty on yellow Muscovado and that on the quality imme-
diately above was made only is 6d. instead of Is. 9d. His
amendment was intended to correct this mistake., The hon.
member concluded by moving an amended scale.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that iu
framing the duties for a prospective reduction, he had endea-
voured to bring them as near as possible to the amount at
which they stood before the increased duties consequent on
the war were imposed. Instead of taking one class with a
duty of 10s., he took two classes, one with a duty of 9s.
the other with a duty of 10s. 6d. That appeared to him a
perfectly equitable adjustment, and he trusted the house
would maintain the scale which he had submitted to it.
Mr. T. HANKEY thought that injustice was done by the
right hon. gentleman's scale to the importers of a low descrip-
tion of sugar.
The amendment bf Mr. Blackburn was then withdrawn,
and the amendments proposed by the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer agreed to. .

STAMP DUTIES (DRAFTS ON BANKERS) BILL,
On the order of the day for the second reading of this bill,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said as soon as
his proposition for hapostig a stamp dutyupon checks drawn
within a distance of 15 miles was made public he received
communications from bankers and others, stating various ob-
jections. It was represented that the operation of the duty
would be to discourage to a great extent the banking trade,
by preventing the drawing of cheeks for small amounts. It
was suggested that it might be desirable to exempt checks
below 51. or 101., but this would produce a very complex
state of the law, and open easy means of evasion. After the
best consideration, and having taken a sufficient margin to
meet sny contingent expenditure, he bad come to the con-
e usion, upon the whole, that, for the present, he would not
persist in his proposition.
The order for the second reading of the bill was accordingly
discharged.
METROPOLIS LOCAL MANAGEMENT BILL.

Viscount PALMERSTON said that he proposed to take this
bill first on Monday. If the bill was finished at a reasonable
hour he would then proceed with the Scotland Education Bill.
Lord J. MANNERS asked what the tfoble lord considered
a reasonable hour ?

Viscount PALMERSTON said the Scotch members must
decide that. (Laughter.)

BURIAL GROUNDS (SCOTLAND) BILL.
The LORD ADVOCATE moved the committal of this bill.
Mr. HASTIE and Mr. COWAN having suggested its postpone-
ment, _
___

Th-e LORD ADVOCATE assented.
Mr. DISRAELI protested against the right hon. and
learned gentleman's assenting to the postponement of this
bill, and iefusing last night to pnt off the Scotch Education
Bill. Surely if any bill might be disposed of at a,late hour,
it ivae the Burial Grouzde Bill. (Lsught4v,) Zym twsT!