The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-08 00:00:00

NOTICE OF MOTION.

Mr. MACGREGOR gave notice that, he would move
as an amendment to the proposed resolution of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer on the tea duties, that in
lieu of the duties of customs now payable on tea, the
following duties shall from and to the respective days
herein mentioned, be charged on tea imported into the
United Kingdom :
- -

For every lb. weight of Tea import ed into the United Kingdom—
From sth Jan., From sth Jan., From sth Jan„
To sth Jan., 1854, to sth 1855, to sth 1556, to sth
854, inclusive. Jan. 1855, Jan, 1456, Jan. 1857,
inclusive, inclusive. inclusive.
s. d. s. d. s. d. s d.
1916 1 3 1 0
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTORS' BILL.
On the order of the day for the second reading of the

Parliamentary Electors' Bill,
Sir DE LACY EVANS said it was unneces-
sary to go at any length into the object
of the bill, as it had been repeatedly before the
house, and was fully understood. It was to throw
back the date upon which Parliamentary electors
should be required to pay their rate and taxes, before
being placed in the register of electors, from the sth of
Jan. to the 11th of October., The object of the bill was
not to extend the franchise, but to prevent a large num-
ber of valid and. solvent electors from being dis-
franchised, as they practically were by the law as it now

stood.
Mr. FREWEN moved that the bill be read a second
time this day six months. He voted for a similar bill
in 1848, but it was under a misapprehension. The bill,
however, passed four years ago extending the.time for
the payment of rate and taxes by three months, and it
was rather too soon now to came to Parliament for a
further extension of time. But if this question was to
be entertained at all, it ought to be upon a motion for re-
pealing the rate-paying clauses of the Reform Act alto-

gether.
Sir G. PECHELL said the Court of Common Pleas
had given a decision virtually annulling the former bill,
and the house ought, therefore, to adopt this one.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS insisted that a bill ought to be
brought in abolishing these rate-paying clauses alto-
gether, but nevertheless he would consent to take this
bill as an instalment of a larger measure.
Lord STANLEY said, when the hon. member
brought forward a measure of this nature, he was
bound to show one of two things—either that there was
a strong feeling against the law proposed to be
amended, or that the law as it stands was a source of
great inconvenience to the public. Neither of these
causes had been established, or attempted to be esta-
blished, and there certainly could be no necessity what-
ever for passing this bill.
Sir J. V. SHELLEY said a great many voters in
Westminster had been disfranchised by the operation
of the present law, and if there was no other reason for
pressing this bill than that, the house would be justified
in carrying the second reading.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said it was no part of
his duty to explain the law to the house upon knotty
points like this, and he certainly was not aware, until he
heard it stated in the house, that any decision had been
given upon it by a court oilaw. So far as the explana-
tions of the law went which he had heard to-day respect-
ing this decision, he must confess that he felt as if he
was returning to his old profession, for he was quite at
sea in this matter. He could not get at its meaning, or
rather the grounds upon which the case stood, and he was
therefore not prepared to give a confident opinion upon it.
As no arguments had been offered in favour of the bill,
of course he has not called upon to give a reply. (Hear.)
He would much rather abolish the rate-paying clause al-
together than tamper with them by such measures as the
present for the purpose of extending the time within
which parties should pay their rates. (Hear.) If a per-
son did not think it worth while to pay his arrears before
the 20th July, surely he was not one of those who the
liberal party were so anxious should exercise the high
and important right of an elector. The arrears were ge-
nerally only a few shillings, and what_a state a man
must be in who was unable to pay them. (Hear.)
The effect of the bill would be to give a vote
to insolvent individuals to s hom he could not suppose
the hon. and gallant gentleman intended to extend the
franchise. He did not think it would be desirable to
pass a bill without any reason being given, or grievance
being shown to exist under the existing law, and he
hoped the house would agree to the amendment.
Sir DE L. EVANS having replied,
Sir A. E. COCKBURN thought that in the present
mode of collecting taxes a delusion was practised on the
voters, and considered that something ought to
be done, either by the Treasury or Parliament to
put matters on a more satisfactory footing.
No person thought of paying taxes until they were
called for, but according to the practice of the Treasury
they were not asked for until the time limited for se-
curing a vote by their payment had expired. He did
not mean to say that this was done purposely, but there
could be no doubt that it acted unjustly towards the
voter. If the Treasury would set the matter right,
there would be no necessity for legislation.
Mr. WALPOLE considerd that the hon. and learned
member was mistaken in the view he had taken. The
rate-paying clauses were introduced in the Reform Bill
for two objects, viz, to obtain distinct evidence of the
occupation of the voter, and also to test his respectability
and independence. hether these clauses should be
retained or not, was a question which was not involved
in the present bill, and should only he dealt with by a
distinct and separate motion. The real subject under
discussion was whether the six months was a sufficient
time to enable the voter to pay his rates and taxes. In
his opinion no sufficient justification had been shown
for passing the bill.
After a few words from Mr. CROWDER and Lord
STANLEY, the house divided—when there appeared
For the bill 67
Against it

Majority

WAYS AND MEANS.

.. -- - - --.— ------
The house then went into a committee of ways and
means, and agreed to several resolutions.

THE HOUSE TAX.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS gave notice that when the
Chancellor of the Exchequer brought forward his reso-
lution for doubling the house tax, he should move as an
amendment, that as a substitute the legacy and probate
duties be levied on real property to the same extent
that is now imposed on personal property.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of,
and the house adjourned.