The Sun.
London, England, 1837-01-28 00:00:00

PRICE OF OIL

Ripe Oil, brown, per ton, 47.. 102 —Refined, 49'. 10,x.—Linseed Oil. 371 IM
Linseed Oil Cake at the Mill, (1000 , 131. 10, —Rape Cake, per ton, Gt. Os

of great oppression and annoyance to postmasters, but not
so great an evil by far as that which now threatened them.
—(Hear.) Before making this arrangement Government
issued a number of circulars, which were sent to all parts
of the kingdom, calling for returns as to the number of
horses, &c., used in the trade. Although nine thousand
such circulars were issued, only five thousand were re-
turned with the necessary information, and 'the result was
that Government had not sufficient data upon which to
found a measure for the regulation of the tax upon post-
horses. From the returns it would appear that 20,000
horses only were employed, but that was far below the real
number.—( Hear.)

Mr. H. GRAY Hon. Secretary) said; that there was no
disposition on the part of the Committee to prevent any
person being present at this meeting, although' there was
reason to believe that they had some enemies, and that, in
fact, the transfer of the collection of the duties had been
brought about by the intrigues of some interested persons.
—( Hear.) He then proceeded to read the report of
the Committee, of which the following is On abstract :
" In the first place, your Committee wish to satisfy your
minds Oat you will be perfectly safe in letting without a
license, as it is provided by the 83d clause of the 2d and
3d of William IV., that the trade residing -within the bills
of mortality, the parishes of Marylebone and St. Pancras,.
must apply to the authorities in Broad-street, according to
their advertisement, on the Ist of February next ; and
those who reside elsewhere must apply to the supervisors
and excise officers of the district in which they reside. You
arc therefore safe until then. It has been stated that you
should keep counterparts of the tickets, and that they will
be numbered ; but neither of these things is required by
the Act ; if they were, they would be exceedingly vexatious
regulations, and almost impracticable, in consequence of the
urgent nature of our business, and the tickets being fre-
quently wanted in the middle of the night. Again, if the
tickets are not obtained. before the Ist of February, the
trade will be obliged to stand still till next year. By the
instructions of the Board of Excise to their officers, they
are desired to examine your Excise-office weekly account
three times a-week at least, or oftener, if deemed neces-
sary, and for every refusal to permit them you are liable
to a penalty of 201. The trade was subjected to no
such annoyance under the post-horse duty farmers. The
officers are also desired to post or transfer each and
every entry you make in your Excise-office weekly ac-;
count, since their last visit, into a scheme prepared for
the purpose, but which is not authorized by law, and
would, if enforced, cause considerable interruption to the
trade, inasmuch as during the period the officer might be at
the desk copying the same it would be almost impossible to
some cases, and quite so in others, to transact the business,
for it too frequently occurs that even individuals in the com-
mon walks of life will not communicate while a second person
is present, and in the higher circles many would leave the
place, and very probably not return ; so that when ladies
and gentlemen become aware that their names and move-
ments arc daily registered in a public office, the injury
to the trade will be most serious. The Excise officers
zkre also desired to take an account of the tickets once a
fortnight, and in case of deficiencies you will have to pay
ls, for every horse. As this instruction is legal, care must
be taken not to lose or mislay the tickets, for no account of
tickets has ever been taken, with the exception of the Mid-
dlesex district. The Excise-officers are further directed to
take up lid. a-mile there and back, or one-fifth part of the
sum charged, on distances performed beyond eight miles
and back, as is shown in an example given them of a journey
to Kingston and back, which is twelve miles. The charge
is 15s. ; for one horse they are to take 3s. duty, which of
course would be Gs for a pair. If this plan be carried out,
the expense will increase with the distance ; but the Act
of Parliament states, one-fifth part of the sum charged, or
the option of paying for every day, not exceeding three
days, the sum of 2s. Gd. It. is quite clear that Govern-
ment never intended that more than 2s. Gd. should be
charged for a day or distance beyond eight miles and back.
In Middlesex, Kent, and Surrey, a greater sum had never
been exacted by the farmers of the post-horse duty. The
officers are also desired, where a pair of horses goes the
distance of seven miles at Is. Gd., to set down the charge
at 10s. 6d., to take 25., whereas the duty is only 3d. a mile,'
which is Is. 9d."

Mr. RUTLAND said lie understood that the new regu-
lations would not be enforced without allowing sufficient
time and notice to the trade. In fact, the district sur-
veyors of Excise would be ready to afford every facility
and convenience, and to indemnify the trade against any
damage.

Mr. GRAY thought it would be impossible for the Ex-
cise-officers to indemnify them against the consequences of
not producing their tickets to the toll-keepers, who would
act upon the letter of the law, and demand Is. 9d. per
horse.—(Hear, hear.)

Mr. CASS had hoped that the trade would experience
no inconvenience, after the interview which a deputation
'ofthe society had had with Mr. S. Rice, who promised that
they should not be subjected to any Excise inquisition, or
increase of duty, or any inconvenience whatever—a pro-
spect that did not now seem likely to be realized.—( Hear.)
A Gentleman wished to know upon what ground the
committee hed reported that those who were in the habit
of hiring post horses Would feel annoyed at the regulations ?
Mr. GRAY teplied, .because it was required that evagy
person applying for a single horse, or a pair of horses,
should give his name, address, designation, and destination.
In fact, it would he considered by the public as a system
of espionnage.—( Hear, hear.)
Mr. POWELL, of Murrell-green, reprobated the proposed
system, and declared that he would resist it.

Mr. CLARK, of Windsor, complained of the manner in
which the trade had been treated by the Government, but
thought that if the postmasters had been more unanimous
they Would not have been trampled on as they had been.
He would Inwe that a deputation be appointed to wait on
the Commissioners of Excise to point out the absurdity and
impracticability of the proposed-regulation.
Mr.,BURBIDGE, of Gravham, most cheerfully seconded
that. motion.

Mr. WORSOP, of Ortinlntry-hill, Hunts, regretted that
they should be compelled to have reconrse to these measures
after the promises made by Mr. Spring Rico that nothing
vexatious to them should he attumeted.--( Hear.)
Mr. DIXON remarked that there was certainly much
ground for complaint. Mr. F. T. Baring most distinctly
said that Government was exceedingly anxious to get rid of
the ticket system, and that the trade should be relieved
from every annoyance that fettered it.
Mr. NEWMAN said, that he was one of a deputation
which Waited upon Mr. Herries, when Chancellor of the
Exchequer, and that the one-fifth specified in the schedule
of the Act then under discussion was intended to mean one-
fifth of the fare paid by persons who engaged post-horses
for journies under eight miles, and that it was never in-
tended to bear the construction put upon it by the Excise
Commissioners. The presence of Excise officers, not al-
ways the most genteel persons either in manners or appear-
ance, would have the effect of deter6ng the nobility and
gentry from posting at all, for it was neither pleasant nor
convenient to be watched in that way Wherever they went.
It was well known that the extraordinary efforts made in
this country to transfer persons and intelligence with a ra-
pidity almost unheard of in any other land had tended to
raise its character and importance in the commercial and
political world, and it was neither generous nar wise in any
Government to allow restrictions to be established which
would most certainly curtail those exertions, and put con-
tinual checks upon urgent business.—(Hear.)
The CHAIRMAN, in putting the motion, thought it was
the most prudent course they could take At present. if the
Commissioners of Exeiso del not listen to their respectful
remonstrances, then they would be compelled to apply to a
higher quarter----( Hear.)
The motion was agreed to, and a deputation appointed
to wait upon the Ward of Excise to-morrow (this &V)
morning at 11 o'clock..
Thanks were then voted to the Committee and the C!tair-
man, and the meeting adjourned,