The Sun.
London, England, 1830-05-26 00:00:00

LEAD.

Sir JAMES GRAHAM presented a petition from the
lead miners of Annandale and Alston, in Northumber-
land. In consequence of the measure formerly introduced
by the Right Hon. Member for Liverpool, the value of
lead had fallen 50 per cent. since 1824. It was true that
since that time the Spanish mines had come into opera-
tion—(Hear, hear)—but the petitioners did not consider
that that alone had brought the value of lead ho low. For-
merly the price of lead was 241. the ton, but now Spanish
lead could be brought into this country for 121. 10s. a
ton. The petitioners thought that they had at least a
right to expect an equalization of the duties on lead, tin,
and copper, which at present were very different.
Mr. LII)DELL supported the prayer of the petition.
Mr. HERRIES said that this question was now under
the consideration of the Government, and the greatest
attention would be paid to it, as it embraced conflicting
principles and interests. As lie hoped in the course of a
week to have a better opportunity of addressing the House
on the subject, he would forbear saying anything further
on the subject at present.
Mr. WARBURTON hoped that nothing would be done
to give advantages to lead miners beyond the regular course
to trade.
Mr. HUSKISSON said that the lead mines of this
country not only supplied the home consumption, but sent
some thousands of tons abroad ; of course the price
abroad must be settled by foreign competition ; but as
long as the miner supplied the home consumption, it was
all that he could claim or pretend to ; and, indeed, unless
they could shut up the Spanish mines altogether, the price
in foreign countries must be regulated by competition.
Lord MILTON said, that the root of all the mischief
was in the high protecting duty o❑ corn, which in one
way or another amounted to from 40 to 50 per cent. ;
and it was obvious, that whatever raised the cost price of
labour must materially injure the manufactures of the
country.

Lord W. POULETT complained that the lead ore had
never been sufficiently protected
Mr. A. BARING did not see that the petitioners
suffered any peculiar hardship, although be regretted their
distress.

Mr. HUME said that in the last six years the country
had expended 59,000 tons, being an average of 10,000
tons a year. The Hon. Member said that the quantity
produced was 45,000 tons a year; and, therefore, he
could see that nearly one-fifth was sent out of the country.
That quantity, of course, regulated the protecting duty,
and the only way in which the lead owners could hope for
relief was by persuading the Government to lower the
price of labour, and so put the English in the same state
as the Spanish labourer.
Mr. P. THOMSON hoped that the duty would be
reduced, rather than increased, so that the country might
have tha benefit of charging other countries with the
profits of its labour.
The petition from Annandale and Alston, and the
adjoining parishes in Northumberland and Cumberland,
was then read and ordered to be printed.

. ... .
Mr. LIDDELL presented a petition from the tobacco
manufacturers of Antrim, complaining of the measures
pursued with respect to native grown tobacco.
Mr, O'CONNELL presented a petition from Cork, com-
plaining of corporate monopolies and abuses. The lion.
Member intimated his intention, if he bad the fortune to be
a Member of the next Parliament, to bring the whole
question of those abuses under the consideration of Par-
liament.
Mr. lIIMIE expressed his pleasure to hear that the sub-
ject would be investigated, and hoped the measure of the
Hon; Member would extend to England and Scotland,
where the abuses were as great as any where else.
Mr. O'CONNELL presented five petitions from the
county of Cork against the Vestry Bill.
Mr. O'CONNELL presented ,7. petition from the Mem-
bers of the British Association for pronicting co-operative
knowledge, assembled at the Mechanics' Institution. The
petitioners complained o the encouragement given to ma-
chinery over human labour, and prayed for Parliamen-
tary Reform, & property tax, and for the abolition of the
laws of primogenituce, The Hon. Member did not con-
pig in all that was desired by the petitioners, but he was
gratiked at being chosen to present the petition, and
thought it _worthy of attention, as a proof of the views
entertained on tiw.ce subjects by the working classes of
the country.
Mi. O'CONNELL moved for s .:•,epv of all letters re-
lative to the iiiii;o6tion of any additional Duties on Spirits
issued from the Treasury subsequent to 15th of March
last, and for other Returns connected with the orders
issued to Excise officers relative to the Duties on Spirits,
and also fir the Amount of Spirits which hid paid duty
since that period.,-.-Ordered.
CO-OPER4-TIVE SYSTEM.
Mr. 1-IPME presented a petitiop from the First Lon-
' don Co-operative Trading Association, meeting at Greville-
street, Hatton-garden, complaining of distress, and pray-
ing the House to take measures for carrying the plans of
that b.enevolent philanthropist, Mr. Owen, into eaect. The
Hon. Member, in presenting the petition, said he was not
aware, though he had studied the subject, of the advan-
tages of Mr. Owen's plan, which might probably be (iving
to his stupidity ;but nut being aware of them, he could not

support the prayer of the petition, though he had thought
it his duty to present it to the House.—Petition laid on
the table.

FOUR AND A HALF PER CENTS.

The HON. MEMBER then moved that there be laid
before the House an account of the quantity of Sugar
brought into the country, since March 25, 1828, in dis-
charge of the Four and a Half per Cent. Duties ; and the
amount of duty which would have been paid thereon, if
there had been no minute of the Treasury directing it to
be brought in free of duty.—Ordered.
The HON. MEMBER postponed his motion relative to
Sierra Leone, from the 27th instant to June 15.