The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-27 00:00:00

FOURTH EDITION

SUN OFFICE, EIGHT O'CLOCK.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in
continuation, said—lf 20 per cent. was added to the
beer by the imposition of the malt tax, he would ask
the house to bear with him while he stated
to what amount they would have to deal with the
malt duty, in order to reduce the charge for
beer to the consumer by one farthing a quart.
Why, to reduce the cost of beer only to that
amount they would have to reduce the charge
on the bushel of malt from 2s. Bd. to ls. 2d.,
and all just to give a reducton of a farthing in
every pot of porter. Now what would be
the loss of revenue by such a reduction of
the malt duty ? In the first year the revenue
would lose £2,400,000, and in the second year
it would amount to £3,360,000. He should like
to know what was the cause of demand for re-
duction ? Were the beer drinkers dying off ? On the
contrary, all the figures he could gather showed an
upward tendency. In 1722 the consumption of
'hew was 6,000,000 barrels, which, according to the
population at that period, was a barrel a head per
annum. In 1830 the consumption of beer fell
off to 8,000,000 barrels ; but. in 1864, owing to
the stringent manner in which spirits had been
dealt with they had got back to the good old
times of 1722, and the consumption was,
with a population of 20,000,000, over
20,000,000 barrels per annum—(laughter)—being
an allowance for every adult male in the population
of 600 quarts a year—an amount which was
actually consumed. (Laughter.) Speaking of the
producers of barley at large, he did not think
there was any just cause of complaint.
Tea, he considered, ought not to be taxed more
than beer ; the latter was, speaking of its value by
the barrel, 20 per cent., whilst the duty on tea was li
40 per cent., a state of things quite undesirable ;
but, under all the circumstances, what he proposed
to do was, to give the maltster the option of
having the duty charged either by weight or
measure. That, however, would have nothing to
do with the system of taxation for the
year, as he should bring in a bill to
effect that alteration. On the article of
tea he proposed a reduction of the duty of 6d.
in the pound, which would reduce it 20 per cent.,
and thus place it on an equality with beer.
(Hear, hear.) The right hon. gentleman then said
the income tax was now practically at its lowest,
and the reduction the Government proposed
to effect in that tax would, he thought,
place it within manageable limits, suppos-
ingto measures were taken some future day
remodel or remove it. The
to submit to the house waspre-
sentthlecyhad
t oou reducend proposal,
one-third.
.(,e a r hhaeragre,
hadf 6d.10 u
dh
cheers.)thepound,
Thus, instead
of 6d. the duty charged for the future would be
4d. in the pound. lie hoped that would prove that
it was the great desire of the
andG Government nttodeal
with the income tax in amanner.
(Hear, hear.) ,The only other tax he had to make
any reference
to was the duty on fire insurances.
The subject had been frequently discussed in the
house, and the tax had been called one on prudence,
but he was one of those who never defended it on its
merits. A resolution had been agreed to by the
house some time ago relative to the reduction of the
fire insurance, and the Government now pro-
posed to make the reduction. The duty of
is. 6d. would therefore be made • uniform
and it was also proposed to abolish the is. paid
for the stamp on the effecting an insurance, which
was quite a diStinct thing from the duty itself ; but
intended for the future to demand that id stamp
be placed upon all receipts for payment, and he was
not quite sure, however, that the present law did
not meet that. The reduction it was not proposed

to commence till July, by which means the Govern-
ment would receive the whole of the tax for the
first half, and the reduced duty for the remainder
of the period. After all the reductions there would
still remain a quarter • of a million, but lem
hoped the house would allow the Government
to retain that amount to meet any unforeseen
contingen.cy. (Hear, hear.) He hoped the
house would be of opinion that the Govern-
ment had exercised • the wisest discretion in
selecting the items they had done for reduction and
that the .Government would receive the suppdrt of.
the house in carrying them into effect. (Hear, hears)
The hon. gentleman having • expressed his earr.ezt
hopes for the continuance of his country's pros-
perity, resumed his seat amidst general cheering.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE;—This Day,

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
A " BETTING MAN" IN TROUBLE.-- JOSepil Blanche, (-I,e_
scribing himself as a "betting man," of 66, Dudley-street,
was charged before Mr. Knox with loitering in Tichborne-
street for the purpose of committing a felony.
Philip Shrives, 82 C, said that about a quarter past ono
that morning, whilo in Tichborne-street, he saw the.
prisoner, who was followed by some companions pushing
up against different gentlemen. He watched the prisoner
and saw him make a grab at a gentleman's watch, the gen-
tleman immediately giving him a blow in the eye. Aftrz
watching the prisoner a little longer, and seeing him inter-
fere with other gentlemen, ho took him into custody.
In answer to Mr. Knox the constable said he kneAv the
prisoner as the associate of thieves.
The prisoner said he had just come from Epsom, and got
into an altercation with the gentleman who struck him in
the eye. The constable first charged him with felony and
then with loitering. In his opinion the evidence was nut
sufficiently conclusive for him to have been locked up.
Gordon, 33 0, corroborated Shrives, and said the pri-
soner was convicted about 18 months' ago for stealing a
sovereign.

The prisoner said he suffered the penalty for stealing
the sovereign, but he was not a thief. He got a feN
shillings by betting, but did not thieve.
Mr. Knox committed the prisoner for three months vdth
hard labour.

THE. PROSTITUTE NUISANCE IN REGENT-STREET.--EliZ&
Smith, a stylishly attired and impudent prostitute,' was'
charged before Mr. Knox with loitering in Regent-street,
to the annoyance of the inhabitants.

The case was proved by Mr. Henry Dolby, engraver of
Regent's-quadrant, who proved seeing the prisoner be-
tween half-past nine and eleven last night accost several
gentlemen in front of and near his house. She was in tho
habit of standing with other women about his hone%
causing an obstruction and great annoyance.
Dutton, 337 A, deposed to seeing the prisoner accost
several gentlemen last night before he was spoken to by
Mr. Dolby.
Mr. Knox fined the prisoner 40s. or a month.
As she was leaving the court the prisoner made use of
very insulting language towards Mr. Dolby.