The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-04 00:00:00

TIM SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVgNING, APRIL 4, 1861

had added 250 milli:ars to her debt, of which 180 millions was
not attributable to war expenditure. Austria and Russia had
added to their debts, and the financial year of 1861 alone had
added to the state debts of ail the gre.,t countries 200 mil-
lions of money. We had not added to our debt, bug among
extraordinary expenses, there was the cost of the war with
China, which had been £7,054,900. In the last three years,
what might be called war expenditure, including China,
New Zealand:and the despatch of troops to North America,
was £8,600,000. Showing the state of our extraordinary
expenditure and the extraordinary resources, such as bal-
ances in the Exchequer, which had been used to meet it, he
pointed out that the Income-tax had risen since 1859 by 3
millions, and including the spirit duties and other imposts,
there had been taxes imposed exceeding five millions. The
taxes reduced amounted to over four millions, the amount
imposed being more than a million of taxes over those re-
duced. The extraordinary resources were now at an end.
Altogether about 11 millions had been devoted in the last
three years to extraordinary expenditure, of which six mil-
lions had been met by extraordinary resources, and five
millions by taxes drawn from the people. As regarded the
revenue of the last three years it had increased since
1858-59 by over four millions in 1861-62, showing an ave-
rage increase of one million per annum derived from ordi-
nary sources. We had passed through exceptional years
without going into the market for loans, but all other ex-
traordinary resources were now exhausted, and to meet
casualties which might occur, it was only to ordinary
sources of revenue we had to look, and any difficulty which
might be anticipated was only to be met by the application
of the principles of true and strict economy. He con-
cluded by proposing a resolution relating to the alteration
of the wine duties.
Mr. HUBBARD said that as the income tax for last year
was L 11,000,000, and this year it was estimated atLlO,OOO,OOO,
it could not be an unimportant matter to the Government
that the tax should be levied upon something like equitable
principles. As the right hon. gentleman had said nothing
on the subject of the present inequalities of the tax, he
should take the earliest opportunity of asking the house to
pronounce an opinion upon the proposition which ho would
have to submit to it on the subject.
Mr. BUXTON said that as ono of the fraternity affected
by the changes proposed by the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, he thought it right to say that they were left very
much in the position in which they stood before. As the re-
presentative of a Kentish borough ho had no doubt the pro-
posal made by the right bon. gentleman with respect to
hops would tend greatly to the prosperity of that borough.
Ile looked upon the proposal of the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer as an admirable compromise, which, while it would
not increase the obligations of the brewers, would tend ma-
terially to the benefit of the hop growers ; and he must at
the same time congratulate the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer on having brought down the country gentlemen to the
level of common brewers. (A laugh.)

Mr. CRAWFO RD considered the proposal of the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer as a fair and honourable one, and it
was equally honourable in a gentleman affected by the
scheme to get up in his place and express his approval of it.
Ho 'believed the proposal of the right hon. gentleman with
respect to foreign wines was also a fair one, for the class of
wines to which the alcoholic test would have to be applied
would be limited in its supply in this country. As the re-
presentative of the West and East Indies and the Mauri-
tius, and of the refiners of sugar, he must say that nothing
could be more fair to those interested in respect to the sugar
duties than the proposition of the right hon. gentleman,
that they should have an opportunity of coming before a
select committee of the house and having their case heard
and inquired into. Ho offered his congratulations to the
member for Rochdale and the Chancellor of the Exchequer
on the successful result of the French treaty. This budget
might be termed by some an immoral budget, seeing the
facilities it afforded to card players and for tippling at fairs
—(a laugh)—but, upon the whole, he believed it would
give satisfaction to the country.
Sir S. NOR THCOTE said the best wish that they could
express on behalf of the Chancellor of the Exchequer was,
that this would be the only budget which ho would have to
bring in on this occasion; but the right hon. gentleman's
expressions showed that he felt little at ease as to the retro-
spect of affairs. The house had already voted £5,200,000,
and had spent about £4,608,000, leaving about £500,000
more out of what had been voted. They were now told
that they were to have another vote of £500,000, and with
that he understood the whole expense of the China war was
to be concluded. The first question he wished to ask the
right hon. gentleman then was,was he correct in this view?
He also wished to know the grounds on which the right
hon. gentleman estimated the Excise. As to the Customs
be had taken a very sober and moderate estimate, and he
thought the right hon. gentleman had rather understated
the sum it would amount to; but with regard to the Ex-
cise revenue, the right hon. gentleman estimated it at more
than it produced last year. He wanted to know on what
principle the right hon, gentleman expected the Excise this
year to exceed the amount of the two last years, seeing that
he did nothing to increase it; indeed, the reduction of the
hop duty would diminish rather than increase the revenue
in this respect.
Mr. BALL wished he could join hon. gentlemen in
congratulations which they had expressed in reference to
the budget of the right hon. gentleman, for the right hon.
gentleman in that budget wholly overlooked the interests
of the agricultural classes of this country by declining to
reduce the duty on malt. The right hon. gentleman says
he cannot spare any portion of the duty in the present state
of the finances of the country. Well, he did not think that
this was an omission to the case put forward by the agricul-
turists for a reduction of the tax in question. He did not
think that the result of the commercial treaty with France
would tend to perpetuate peace between that country and
England. (Oh, oh.) Well, that was his opinion. The
right hon. gentleman could not understand the " bus " that
was heard in the house when ho proposed to impose a
licence duty of 12s. 6d. a-year on those who brewed their
own beer at home. lie could tell the right hon. gentleman
that that Luz was the expression of surprise that ho pro-
posed to add to the pressure upon the agriculturists, by im-
posing this new licence duty for brewing their own beer.
Mr. DODSON would offer his sincere thanks to the right
hon. gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) for the
way in which he proposed to deal with the hop duty. It
would bo a relief not only to the hop grower but to the con-
sumers of beer, and of all concerned in the growth and man-
facture of hops. He must also observe that the proposal as
regarded the licence of brewers was a fair one, and that ho
had no doubt it would not be objected to by them. He
would repeat that the proposal of the right hon. gentleman
with respect to the reduction of the duty on hops would be
a benefit to the consumer, because it would necessarily lead
to the greater use of hops in the manufacture of beer. Up
to June last it was supposed there would have been less
than half a crop of hops. Several bitter ingredients it was
proved before the committee, were introduced into the
making of beer, and while the legitimate articles used in
that manufacture were taxed the deleterious ingredients
were admitted duty free. He thought the abolition of the
duty on hops would give great satisfaction.
Sir W. JOLLIFFE also thought the commutation of
the hop duty would give great satisfaction to the country.
As regarded the income tax he knew that the present mode
of levying it gave great dissatisfaction, and that it operated
especially as a great pressure on the agricultural interest.
Sir J. PAXTON ventured to say, with regard to
the budget, that the statement of the right hon. gentleman
the Chancellor of the Exchequer would bo received with
satisfaction in stlany respects. He (Sir Joseph Paxton) had
a very strong opinion last year of the advantages that would
result from the commercial treaty entered into by this
country with France, and to his knowledge, great exertions
were making in that country to carry on an enlarged trade
with this country. There was, however, a general reduc-
tion taking place in the amount of the manufactures in
this country, and looking at the very small amount of cot-
ton now on hand, he was very much afraid that the present
financial year would not be as prosperous a one as that
which they had just had.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in reply
to Mr. Hubbard, said that it would be competent to him to
move any resolution on the subject of the income tax be
thought proper in committee.

Mr. HUBBARD intimated that he would adopt that
course.

The resolution proposed by the Chancellor of the Ex
chequer was then agreed to.

The house then resumed.
SUPPLY.

On the motion that the holm do go into Committee of
Supply,

Sir J. PAXTON expressed a hope that the house would
not consent to go into supply at that late hour, and parti-
cularly so after the long discussion which they had had on
the Budget.

Mr, A. SMITH also objected to the house going into
Committee of Supply at that late hour.
Lord PALMERSTON hoped the houso would not object
to going into supply.
Tho house then went into committee.
THE NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.

On the motion that a sum of £32,647 be granted to her
Majesty for the decoration, &c., of the New Houses of Par-
liament,
Sir H. WILLOUGHBY wished to know whether this
large sum of £32,000 was likely to be continued every year.
Mr. COPPER, in reply, said he thought that in future
years they would require to come to Parliament, and that
no great reduction could be looked for in the vote.
Mr. AYILTON said that last year they had a discussion
in the house about the merits of four of their kings,namely,
Charles 11., George 111., George IV., and Willi am IV.,
in whose honour, and to commemorate whose mem ory,four
statues were proposed to be erected as part of the decora-
tions of the house, and as to the four best kings that this
country .had ever been reigned over Iy. (A. laugh..) He
should like to know what two kings in their histcsey were
equal in merit to George the Fourth and Will iam the
Fourth (Laughter.)
Sir M. RIDLEY could not but submit that the Commis-
sion which had been appointed to inquire into and direct
the decorations of the Houses of Parliament had not exer-
cised that right discretion which it seemed to hint they
should have done in directing the decorations, in relation
to considerations of high art. If the public moni :y was to
be voted for works of art, it should in his opinion, bo voted
for works of art of the highest order. There was doubtless
ahinadant talent in tho Country; but genius, w Bich was