The Sun.
London, England, 1822-07-24 00:00:00

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.

On re-entering the Gallery, we found Mr. BROGDEN bring-
ing up the report of the Committee of Supply.
Several Resolutions were agreed to, without discussion.
Upon that for
_granting 7,0001. to the Royal Society in Dublin,
Mr. HUM r, rose to enter his protest against this grant. The
original objects for which this money had been granted were
agriculture and the arts ; but as they had recently been en-
tirely neglected, he could not consent to grant money for any
such purpose. He should, however, content himself at present
with merely entering his protest against it. •
The vote was then agreed to.
The otlur Resolutions were then agreed to without discus-
sion; but upon the motion that Bills be brought, in pursuant
to them,

Mr, NV. -SMITH said, tliat he should take that opportunity
of making a few observations on the public defaulters. An the
last Il years the deficiency in the collection of the Revenue of
the Post-office Department in Great Britain and the Colonies
was only 9,0001. on an annual revenue of 1,300,0001., and the
number of defaulters only 21 ; while in the Post-office in Ire-
land, where there was only a 23d part of that revenue, or
‘55,0001., there was a deficiency of 19,0001. and ten times the
number of defaulters. Upon the whole Revenue of Great Bri-
tain and the Colonies, the deficiency amounted to 390,0001. ;
whilst upon that of Ireland, which was only 2-liths of that
amount, the deficiency reached full half of that sum.
Mr. GOULBURN begged Hon. Gentlemen not to forget
,the different circumstances of the two countries, when they en-
tered into comparisons of this nature. England was much
more in advance than Ireland, in the collection of the revenue
and the enforcements of its laws; and eterefore it was unfair
to make a comparison of its situation with Ireland, under such
circumstances

Mr. HUME contended that the state of Ireland had no-
thing to do with the argument. The money was lost in the
hands of the collectors appointed by Government; and it was
with the impropriety of such appointments that his Honour.
able Friend had found fault. He would now mention a cir-
cumstance which he should not perhaps have the opportu -
nity of again mentioning during the present Session. He had
moved in the course of it for a return of all public defaulters ;
and the returns had been made and printed from all the
offices except the Ordnance and the 117ar-office. Those, he
understood, had been made, but -he had not seen therm The
abstract of the volume-v:llk% these returns formed shewed that
in ten years the amount of deficiency by defaulters amounted to
1,124,0001. and upwards ; and this was a sufn which he thought
that the Chancellor of the Exchequer ought imtnediately to
look after. The deficiency arose from appointments where no
proper securities were taken, and from allowing too great ba-
lances to remain in the hands of the collectors. The Hon.
Member then read the followi'ng abstract of the Parliamentary
papers for vhich he had moved, exclusive of the Ordnance and
War-office :
Abstract of Parliamentary Paper, No. 327, of 1822.—Public

Defaulters within ten years.
Treasury—Mr. Chinnery's balance . . £60,110 15 54
Army Pay-office . 3,220 14 21
. .
Barrack Office . . ‘ . 1,793 16 4
•
Navy Pay ditto . . . 28,122 6 6
Royal Marine Pay-office . 3,083 15 3
Victualling-office . 3,505 7 9
. . .
Tax-office . 67,280 6 4

Customs, England . 2.4,074 4gi
Ditto, Scotland . . . . 3,205 16 -44
Stamp-office . . . . 11,254 9 3i
Post ditto . . . . 11,595 17 0

Commissioners for auditing Public Accounts 482,111 5 oi
Colonial Audit-office . . 12,885 14 0

Lottery-office . . . . , 2,941 15 8
Wooda, Forest, and Land Revenue-office 1,451 15 Di
Auditors of the Land--England and Wales 19,483 8 4;
Court of Exchequer—Scotland . . 13,221 7' 0 -
IRELA ND.

Tax-office
Excise

. • 27,525 9 A i
3,952.19 6