The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-21 00:00:00

THE HOP DUTIES.

In reply to a question from Mr. HERRIES, expressing
a desire to remove a doubt which seemed to pervade the
minds of the hop growers as to the indulgence being this
year allowed which had usually been granted for the
payment of the duties,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that he felt much obliged to his Right Hon. Friend for
having put the question. The only answer that he could
give to the inquiry was that which he had given last
night. In answer to that riuestion, he had stated that
there would be no remission of duty by the agents of
Government unless by his (the Chancellor of the Exche•
quer's) personal and express authority. He might
further observe, for the information of the proprietors
in the hop-glowing counties that he did intend to allow
the payment of the duties which were usually due in
May to be postponed till some day about Michaelmas,
but what day he could not now exactly state.
An EloN. MEMBER trusted that it would be some day
after Michaelmas, to allow of the receipt of dividends
and the settlement of accoants.—(Hear, hoar.)
The CHANCELLOR ur the Exc;HEQUEß—Per-
haps I bad better be allowed to name my own day; but
I may say it will be one that will beat consist with the
convenience of those who have to pay the duties.
NATIONAL ECONOMY.

Mr. HUME said, that seeing from a paper which
had been issued to-day that the national expenditure was
still upwards of 269,0001. beyond the revenue of the
country, he was desirous to ask the Right Hon. Gentle-
man at the head of the Exchequer, whether auy mea•
sures were in progress for effecting that reduction in
the public expenses which he had led the House to
expect.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was
quite ready to allow that there was a seeming excess
of expenditure over the revenue, which in round figures
amounted to about 270,000 L; but, on the other hand, he
had to observe that a full investigation into the several
items would not lead to unsatisfactory results. For al-
though there was this excess, there was also a saving in
the Irish expenditure to the extent of 390,000/., an ex-
penditure which had been regularly incurred for the last
three years, and there was the agreeable fact, that in
consequence of this and other savings, the yearly
balance-sheet of the country would show an amount of
more than half a million to the credit side of
the account better than he could have anticipated when
he last addressed the House upon the subject. In
addition to that, certain sums of large amount were
charged against this year's account, which ought fairly
to be charged to the next year. Then such had been
the influence of the blockade of the northern ports on
the trade that the revenue had been much injured by it.
Mr. HUME said that his question did not so much
refer to the revenue as to the decrease of the expendi-
ture of the country. What he wanted to know was,
whether any of those measures for retrenchment, which
had been promised, were in progress.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—His
Hon. Friend must know that there were already mea-
sures before the House for effecting a reduction of
1,400,0001. a year.
Mr. HERRIES could not well see how the blockade
of the northern ports could effect the revenue, at least
to any extent.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that surely his Hon. Friend must perceive that the re-
venue depended greatly upon the general trade of the
country.