The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-16 00:00:00

CHICORY.

Mr. ANSTEY wished to put a question to the Right
Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with
regard to the use of vegetable substances instead of
coffee, by the poorer classes, in consequence of their in-
ability to purchase coffee. Under an Act of Parliament
passed in the reign of George 111., licensed tea and
coffee dealers were not permitted to sell these substances.
He wished to ask the Right Hon. Baronet whether it was
true, as alleged in the memorial now before the Trea-
sury, that in 1844 the Melbourne Administration took
upon themselves, by Treasury order, to susperl the
provisions of that Act, giving instructions to Lxcise
officers not to regard its clauses or the 501. penalty, but to
permit grocers and tea dealers to serve chicory equally
with licensedidealers in that drug; and whether this has
not been made a subject of complaint on the part of all
the respectable wholesale dealers, and particularly on
the part of colonial coffee growers, on the ground that
ever since the suspension took effect there
had been a decline in the consumption of
coffee imported from the colonies; and whether
in particular, although according to the present re-
turn the quantity of coffee from Ceylon last year ex-
ceeded by 50 per cent. any previous year, the return did
not show that there was a considerable decrease
in the consumption of Ceylon coffee at home;
whether the chicory used in the adultera-
tion of the coffee did not now form a
proportion of one-third of the quantity of coffee an-
nually sold and consumed; and whether it was the in-
tention of Government to cause the law establishing the
act to be obeyed by their officers in future; or whether
it was their intention to propose to Parliament any
measure for imposing a duty on chicory in the
same proportion as coffee ; and, lastly, whether
Ceylon, which had suffered from the causes he had
stated was not the very colony whose depression the
free-traders attributed to—(Cries of " Order, order.")
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER under-
stood that the Hon. Gentleman intended to put this
string of questions on Monday, and he should not be pre-
pared to answer them till then.
Mr. ANSTEY gave notice that he would repeat the
questions on Monday.—(" Oh, oh," and cries of " No.")
SAVINGS' BANKS.
Mr. HENRY HERBERT wished to ask the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, whether it is the intention of
the Government to prosecute any farther inquiry into
the circumstances connected with the late failures of
certain savings' banks in Ireland.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it
did not appear to him that any further inquiry into the
circumstances of these banks was necessary.
Mr. GROGAN asked if the Right Hon. Member
included the Cuffe street Bank in his answer.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
was a different case, and perhaps it would have to be
further investigated.
Mr. H. HERBERT wished to ask the Member for the
University of Dublin whether there was anything in the
present state of legal proceedings pending in the matter
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inquiry by a Committee of that House into the affairs of
the said bank.
The SPEAKER ruled that the question was irregular,
and it was therefore not answered.
Mr. GROGAN asked his Hon. Colleague whether he
intended to persevere with his motion on this subject.