The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-26 00:00:00

BILL.

Upon the Report of the Bill being brought up,
Sir C. GREY moved that the Amendments which had
been made in the Committee, instead of being considered
that day, should be taken into consideration on Friday
next.

Mr. ORD hoped the House would not agree to the
motion of his Right Hon. Friend.
Mr. INGHAM did not see any necessity for the mo-
tion of the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite.
Mr. LIDI)LE understood that the tolls were in all
cases reduced, and that was all the petitioners prayed for,
and he thought they would be satisfied.
Mr. HINDE and Mr. BELL opposed the amendment,
and considering what had taken place in Committee,
they were astonished it had been brought forward.
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, but no divi-
sion took place, and the amendment was negatived with-
out a division.

On the bringing up of the Relied on the Newcastle-
upon-Tyne Improvement Bill,
Mr. HUTT—I beg to move the amendment to this
Bill, of which I have given notice, that all such parts of
it as give the Council of Newcastle the power to levy a
toll on flour, meal, and bran, be omitted. The neces-
saries of life are in every community most unfit objects
for taxation. I need not, I am sure, say anything to
impress such a trite fact on the House. Of all the arti-
cles, however, which constitute the necessaries of life,
bread is that one which ought to be the last affected
either by Municipal or Imperial taxation. But there
happen to be circumstances which render the toll upon
flour and meal by the Corporation of Newcastle peculiarly
improper. Most of the flour prepared for the con-
sumption of the town and neighbourhood is ground at
mills on the high ground outside the town ; consequently
the wheat which is 'brought into Newcastle market first
pays a tax as corn if carried out of the town to be
ground ; the grist is then taxed separately on its reintro-
duction as flour, meal, and bran. Surely this is not pro-
per; and will not receive the sanction of the House.
I know that it will be argued by my Honourable Friends
that this toll has been long levied by the town of New-
castle by Act of Parliament, and that in the present Bill
the rate of it is reduced. I contend that the imposi-
tion of such a tax on food, which is equally, by persons in
all plasses of life, is utterly indefensible on any just or
intelligible principle, and the circumstance of its being
an abuse of long standing is not in my, mind an
argument for its continuance. But it is not the
case that by the operation of this Bill the
toll will be reduced—the nominal amount of the toll will
be reduced, but the toll will practically be increased.
Hitherto the millers who reside outside the town have
been permitted a very large rate of composition ; the old
toll has never been really levied. A very respectable
miller has informed me, that whereas he now pays a
composition of 15/. per annum for introducing his flour
into Newcastle, under the operation of this Bill he will
have to pay tolls to the amount of 501. or 60/. I trust,
therefore, that the House will sanction my proposition.
After a short conversation the motion was withdrawn.
and the Report was received.
Mr. GREENE moved, That, in the present Parlia-
ment, all Bills for the more easy recovery of Small Debts
may proceed through their several stages in manner
hereinafter mentioned, in lieu of that prescribed by the
existing Standing Orders:—That there be one clear day
between the first and second reading;
.that one clear
day's notice be given of the second reading; that there
be two clear days between the second reading and the
sitting of the Committee thereupon, and due notice given
accordingly; that petitioners against any such Bills may
be heard before the, Committee on the Bill, on a petition
presented at any time before the sitting of the:Commit-
tee.—Agreed to. .
The Deanhead Reservoir Bill was read a third time
and passed.

Oii the motion of Sir J. Y. BULLER, the Exmouth
Market Bill was read a third time, and passed.
Mr. LOCKHART moved the third reading of the
Monkland Canal Bill. The Bill was accordingly read a
third time, and passed.

On the motion of Mr. DIVETT, the Bristol and
Exeter Railway Bill was read a third time, and passed.
Mr. W. EVANS presented a petition from a place in
Yorkshire, praying for repeal of the Corn-laws and revi-
sion of the import duties.

Mr. 1 LUMI'TRE presented petitions from Margate
and other places in Kent, against any alteration in the
Corn-laws. _

Mr. SCHOLEFIELD presented several petitions from
congregations of Baptists and other Protestant Dissen-
ters in Birmingham, Westminster, and other places,
prayinw° for the abolition of Church-rates.
Mr.. ROCHE presented a petition from Limerick,
praying that the money granted for the improvement of
the Shannon Navigation should be fairly expended ac-
cording to the original intentions of the Legislature.
Mr. G. W. WOOD presented a petition, praying for
certain alterations in the Poor-law Amendment Bill.
Mr. TROTTER presented a petition from. Farnham
against any alteration in the Corn-laws.
Mr. EASTHOPE presented several petitions from dif-
ferent parts of Leicester against the Corn-laws.