The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-05 00:00:00

CHESHIRE RETURNING-OFFICER'S BILL.

On the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, the
Cheshire Returning-officer's Bill was read a second time, com-
mitted, reported, and the Bill ordered to be engrossed.
WELLINGTON TESTIMONIAL.

1 Mr. CRAVEN BERKELEY wished to ask the First Com-
missioner of her Majesty's Woods and Fares's what answer he
had given to the promised communication of the sub-committee
of the Wellington Testimonial.
Lord MORPETH hoped the Hon.. Member would not
exact an immediate answer from him, as he had only just re-
ceived a communication from the Sub-committee on the

subject, and he had not yet had time to peruse the communica-
tion carefully.
ACCIDENT ON THE NORTH UNION RAILWAY.
Mr. F. FRENCH wished to know whether the President of
the Board of Trade had received any information upon the sub-
ject of the recent accident on the North Union Railway?
Mr. M. GIBSON said that up to that afternoon no report
had been received uf the occurrence by the Board of Trade.
Railway companies were bound to send notice of any accident
within -48 hours; they bad not done so, and a letter had been
sent from the office to the company, complaining of this ne-
glect on their part.
ISLANDS OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC.

Mr. ENVART moved for a copy of any memorials whi..th
may have been laid before the Government on the occupation
of any island or islands on the coast of Borneo.—Agreed to.
LANDLORD AND TENANTS (IRELAND).
Mr. O'CONNELL wished to know what course the Go-
vernment intended to pursue with reference to the landlord
and tenants question of Ireland.
Mr. LABOUCHERE said that all he could state, in answer
to the question which the Hon. Gentleman had put to him,
was that he was given to understand that it would
be possible to bring forward in the next session a
measure on this subject which would be perfectly
consistent with the rights of the parties concerned, and would
effectually remove the grievances of those who had preferred
their complaints.
MORNING SITTINGS.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL gave notice of his intention to
move that the House, from Monday next, commence to sit at
twelve o'clock, inclusive of Saturday, for the transaction of
business.—( Hear, hear. )
General Sir DE LACY EVANS gave notice that, to-mor-
row, he should ask theßight lion. Gentleman theVice-President
of the Board of Trade what steps Government intended to
take in reference to the verdict of the coroner's jury with re-
gard to the accident on the Eastern Counties Railway.
Dr. BOWRING said, seeing the Under-Secretary for the
Colonies in his place, he wished to ask whether the attention
of the Government had been called to the frequent application
of flogging as a punishment for petty offences in the Island of
Hong Kong, it being stated that no less than fifty-four per-
sons were so punished on Saturday, the 25th of April last, for
not having obtained tickets of registration ; and after such
infliction were delivered over to the Chinese author sties to be
subjected to further penalties under the criminal code of that
empire. The Honourable Gentleman said the statement
which had appeared in the public papers that had
reached him was, that the use of flogging was habi-
tual in that colony, and was frequently applied ; that
the extent to which the lash, er rather the rattan, was made
ti,e of was incredible ; that the records of the magistrates'
courts proved that the lash was more in use in that colony than
in any other country. It appeared that but lately one
individual accused of robbery made his escape
to the fields. He was caught there, but the inhabitants rose
up, and threw stones on the authnrites, combining for the res-
cue of the robber. The whole male population were committed
to custody, and fifty-four having been selected, were publicly
flagged, and these fifty-four were delivered over to the Chinese
authorities of a neighbouring place, Kon Long. This, under
the Chinese laws, would ensure a s, cond punishment to these
individuals. Indeed, the general impression on the natives
was, that the laws of this country were sanguinary.
Mr. HAWES said that no accounts had been received of
what had been stated by the Hon. Gentleman. But he
assured him that the Government, and especially the Noble
Lord at the head of the Colonial Department, would not lose
sight of it.

ST. JOHN'S, WESTMINSTER.
Sir DE LACY EVANS asked the Attorney-General if
he would propose an amendment of the law, affording means of
obtaining compensation in the following case, viz. : —ln the
poorer part of St. John's parish, Westminster, there were
various persons who had resided for a series of years in the
same dwellings without leases, relying on the good faith of
their landlords that they would not be dispos-essed ; and
whose families had been supported, and livelihood de-
pended on the good-will or business connexion they
had established in the locality. They - were about
to be removed compulsorily without compensation, and
their houses taken down, in order to construct new streets,
under the provisions of a " Westminster Improvement Act,"
passed last year, empowering a Building Company or Associa-
tion to this effect.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that compensation
would have to be afforded to the landlords of the houses, and it
would not be quite fair to compensate the tenant at will—thus
paying two parties for the damage to the property of one. The
compensation could only be given to one person, and the laud-
lord had of course the strongest claim.
Sir DE LACY EVANS said that the landlord was com-
pensated far the rent (601. per annum), and if the tenant had
established an interest of 150/. per annum he ought to be com-
pensated for the loss of it.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said it was a hard case,
but he did not see what could be done.
Sir DE. LACY EVANS gave notice that he should think
it his duty to pursue the matter further.
THE TOBACCO DUTIES.

Dr. BOWRIN G said that he felt some regret in being com-
pelled, by a sense of duty, again to call the attention of the
House to that legislation which regarded the introduction of
tobacco into this kingdom. He took occasion some time ago
to show to the House, by what he considered ina,.iortant facts
and figures, and by irresistible statistical evidence, the evil
results of the duties on tobacco. Upon a previous occasion he
had shown the immense increase which had taken place in the
United Kingdom in the number of seizures in consequence
of the degrading effects of the pernicious duties on tobacco;
and also to the innumerable evils and cruelties which
had arisen from the same unhappy source. He would
venture to call upon the Right Honourable Baronet the
'lrene Secretary to look around him, and see the state of the
law on this subject. Let him inquire into the cause why such
enormous multitudes of people were brought before the magis-
trates, crowded into prisons, with heavy costs of prosecution
and heavy charges upon the public, in order to carry out
their punishment. He had never contended, and he
was not now contending, that tobacco was not a
tit subject for taxation. He was very willing to
admit that any amount that could be safely raised upon that
article might be most properly raised, but the Government
were better able to attend to that business than the con-
sumer. Government should not so act as to be obliged
to recognise the necessity of smuggling. The evidence
as to the extent of smuggling was perfectly irre-
sistible. It was openly admitted that the most re-
spectable brokers and merchants in the tobacco trade
were engaged in smuggling. The number of seizures bore no
comparison to the amount of escapes. Thousands and tens of
thousands of small shops were supported by smugglig.
In the vear ending January, 1844, the number of convictions
were 35, in the following year they were 47, and in the
last year 69, showing an increase of 100 per cent.
Then with regard to prosecutions for adulteration. In the
first year he spoke of they were 18, in the' following year 43,
and the present year 53. Now where was this process 41 de-
moralisation to end ? Must heir eyes never be opened...
must their ears never be awakened to statements like these?
These laws inflicted a great hardship on innocent individuals.
He knew that most respectable persons, most unimpeachable
in character, living in Norwich, purchased a cask of
tobacco, stipulating a price for a particular quality, as
the Excise knew and acknowledged. The cask was
received, the seal was broken, and the cask opened,
when the tobacco was discovered to be of a mixed
quality. The case was carried into court, and the magistrate
decided that legal possession could not fix the purchasers with
damages ; but this decision was overturned afterwards, and the
purchasers were fined in the limited sum of 50/. Such pro-
ceedings were a great hardship. The Excise laws made no
discrimination between the innocent and the guilty, therefore
he called on the House to put an end to the system.
The Right Honourable Baronet lately at the head of the Go-
vernment had said that the duty of the Government should be
to cut up the trade of the smuggler root and branch, and to
substitute for an illegal traffic a fair and honourable commerce.
The cost of introducing tobacco fraudulently was from Is. 2d.
to 2s. 2d. per lb., and therefore it was clear that with a duty of
Is. the Government could safely compete with the smuggler.
The reduction of duty, however, must be considerable to be of
any use ; in 1825 it was reduced 25 per cent., from 4s. to 35.,
but the increase of demand was but a little more than 10 per
cent. The Hon. Member added that in the present state of
the House he would not further detain it, but move—" That
the state of the tobacco duties requires the revision of Par-
liament, with a view to their early reduction."
The motion having been seconded,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that, in
the present state of the revenue, he was not prepared, on
behalf of the Government, to agree to the motion. He could,
however, assure the Hon. and Learned Member and the House
that the subject should receive the earnest consideration of the
Government.

Mr. H. BERKELEY said, that as the Hon. Member had
appealed to him in support of his statement, he could state that
as far as Bristol was concerned he could assure the House that
the evils complained of were carried to a tearful extent.
Mr. HUNIE having stated that he was convinced that if
the duty on to acco were reduced to Is. per lb., the revenue
on that article would be at least trebled.
An Hon. MEMBER moved that the House be counted, and
there being only 35 Members present the House adjourned.