The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-09 00:00:00

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Mr. WYLD asked whether it was the, intention of the
Noble Lord, after giving up the smoke prevention
clauses of this Bill, to adopt the Bill for that purpose
which had been brought into the other House by Lord
Redesdale?
Lord MORPETH said he was not prepared to say
that he would adopt the whole of the clauses of that
Bill.

HIGHWAYS BILL.
Sir G. GREY, in moving the second reading of this
13ill, said he had made some alteration in it which would
remove an objection that was made to it on the first

reading.
Mr. HENLEY hoped a distant day would be fixed for
the Committee, in order that the Bill might be well con-
sidered by the country.
Mr. FREWEN thought that a better Bill might be
framed if the matter were referred to a Select Commit-
tee. The duties of the district surveyors to be created
by this Bill, would be as well discharged by the county
magistrates.
Sir H. WILLOUGHBY said the power of borrow-
ing money on mortgage of the rates was a dangerous
power.
Sir G. GREY said the Bill contained such a power ;
but under the proper regulations.
Sir W. JOLLIFFE strongly objected to the clause
which gave the power of apportioning rates amongst
several parishes.
After a few words from Mr. BANKES, the Bill was
read a second time.
DUTIES ON SPIRITS.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
early in the session he had announced his intention of
introducing two measures for the sake of removing some
of the restrictions imposed by the existing excise laws
on spirits; and he would take this opportunity of doing
so, that the Bills might be considered at Whitsuntide.
As these were measures almost entirely of relaxation, he
hoped they would afford satisfaction to the parties inte-
rested. The duties on stone bottles, sweets, suctions,
glass, vinegar, and tiles, had been repealed; those on
paper and soap had been reduced; and a considerable
relaxation had been made in the laws affecting malt,
paper. bricks, and other articles. The beneficial effect
which had resulted from these changes was best shown
by the marked decrease which had taken place in the num-
ber of excise prosecutions. In 1832 there were 4,309 ex•
cise informations heard before magistrates; in 1847 the
number was 1,688: being a diminution of 2,621. Before
the Excise Commissioners in 1832, 974 cases were
heard; in 1847, 206; being a diminution of 768. The
informations in the Exchequer amounted, in 1842 (only
five years ago), to 183; in 1847 to 74; being a diminu-
tion of 109. This showed that the laws were adminis-
tered with as much consideration as possible. The Bills
he had now to introduce referred only to spirits. The
first related to warehousing spirits without payment of
duty, both for home consumption and exportation. In
England this was not permitted, but it was in Scotland
and Ireland. The first Bill would put the English dis-
tillers on the same footing. It would also give the
Scotch distiller power to warehouse his spirits without
payment of duty in any part of the kingdom. As
to spirits for exportation, the present law gives an
undue advantage to the foreign trade. A Dutch dis-
tiller might warehouse his spirits here, take them
out when he thought proper, and then export
them to our colonies. He therefore proposed
to give the home distiller the power of
warehousing rectified, but not sweetened, spirits. It
was impossible to allow the spirits to be sweetened before
they were put into bond, but they might be sweetened
in bond. The only exports of spirits took place from
Scotland, from which 90,000 gallons were exported. He
proposed to allow spirits for home consumption to be
equally bonded in the three countries. With regard to
spirits for export he proposed to allow them to be bonded
in the Customs warehouses, but in that case they must
be exported, and could not be taken oat for home con-
sumption. So far as related to the first Bill. The second
measure related to the present system of permit survey.
In conformity with the report of the Commissioners of
Excise inquiry, who stated that the permit system was
1 attended with great inconveniences without any corre-
sponding advantage, he proposed to reserve to the Board
of Excise the power of examining spirits in stock or in
hand only in circumstances which would justify a sus-
picion of fraud. He proposed to relieve the spirit
dealer from the necessity of permits, and from the sur-
vey of the excise officers. They would, however, be re-
quired to keep certain accounts of stock, and to send a
certificate signed by themselves when spirits were sent
from one place to another. The only other important
provision in the Bill was, that it permitted to persons
who now took out a 101. license to sell a less quantity of
liquors than they now could on their taking out a sup-
plementary 51. license. The least quantity of liquors
which they could now send out was two gallons ; but,
under this Bill, they could sell any quantity not less
than an imperial quart. Every dealer would be re-
quired to have a book in which the quantity of spirits
sent out was to be inserted. This would be in the na-
ture of an invoice. He intended to apply this 'provision
to the three countries, although he confessed he had
doubts whether it ought to be extended to Ireland, in
consequence of the illicit distillation which was carried
on there.
The resolutions having been read,
Mr. COWAN would not oppose the resolutions, but
he did not know whether the measure would be satis-
factory. He expected that the Right Hon. Gentleman
would have announced an intention to alter the licensing
system, which was productive of much immorality in
Scotland; but he was sorry to find that that was not so.
lie must also express his dissatisfaction that no relaxa-
tion was to take place with respect to that body of ma-
nufacturers to which he belonged, and that they were to
be still subject to the delay and vexation of the excise
regulations. He wished to know whether a full allow-
ance would he made for the waste of spirits in bond?
Mr. CALLAGHAN was glad that the Chancellor of
the Exchequer was about to relax the excise regulations
with respect to spirits. He hoped the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman would allow the distiller for the whole of the

waste of spirits in bond, and that he would place the
Irish distiller in the same position as the Scotch distiller.
Mr. GROGAN hoped that the Right Hon. Gentle-
man would attend to the suggestion of the Hon. Mem-
ber for Cork, and place Ireland in the same position as
Scotland.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
would allow for the waste of spirits in bond intended for
exportation; but not for spirits in bond for home con-
sumption.
The resolutions were then agreed to, and ordered to
be reported to the House this day.
Mr. BROTHERTON here rose to move that the
House adjourn, but no notice being taken, he resumed
his seat.
IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT (IRELAND) BILL.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE moved that the House do go
into Committee on this Bill.
Mr. GROGAN really must object to going on at that
hour of the night.
Colonel 11 AW DON said there were 1,700 persons
languishing in prison in Ireland for small debts, who
would be released if this Bill passed, and he therefore
hoped Mr. Brotherton would put his nightcap on his
head, and permit the Bill to be proceeded with forth-
with.—(Laughter.)
Mr. BROTHERTON objected to enter on an Irish
debate at that hour.
The House, however, resolved itself into Committee,
and the various clauses of the Bill were agreed to with-
out discussion, and with a few unimportant amend-
ments.
Mr. GROGAN urged that the operation of the Bill
should be postponed from the Ist of November to the Ist
of January next.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE said the statement of his
Gallant Friend behind him (Colonel Rawdon) disin-
clined him to postpone bringing the Bill into operation.
Mr. GROGAN said, the only remedy the traders of
Dublin had against a debtor was the remedy of arrest
and imprisonment.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE thought these poor debtors
might have the privilege of spending their Christmas
out of prison. He declined to give way on this point.
Bill to be reported 15Ji June.
GAME CERTIFICATES FOR KILLING HARES
BILL.
On motion for the third reading of this Bill,
Colonel SIBTHORP moved that the House do now
adjourn.
The motion was not seconded, and the circumstance
gave rise to some cheering.
Colonel SIBTHORP then said ho should oppose pro-
ceeding with the Bill at that hour as vexatious.—(oh.)
He was astonished to find his Hon. Friend the Member
for Sunderland permitting the Bill to proceed at that
late hour.—(Renewed cries of_" Ob.") He did not wish
to obstruct the business—(oh)—but he should move that
the Bill be read that day six months.
This amendment was not seconded, and also fell to the
ground.
The SPEAKER then put the question that the Bill be
road a third time.
Colonel SIBTHORP—I shall divide the House.
Strangers were ordered to withdraw, and the gallery
was cleared, but no Member being found to act as teller
with the Gallant Member for Lincoln, no division took
place.
On re-admission to the gallery,
Mr. FRE WEN was moving the following clause :
" Provided always, and bo it further enacted, that no-
thing in this Act contained shall be construed to extend
to allow any person or persons not having a game certi•
ficato to use any engine or wire, commonly called a
snare, or any trap of any description for the purpose of
killing or taking any game or hares."
On the motion that the clause be brought up,
Mr. HUDSON defended himself from Colonel Sib-
thorp's complaint that he had thrown him over. He
did not disapprove of the Bill, or ho should have been
very happy to do anything he could to co-operate with
his Gallant Friend.
Mr. COLVILE objected to the clause, and hoped it
would not bo pressed.
The clause was put and negatived; and the Bill was
then read a third time.
FRAUDS IN THE SALE OF BREAD.

Mr. STO:)NER (for Mr. Bankes) moved for leave to
bring in a Bill to provide more effectually for checking
frauds in the sale of bread and other articles of provi-
sion.—Leave granted.
The House adjourned at Half-past One.

The Observer, of Sunday, June n, will give all
the particulars connected with the Chartists' movements,
the prosecutions, examinations, and commitments, of the
principal leaders. The extensive publication of The
Observer commences at 6 o'clock, Sunday mornings ;
Monday's edition of The Observer, best for the country
and abroad, Monday afternoons at 4.
The Dowager Duchess of Roxburgh and family,
Colonel Gordon, Captain Holt, R.N., &c., were amongst
the numerous passengers who arrived here yesterday
morning by the Antwerp Company's steamer Antwerpen,
Captain, Jackson ; the sea passage oocupied seven hours
only.