The Sun.
London, England, 1851-01-01 00:00:00

THE INJURY TO THE CONSUMER.

There are individuals who pay as much as 2,0001. a
year for paper—the tax upon which is 50 per cent., or
5001. a year—and the whole of this paper has been
consumed for wrapping up goods which had to be sold
in competition with similar goods of foreign manufac-
ture, wrapped up in a paper free from any duty what-
ever. The writer of the pamphlet before alluded to fur-
ther says:—
" Apart from the heavy duty charged on all papers,
the excise laws affecting the paper manfacture—the
mode of charging the duty, the surveillance of the ex-
cise officers, the delays in sending goods to market—
caused by these rules and regulations, the weighing, la-
belling, numbering, re-weighing, &c., &c., beidea heavy
penalties, which may very inadvertently be incurred—
form altogether a most burdensome and oppressive yoke,
adding very materially to the labour and expense in
carrying on badness, and are such as no body of men
honourably engaged in their avocations ought to be sub-
jected to, and which a wise and patriotic Government
ought to be ready to listen to as an important element
in the consideration of the whole question.
"There are many respectable grocers doing a consi-
derable business, whose expenses for pecking-papers are
large; indeed, there are many who use papers to such
an extent, that the duty thereon is fully equal to their
shop rents. A grocer in an ordinary business pays 1001.
a year for papers to pack up his sugars, soaps, to ts, &c.
On this quantity of paper the duty will be about 401.
Now, the grocer either pays this out of his profits, or he
does not. If he does, this industrious, hard-working
man, is forced to give up a large proportion of his earn-
ings to meet the wants of the country, when he is called
on, in every other way, to pay his full share of the ordi-
nary taxation. If he does not, then how is the grocer
reimbursed? Most assuredly by an increased price on
his goods, or by selling an inferior article at a higher
price than its real value; and then on whom does this
burden fall? Unquestionably on the working
classes principally, who are the largest consumers
of the goods requiring so much paper for their
pecking; for, be it observed, that the man in goad
circumstances who criers his fifty pounds of sugar
at once, pays much less for the paper in which it is
wrapped man the poor labourer does who buys his fifty
pounds of sugar at fifty different times. Either way, this
heavy duty is quite indefensible, and ought to be totally
abolished. I know parties who have been paying these
heavy sums for many years, a,:d who had b'en doing so
in complete ignorance of the sum which this unjust law
has thus wrested from them, and, when made aware of
the real facts of the case, have expressed their honest
and vehement indignation that such things should be
maintained by the Government of this country. In fact,
I might pile up a vast array of cases illustrative of this
gross injustice, such as those of the manufacturers of
Birmingham, Sheffield, &c., who use such vast quantities
of coarse papers, and especially worthy of notice is the
case of the button makers, who, when using the boards
from which they make their moulds, of necessity produce
a vast quantity of waste, in many instances nearly one-
half, but who, of course, pay duty on the whole, thus
making the duty on what they use equal to 301. per
ton instead of 151., as the law is said to exact, thus
greatly enhancing the cost of the materials from which
their goods are produced. The same remark applies to
loom-weavers; an illustration of the extreme hardship
of which is found in the case of Mr. R. Kerr, of Pai,ley,
who, intending to compete in the article of shawl menu-
facture; I-tithe Exhibition of 1651, applied to the Lords
of the Treasury for a drawback of the excise duty on
the card boards he would use in the preparation of his
designs; the cost of the boards, duty included (but ex-
clusive of preparation), would be 2701., which duty
amounts to 921. 155., an expense from which his foreign
competitors were entirely exempt; but his application
was declined."

The operation of this duty is also most injurious to
cheap literature, as it is clearly established that it adds
more than the mere amount of duty to almost every
work published. The price is so much beyond what it
ought to be, that sales are curtailed, and the risks to
the publishers increased. It is asserted that—
" Messrs. Chambers, of Edinburgh, about two years
ago, started a periodical which sold to the public a- id.
This was carried on for some time, and at length abate
Boned. The Messrs. Chambers last year petitioned
Parliament for the repeal of the paper duty, and ad-
duced as an instance of the oppressive nature of that
duty the fact that the periodical alluded to had reached
the marvellous number of 80,000 weekly, and was
abandoned because it did not pay; and they stated that
had the duty on paper not existed they would have car-
ried on the work, because the duty onthe paper used
would have afforded them a fair profit on the under-
taking. Now, this fact is a very striking one, and is
worthy of consideration-80,000, at Id. weekly, makes
up a sum of upwards of 17,000/. a year—this large sum
was in circulation for some time; and (with the
i excep-
tion of 1,2001. of it, which was excise duty) was, n point
of fact, neither more nor less than wages of labour—the
materials being in themselves nearly valueless. Now,
before this little work was started, the revenue had no
existence, a large
benefit, neither could have, as the thing did not exist.
assuredly one of
After it had ceased to exist the
.reve.nue was. no worse, it
satmoooudntjuosft di:rrinbgy
it, assuredly
the blessings which we are constantly seeking to in-
creaselaabsoubrefavoarse ;cabluletti
in this densely-populated country, and when it
ceased to exist (the heavy duty being answerable for
this result), all this labour ceased to be galled for, just
one of those evils which we exhaust all our ingenuity to
provide against."
The claim of the public to a !epeel of the paper duty
is not now raised for the first time. It has undergone
the ordeal of a careful and searching Parliamentary in-
vestigation. Its policy has been admitted, and it is put
forward at the present time because financial circum-
stances warrant its remission without the slightest
chance of injuring the national resources. It is now
some years since that a Committee of the House of
Commons, of which Sir Henry Parnell was chairman,
was appointed to take into consideration the various du-
ties upon articles in general consumption, with the view
of fixing upon those, the repeal of which would prove
most advantageous to the public interests. That Com-
mittee, after a minute inquiry, decided upon leather,
glass, and paper. The Legislature abolished the duty
upon the two former articles, and the repeal of the paper
duty was postponed, solely from the demands of the pub-
lic service not then allowing of such a remission. The
claim is therefore sanctioned by the o.eliberate opinion of
a Committee, whose report in other respects has received
the sanction of Parliament, and upon which, therefore,
no party bias can possibly be supposed to appply.
There is yet another benefit which would arise from
the repeal of the paper duty, not less important in its
bearing and results than any of those which hale been
named, and that is the social an moral effect of disse-
minating information of a religious and virtuous ten-
dency amongst the humbler classes. It has been shown
by the most experienced and extensive publishers that
the duty on paper is the sole bar to the issue of publica-
tions of an instructive character at so low a price as to
bring them within the reach of the million, and many of
them, after having attained a very extensive circulation,
were compelled to be discontinued, owing solely to the
heavy losses which the paper duty inflicted upon the
proprietors. The want of such works is severely felt in
densely populated districts, where the temptations to
profligacy, immorality, end drunkenness are irresistible
to the uneducated, unless their thoughts are diverted
from sensual indulgence to the innocent enjoyments
which might be afforded by reading, but to obtain which
cheapness is indispensable. It has often been seen that
the infant members of a family, coming from school, have
drawn the attention pf their elders, and even of their

parents, to what these children have been taught, and
thus insensibly have led them to rsflect on better
things than are suggested by their habits of life, aDdili
many cases to reform them. If, therefore, the means of
instruction are cheapened, in proportion to that chesp-
ness right principles will be disseminated, and that ill
a way but little understood except by those wbo boa
had opportunities of observing how this benefit hal
worked as far as the means have been afforded.

The remission of this duty is, therefore, pressed upon
the attention of the Legislature for reasons more tan-
gible, more important, and more fruitful of advantages
than the repeal of any tax which was ever submitted to
their consideration. in the first place, there is a finan-
cial surplus; it has a priority of claim to repeal, the et"-
feet of which would be to increase the manufacture; the
tax is unequal in its pressure upon paper as compared
with oilier manufactures; it is unjust and oppressive to
the fair and honest trader; the repeal would give an ivy
mense amount of additional healthy employment to
labour; would confer important social and moral advan-
tages upon the population; and it would give relief to
agricultural districts. More than sufficient has there-
fore been shown for the repeal of the duty, not on behalf
of the paper manufacturers, nor of the printers and pub-
lishers, nor of the manufacturing interests only, but on
behalt of every mln, woman, and ch►ld, interested in the
welfare and prosperity of Great Britain.

THE COUNTRY MAKKETS.
IPSWICH, DEC. 31.
Our market was only moderately supplied with wheat
the condision of which is much effected by the weather'
The trade was dull. Of barley there was a large supply'
but the chief of it is of so ordinary a quality malstere
are afraid to huy it; the sale was heavy, and a trifling
decline was established upon last week's prices. Beans
and peas dull, and in favour of the buyer.
PER QUARTER. PER
Wheat, red 3Bs to 42s Beans 2RBQsUAtoRTE3:,
Do., new oos to 00s Peas.. 2Bs to 00s
Do., white 42s to 48s Oats..
Do., new oos to 00a Rye.. ....... . 00s to 0011
Barley, malting 22s to 26si Malt oos to 005
Do., grinding... 183 to 21siFlour, per sack oos to ON
AVERAGES FOR THE WEEK ENDING DEC. 28.
Wheat 847 quarters at 41s 3d.
Barley
Beans ... 31 „ 28s 2d.
Oats
Peas 45 ~ 28s 10i.
HULL, DEC. 31.
Messrs. Tay for and Bright's Circular states:—During
the past week the trade has been quite of a holiday ells'
ratter, and the business done not sufficient to alter our
quotations. The weather remains unseasonably mild.
Our own farmers to-day brought a fair supply of wheat
for sale, the greater part being in moderate condition.
Prices must be noted is per qr lower for inferior quality,
but dry samples could not be got on less terms than lass
week. In foreign wheat there was hardly any business
doing. For spring corn of all kinds there was little do;
mend, and we do not note any change in prices. Linseed
and cakes remain firm at our quotations. Rapeseed tlry
altered. Rape cakes continue in fair demand.
The following are the present prices of grain:—
B. B.
Wheat, English, red 36 to 46 Peas, white and yeL 27
Do. white ..... -7!."
Dantzic and Ko- Linseed, Black Sea 46 ---
nigsberg 42 46 Do. Petersburgh ... 40 94
Pomeranian and Do. Riga& Archngl. 38 --- 41"
Hamburgh . 3B 40 Do. Konigsberg .... 37
Danish, Holstein, & Per ton.
Friesland . 36 —3B Lins. c,Hull 7/ ssod to 7112
Russian and Odessa 35 40 Do. fine foreign ........ 61 Iv'
Oats, English
Do. Danish.... l4 16 Rapeseed 26112s rs,
Do. Friesland l6 18 Rape cakes...Bos Od to 00s (fa
Do. Russ. & Odessa 14 16 Tares, English ....Ms
Barley,malting 24 26 Do. foreign 20s :0"
Do. grinding 2l 22 Guano 6/ to 10103
Beans 26 30 Bones, do 95a Od to 00s 04
Do. foreign 26 28 Rye Meal ...
LIVERPOOL, DEC. 31.—At this day's market there
was a limited attendance of the town and country trade,
whose transactions were confined to a few small pa:
chases for the supply of their immediate wants. Whew'
a .d flour nominally maintained their value in the sales
made. Oats and oatmeil were offered on rather tallier
terms without leading to much business. Barley, beano,
and peas without change in value or demand. India
corn met with little attention, but fine yellow could OS
be bought under 31s per quarter.
CORK, DEC. 30.

Barrels. Currency.
0 White wheat OO5 Od to OOs Od OOs Od-20 stone
28 Red wheat . 17s 6d to 20s 0d (Os Od-20 do
17 Barley ICs 6d to lls 6d Ils 9d-16 do
2 Bere . 8s 10d to lOs Od Os Od
273 Oats .. 9s Od to 9s 6d Os Od —l4 do
68 Pigs 26s Od to 32s Od 28s Od per cwt
Quantity sold at the Highest Prices:
0 barrels white wheat; 9 red ; 8 barley ; 1 here; 8 Wei
2 pigs.
Quantity of Grain and Number of Pigs sold last week
Wheat, 266. Barley, 1,391. Oats, 3,210. Pigs, 598.
PRICES OF BUTTER.
CANT. CURRENCY.
First quality
Second quality
Third quality
Fourth quality
Fifth quality
Sixth quality
Return of Cattle sold for the week srading Dec. 21:—
Pigs, 1,021. Sheep, 413. Cows, 276.
Flour—First 12s 6d to 13s Od; extra 14s Oa;
seconds, 1 Is Oil to 12s Od; households 9s to 1 is Od; thirds, 6s to 90
per cwt. Oatmeal lOs 6d to Os; Indian meal 7s 3d to 7s 6d; wheat'
meal, 10s to lOs 6d per cwt. Indian corn 71Cs Od to 7110 s Od per
too. Bran 87s 6d to 90s per ton. Hay—Farmers 34s to 465; average
428; dealers 45s to 50s Od; average 48s per ton. Straw—Farmer'
221 04 to 32s Od; average 289; dealers 40s 04 to 90s 0(4 •
average 00s Od per ton. Bread—Wheaten loaf 6d to 6/(11
household loaf 5d to sid per 41b. Fresh butter, IRI to
12d per lb. Eggs-5s Od to 5s 6d per hundred. Coals—'
Netcnort 16s Od; Lydney 17s ; Landore 14s ; Neath Cultes
13s 6d per ton. Tallow 39s Od to 40s per cW
Whisky, 25 0. p., 5s 9d per imperial gallon. Meat
—Beef 4d to 4 d; mutton 40 to 6d; veal 4d to
5d ; pork 4d to Od bacon 7d to 84 ; sausages 54 per lht
Hops 61 lOs to 0/ Os per cwt. Bangor slates 312. 6d to 315 s per
ton. Bark—Barbary 71 Os to 810 s; Valonia 151 to 0/; French
61 Os ; Spanish 01 per ton. Fleece Wool 14s to 15s per stone;
Hemp 32/ to 34/ per ton. Fish— Scotch herrings 21s to 00s ; red
ditto, 24s to COs per barrel ; Newfoundland, 8/ 0s to 10! pet
ton. Timber—Memel, dOs per ton ; red pine, 31 lOs ; yellow
ditto, 21 15s per ton; deals, 12s to 155 per 100. Hides—
Market 23s to 325; salted 24s to 32s per cwt ; calf skin,
3d to 3id per lb. Potatoes, white lid to 10d; Minion.
10d to 120. Guano— Peruvian, 11/ 10s ; lchaboe, 8! to 91100
per ton. Tar—Archangel, 191 per barreL