The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-09 00:00:00

LOCAL DUES UPON SHIPPING.

The committee met yesterday in room No. 11 ;
Lowe in the chair.

Mr. Heeling, Mayor of Salford, said the question of the
town dues of Liverpool nad attracted great attention in
Salford for several years past, and the general opinion
was that the Corporation of Liverpool had no right t 0
levy such a tax. They claimed to exact the dues, but
ii: claimed any obligation to make a return for them,ond
witness believed that at common law no such right al
that which was asserted by the corporation of Liverpoc"
could exist, and he was not aware of any precedent Or
such an impost. The only limit to these dues was in the
discretion of the corporation.
By Mr. Headlam—The reason why no objections boa
been made to the imposition of these dues until the last
few years was that the subject had not before been in'
quired into so fully, and the injustice of that tax was oot
ha clearly understood ; directly this was ascertained en'
deavours were made to bring the matter before the Go•
wernment and Parliament.

By the Chairman—lie was clearly of opinion that it
was a case for the intervention of Parliament. Witness
was about to explain the operation of the Municipal
Corposation Act, when Sir J. Duckworth moved that
the room he cleared. The committee having remained
in consultation for an hour, the parties were readmitted,
and, in answer to a question from the chairman, witneß's
said he thought, if the question of the legality of the
dues had bee❑ raised at the time of the passing of the
.lunicipal Act, some clause would have been inserted to
protect the public interests.
By Mr. Headlam—lf the original grant were produced
some obligation would be found to attach to the collet'
lion of these dues.

By Mr. Watson—To establish the legality of the lin
position of the dues under a grant from the Crown. 11
considered it necessary that such dues should be proved
to be the same as those originally levied, or, in other
words, to prove continuity and similarity; and 015
could not be e,tabiished. He could not refer to Of
document to prove that the dues were clothed with aol
trust, but his reading of the law was, that there must be
some duty performed in return fur the power to lel
dues.

By Mr. Horsfall—He still maintained that the duos
were levied arbitrarily and without limit, notwithstand'
ing the publication of the tariff, because such tariff wag
varied from time to time, and many articles were 110'.
mentioned in the tariff at all.
By Mr. Headlatn—Ele denied the right of the Crowe
to grant dues upon property not in its possession at the
time, or upon articles which. were not imported at the
period when the grant was made.
By the Chairman—All prescription implied a grants
and no grant cmild be made of dues upon articles uc'
known at the tme being.
Mr. Newland, of Liverpool, general merchant, Said
his attention had been directed to the Liverpool town
dues. He complained especially of the tax upon salts
which amounted to 5 per cent. on the cost of the ev
ported article. This was a very injurious impost on trade,
and prevented its expansion. The trade in salt had been
increasing of late years, and was subject to large comps'
tition from works on the Mediterranean, Cadiz, Lisbon,
St. Hoe's, and other places. He objected generally
to the levying of town dues on articles of import and
export, and believed it would be greatly to the adyan•
tage of Liverpool if some compensation were made to
it and the town dues altogether abolished. This would
remove a serious grievance, and it would also be an
additional benefit if the distinction at present existing
between freemen and non freemen were done away. Wit'
ness was not prepared to suggest the mode of compen-
,ation, but tbought that, as the corporation had a title
to these dues, which had been recognised by act of Par-
liament, Government should make some compensation
to the town. The dues were decidedly an encumbrance
to trade, and their removal would afford great facilities
to the trade of Liverpool. He objected to the
Weaver dues, which were double the amount of the
town dues, and on such an article as salt the tax Wes
most oppressive. The amount of the town dues he paid
for salt in the last year was 2501., and 1001. for other
articles.

By Mr. Duncan—He had exported 10,000 tone of salt
during the past year, upon which, had be been a freemavf
he should, have saved the town dues of 6d. a ton. _

Mr. Heron, town clerk of Manchester, was recalled,
and put in returns of the poor and other rates in the
townships of Manchester from the years 1851 to 1855,
and stated that a sum of upwards of 541,000/. bad been
expended by the corporation within the city, and which
sum had been repaid by single proprietors within the last
20 years.

No other witnesses being in attendance, the committee
3cljourned until Thursday, May 22.