The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-23 00:00:00

y-tv'ENING, JANUARY 23 1857

THE INCOME TAX.

DEPUTATION TO THE CHA.NOELLOR OF THE
EXCHEQUER.—THIS DAY.
The deputation appointed in the me!re7olis, and the
country, to wait upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
in reference to the income tax, had an interview with
the right honourable gerAletnau, at his official residence
in Downing-street, this morning, to urge upon him the
views of the country on the continuance of the war 9(1.,
and the better equalisation of the income tax, if it should
be continued by the Government.

The deputation comprised the following gentlemen :
Major Reed, Mr. Deputy Bernard, Mr. J. Hopwood,
Jacob Bell, Hosegood, W. T. Bedford, J. Bartruni,
W. Waite, H. Potter, T. Lovick, W. S. Burton,
Higham, Smart, F. May, C. Hawkins, W. C. Jay,
J. A. Nichelay, J. Shaw (Huddersfield), G. T. Prince,
(Reading), T. S. Gowing (Ipswich), Oliver Hartridge,
W. Payne, J. G. Hatton, G. Walter, E. Roundtree,
J. Edmonds, G. H. ER, G. Scammwell,J. Read, &c., &c.
Major BRED, M.P., in introducing the deputation to
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, said that the gentle-
men who comprised the deputation were members of an
association to obtain an immediate repeal of the acts of
Parliament increasing the tax from 7d. to 161. in the
pound, and for a more equitable adjustment or total
repeal of the tax in reference to trades and professions.
The gallant gentleman then referred to the feeling
throughout the country against the continuation of the
9d. after the sth of April next, and reiterated against
the continuance of the act in its present form the argu-
ments used at the meeting held on Wednesday night at
Exeter Hall.

Mr. Deputy Bernard, Mr. Nicholay, Mr. J. Bell, Mr.
Shaw, and Mr. Gowing also addressed the right hon.
gentleman on the.subject.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in reply, said
h had great pleasure in fixing that day for
receiving the deputation, and the satisfaction of
showing them that he had not the least re-
luctance to give them such information as was in
his power in respect to this question. He was aware
that both the deputation and the country felt deeply

interested in it, and he considered that the subject had
been brought before him in the opening statement of
Major Reed, and followed by the other speakers in deli-
berate and proper language, and he had no doubt from

the means of information they all possessed that the
litatements made represented the feelings prevalent

throughout the country. (Hear, hear.) He must begin
by saying in order to give a full answer to all that had
been that day advanced by;:the deputation, it would
be necessary for him to enter fully into an explana-
tion of the state of the expenditure and revenue of
the country, and, in Lot, to anticipate the an-
nual financial estimate it would be his duty to make
to Parliament, and to Parliament alone ; but he could
not consistently with his duty anticipate the nature of
that statement, and he thought they must all be sensible
that it would be impossible for him to take that course.
He would, nevertheless, offer to them such remarks as
it was in his power to make in answer to the statements
that had been advanced. The observations that had
been set forth turned upon two questions—first, as to
the nature of the tax itself; and, secondly, with regard
to its amount. (Hear, hear.) With regard to the nature
of the tax, their observations went to its very being, viz.,
that it was inquisitorial, and that it made no distinction
between precarious and fixed incomes. That objection
went, as he had stated, to the very essence of the tax,
whether it was 5d., 7d., or 161, and therefore he did

not see on that occasion that any advantage would be
gained by his going at length into the nature of those
arguments. He was quite aware of their existence,
and he had stated his opinion on them, and the proposed
differential duty on permanent and precarious in-
comes. It appeared to him that the difficulties that
beset such a plan were not sufficiently estimated by the
people, but he had no wish then to go into that question.
He was quite prepared most carefully to consider any facts
or arguments that might be laid before him bearing
on the question, and to take into consideration any de-
clared plan for carrying those views into effect. (Hear,
hear.) They must be aware that the great difficulty in
arranging a plan of taxation consisted in the actual

scale that must be adopted, and they must be aware
that it was no easy matter to propose any direct or
indirect tax that would produce 16,000,0001. within
the year like the present income tax, without
some complaint being created against it. He was
afraid that those gentlemen who talked of a perfect

system of taxation, when they came to levy large sums
would find the reality very far short of their anticipa-
tions. He now came to a more practical point, the
question of amount in reference to tbis tax, and he
begged them to dismiss at once from their minds any
notion that the Government loved taxation in the ab•
street, or had any wish to maintain a tax that was not
necessary for the public service, or any wish to take
advantage of the words of any act of Parliament for the
sake of continuing a tax not: necessary. (Hear, hear.)

The right hon. gentleman alluded to the war taxes
lately imposed, namely, that on malt, which he said
had been discontinued in accordance with the Act of
Parliament, so that the Government thereby had not
only lost the extra duty on malt for the remainder of the
year, but also the drawback to the extent of 800,0001.,
making together a deficit of nearly 1,000,0001., showing
that the Governmenthad no desire to make any alteration
against the people when the law was in their favour. The war
duties on tea,sugar and coffee would terminate by law on
the sth April next, and no proposal was made last ses-
sion to continue them beyond that period. It so hap-
pened that the wads of the statute with regard to the
income tax continued it one year beyond the sth of April
next. All that he could say was that Government would
❑ot take advantage of the particular wording of that
statute, but act in the same manner towards the
people of this country, as they did on a recent oc-
casion, with reference to the King of Sardinia,
relative to the payment to him of the additional
loan of 1,000,0001. Of course the Government would
not think of continuing the tax on account of the word.
ing of the statute if it were not needed. Having made
that statement he must add, with regard to the rate of
the income-tax, that it was not a question of taxation
but of expenditure, and consequently the question
was, what would be the expenditure the following year,
for on that the ways and means were founded, and,
therefore, they must see that the Government, without
they, the deputation, proposed another tax, could h•
expected to give up 8,000,0007., the amount of the
proposed reduction. That was all he could then state
to them, and he had endeavoured to be as explicit as cir-
cumstances would allow. _ . _

The deputation shortly afterwards withdrew.

PUBLIC INCOME AND EXPENDITURE OF THE
UNITED KINGDOM, 1855, 1856,

The following is an account of the public Income and
Expenditure of the United Kingdom in the years ending
the 31st day of March, 1855 and 1856, distinguishing the
actual payments fur the expenses incurred in the collec-
tion anti management of the Revenue ; for the charges of
the Public Debt (the Terminable Annuities being also
valued by estimate); for the expenses of the Civil Govern-
ment ; the allowances to the Royal Family and to 1-1 is
Majesty the Bing of the Belgians ; the establishment of
the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland ; the expenses of the two
Houses of Parliament and the Civil Departments ; the
other Pensions on the Consolidated Fund, on the Gross
Revenue, and the Civil List. Also the payments for the
Administration of Justice, Diplomatic Expenses, and on
account of the sums voted for the Army, Navy, Ordnance,
and Miscellaneous services ; also Public Works, Bounties,
Post office, the Quarantine, and Warehouse Establish-
ments; and all other Payments not coming under any of
the foregoing heads :

CUSTOMS AND
EXCISE-

Foreign •
Spirits IRurn .. •• .
British

Malt • • ...... •• ••.
Hops....

Sugar and molasses .

Tea „ ..

Coffee ....... .... • .
Tobacco and snuff.. .

Butter . .... ••
Cheese •••••• •• .•„

Currants and raisins
Corn

Silks
Paper

INCOME.

Candles and tallow .

Glass ..

Year ended

Timber.

March 31, 1855.

Excise licencas ....
Pest-horse duties ..

Hackney carriages ..
State carriages • .....

Railways.. • •
Miscellaneous of Cus-
toms and Excise

Total Customs andl
Excise

STAMPS-

Deeds and other in.
struments ..... •..

Probates and legacies

Insurance I Dianne.
Fire ...

Bills of exchange,
bankers' notes
Newspapers and ad-
vertisements

Receipts ..•.......•

Other stamp duties .

ASSESSED AND
LAND TAXES-

March

Land Taxos . .
Houses .........

Servants -

Horses
Carrlages.... ••

Additional 10 per ceni
Other assessed taxes.

,381,981
,293,385
',551,976

6,183,055
388,339
1,804,595

4,996,154
5,126,317

463,743
,4,773,555

114,430
44,695

263,914
329,288

265,715
,050,629

465
52,445

7,413
612,448

1,413,179

63,468
173,577

309,195

369,909

1,225,234

12,652,622

293,368
1,244,361

624,499

33,993,100

478,792

223,715

416,942

11,155,676
650,241

194,756
344,440
374,410

167,638
113,886
224,065

Property and Income Tax . • • .

Post-office . • .. ...... • • •

Crown lands ......

Other ordinaryrevenue and other'
resources •..... • • • • .... ••• • 1

Total income .• ...

Excess of expenditure over in,
come

REVENUE—Charges
of Collection :

Civil De- (Customs
partments Excise

Preventive service,)
land guard, revenue,
police cruisers, and
harbour vessels

1,174,922
1,297,727
7,877,830

6,676,349
129,116
1,g56,120

15,227,066

587,637
5,006,699

5,070,870

39,033,970

Stamps • ..... • •
Assessed taxes ....
Other ordinaryrevenue
Superanntiatton and
other allowances....
Total charges of col-
lection of the rave-

7,159,540

3,225,121

Public Debt—
Interest on permanent
debt ..
Terminable annuities
Management • •
Unclaimed dividends
repaid .• •• • • • .

10,922,267

2,635,337

383,755

731,578

Interest on Exchequer,
Bills
Interest on Exchequer
Bonds (1854)
Total debt

G 4,091,571

6,145,246

70,236,817

113,20 G
43,808

233,726
353,066

284,405
,047,430

57,177

7,218
448,756

,397,673

69,636
133,016

323,691

680,476

1,218,737

12,850,873

924,383
1,280,441

450,752

255,542

257,G3

425,251

31, 1856.

1,157,525
728,689

185,826
340,898
283,853

208,912
11,912
218,462

35,635,552

5,210,384

40,845,936

EXPENDITURE.

23,298,297
3,846,861
*67,854

85,916

!7,299,029

400,505

Year ended

1,272,725

7,063,6,0

488,800

1,761,525
171,941
363,210
27,173

3,136,077

15,159,458

2,767,20

421,715

1,158,148

70,552,145

401,055

22,597,165

93,149,310

March 31, 1956.

658,162
657,771

1,316,033

2,724,904

23,138,061
3,863,9f17
67,332

[73,241

127,242,541

105,000

127,86-4,533

:CIVIL GOVERN-
MENT-

512,574

1,828,607
181,717
422,618
27,206

403,205

2,863,353

Civil li st —Privy purse,
salaries of the house-
hold and tradesmen's
bills ...... • •
The allowances to the
several branches of
the Royal Family,and
to his Royal Highness
Leopold Prince of Co-
burg (now King of the
Belgians)t
The Lord-Lieutenant
of Ireland's establish-
ment ....... .
The salaries and ex-
penses of the Houses
of Parliament (includ-
ing printing) . • ..
Civil Department, in-
cluding superannua-
tion allowances .. • •
Other annuities, pen-
sions, and superannu-
ation allowances on'

60,284

371,800

the Consolidated
Fund, and on the'
gross revenue
Pensions, civil list—,
Total Civil Govern-
ment - • •• • •

151,788

JUSTICE-

Courts of Justice
Police and criminal
prosecutions•• .. •• • •
Correction • • •• •• • • ••
Total Justice

26,376

1,733,109

240,000

371,g00

151,788

128,112,825

2E,540

162,230

763,548

207,688
11,458

2,427,655

754,931

,012,582
,424,907

1,695,052

3,192,420