The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-13 00:00:00

WAYS AND MEANS.

On the motion for the house going into cpmmittee on
ways and means,
Mr, WISE asked what course the Government in-
tended to take with reference to the 2,0001. that had
been paid for a chapel in Paris after the house had re-
jected the vote of 10,5001. for its purchase.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that be had not been able to communicate with Lord
Cowleyon the subject, and was unable to answer the
question.

WAYS AND MEANS.
THE TEA AND SUGAR DUTIES.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said,
—lt will be in tie recollection of the committee that

early in the last session I laid before them a proposal for
an alteration in the duties on tea and sugar, which were
then fixed by the existing law. That proposal referred
to a period of three years, commencing from the Ist of

April last. I propose& a certain triennial scale of duties,
which were higher than the duties that would have
been leviable under the then existing law. In conse
quence of the dissolutlon of Parliament the Government
were called upon to alter their plan. I accordingly with-
drew my proposition for a triennial settlement of the duties
upon tea and sugar, and I afterwards introduced a reso-
lution, and subsequently a bill, to fix these duties for a
year, commencing on the lit of A pril last. The propo-
sition underwent a very full discussion, and it is unne-
cessary for me now to repeat the arguments that were
then used upon the subject, inasmuoh as, the discussion
being so recent, they are, no doubt, within the recollec-
tion of the committee. The effect of that alteration of

the law was that the duties on tea and sugar, although
fixed at a lower rate than that which existed for the year
ending the lst of April last, were fixed at a rate which
was higher than that at which they would have stood it
that Act had not passed. But the rate was fixed only
for the year commencing the let of April last, and end-
ing the Ist of April, 1853. The resolution which I have

now placed in your hands, sir, is not intended to make I
any alteration in the duties upon tea and sugar which are
leviable under the existing Act until the Ist of April
next, and, although it does purport to substitute certain
duties for those existing from the present time, neverthe-
less it makes no change in those duties up to the Ist of
April next. The object which I really have in view is
to continue for two years from the Ist of April next the
duties which are now leviable by law up to that date.
It a measure substantially to carry into effect the propo-
sition I made at the beginning of the session with respect
to the two years from the Ist of April next, and
which was dropped in consequence of the dissolution.
The committee will understand that I do not propose to
make any alteration in the Ways and Means for the
existing year, but I merely propose to continue the ex-
isting duties as they stand at present for two years from
April next. I should not have felt it mydutyto make any
proposition now with regard to the tea and sugar duties
any more than with regard to the income tax, for which
I also proposed a triennial settlement, were it not for
the circumstance that, with respect to articles which are
imported, as in the case of tea entirely, and sugar par
tially, from great distances, it is expedient to give as long
a notice of the intended duties as is possible—(hear)—
because a short notice is extremely embarrassing and
I disadvantageous to merchants and traders, and, more.