The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-15 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

Several petitions wry a presenttd against Sunday labour
in the Post-utlice.
1.;60N 'presented a petition against the
Kirriage Bin.
Mr. PAC KE preser ted a petition praying for the
extension of the jurisdiction o f County Courts.
Mr. CALEY prsseuted a similar petition from Derby.
Mr. A. nAsnE pr,sented a petition from Glasgu.,

against the Marriage Bill.
Mr. ELLIS presented a petition to the same effect
from a place, in Scotland ; also a petition praying fur
the abolition of wll taxes on knowledge.
Me. C. LUSHINGTON presents,' 1 a petition from the
Northern Star-office praying for the abolition of taxes
on kuowleege.
'An iloN. ftinatuEa presented a petition from R)e
againit any alteration in the law relating to the Mer-
chant Seamen's Fund.
Mr, BERKLEY presented a petition from the del-
ten..Eraminer-uface, praying fur the abolition of taxes on
knowledge. .
Mi. 13. SMITH preset td six petitions from places in
cotlaucl, praying that a solemu affirmation might be sub-
stituted in lieu of an oath.
Mr. SPOONER. moved that the petitions from Bir-
niinglianefor re munerat'on to medical men for their ser-
;lees in cases of railway accidents presented yesterday be
printed.
Mr. TIIORNELY said the petitions bad been
Lefore the Committee of Public Petitionewho had ordered
them to ho printed; they had accordingly been sent to
the printer's, and uo dtubt they would be in the hands of
Hon. Members on Monday.
Mr. SPOONER was particularly anxious to have them
printed with the votes, as they contained important stare--
meets, which ought ter meet the eye of Lion. Members.
if they wet e printed with other papers, there was little
chance of their. ever being opened.
Mr. THORNELY said Le should still resist the motion.
Mr. SPOONER would nut put the House to the trouble
of dividing. and the motion was withdrawn with leave.
Mr. FOX MAULE presented several petitions from
pfaces in Zient'and against the Marriage Bill.
Lord ASHLEY presented a large number of petitions
praying for the abolition of the relay system in factories.
CHESTER AND HOLYEIBAD RAILWAY..
An Hoy. MEMBER gave notice that, on Tuesday next,
he should Ince° fur copies of all correspondence which
had taken plena tette( en the Admiralt), the Treasury,
add the Chester and Holyhead, or any other company on
the subject of carrying the mails between Holyhead and
Dublin, with the view of founding a motion upon it, fur
e the appointment of a Committee to inquire into the facili-
ties that are afforded to the public by any arrangements
the Admiralty had entered into for carrying the mails
between Holyhead and Kingston.
IRISH POOR-LAW.
Mr. HENRY HERBERT moved for copies of so
much of the correspondence of the Poor-law Commis-
sioners of Ireland with the boards of guardians, during
the last six months, as relates to the question of giving
or withholding out-door relief i detailed account of the
exi en3es ,which have, been incurred by the several
boards of t;usidniiis in providing increased work-
house atcommodati6ni copies: of forty-eight general
orders. Issued by the Commissioners for administer-
' jog' the Laws for Relief of the Poor in Ireland, under
the Act 1 and 2-Vic. e.. 56; nominal return of the poor-
laty in Ireland, where the affairs have been ad-
rniiiistered by paid guardians, and stating the periods of
such administration ; and, return otrthe amount of the
debts, claim's, and liabilities, exclusive of thoie owing to
the 'Government, against those ingots when the . ad-
ministration by paid guardians commAned and termi-
' • nated.—A#ved to.
POLICE INSPECTOR COWARD.
Sir H. WILLOUGHBY wished to, ask the Right
lion. Gentleman the Secretary of State fur the 'Home
Depaitment, whether his intention had been drawn to
the conduct of police inipectur Coward, as it appeared
in eiideneein a late criminal proceeding at the Central
Criihinal Court?
Six GEORGE 'GREY replied that an inquiry lad
already been institu.ed into the conduct of the officer,
and it:though he lied ceitain;y been guilty' of indis-
eiretion; it appeard now in a very different light to what
it did aeshort thee ago.
UNION.
Me.'POULErr SCROI:g asked the First Lord of
the.Tx, a.ury whether ray meesure was in contemplation
hy 'the 'teioverunieid to check he wholesale evictions and
' house-levelling which is stain progress in the Kilrush
• • and ether. Irish unions, and which threaten to depopu-
late those districts?
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said there was no measure
oh 'the subject evictions in immediate contemplation
by the G-uverement: The question e f evictions was one
waeh lay at the root of the relationship between land-
lord and tcnant.
ACCIDENTS ON RAILROADS.
Mr. SPOONER gave nut co tbst en Monday next he
would ask the President of ihe Evard of Trade whether
heiveut& be pre' ari d to fut mit to the House some mea-
Sure with rtferetice to the 1 abli!y of railway companies
in cases of accident.
Mr. A. STAFFORD took occasion to protest against
any inference being drawn from the anonymous report
which had been, quoted by the Hon. Member for Stroud
with reference to the state of the union of Kilrusb.
Mr. P. SCRO-PE said his authority was Captain Ken-
nedy himself..
IRISH REGISTRATION.
Mr. STAFFORD asked 'Lord J. Russell when be
would be prepared to go on with Ole Irish Resign-
Sion Bill?' • • •

Lord J. RUSSELL hoped to do so on Monday,
DUTY ON BRICKS.
Mr. CARDWELL presented a petition from the
Arcbceological Society in favour of a removal of the
duty on bricks.
SAVINGS' BANKS.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer entered the House
shortly before five e clock, and took his seat on the
Treasury bench amidst loud cheers from all parts of the
House. The Right Honourable Gentleman appeared to
have entirely recovered from his recent indisposition.
Mr. REYNOLDS immediately afterwards rose to ask
the Right Hon. Gentleman whether he intended to bring
in a Bill on the subject of savings' banks.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said a
Bill had been prepared on the subject, and he should
take the earliest opportunity after Easter of bringing it
forward.
Mr. REYNOLDS said, the answer of the Right Hon.
Gentleman was highly satisfactory.
Mr. HERBERT wished to ask the Right Hon. Gee-
tleman a question in connexion with this subject. Was
it the intention of Government to introduce:any measure,
or take any steps to reimburse the depositors who had
lost their money by the failure of the Rochdale, Dublin,
and other savings' banks during the hit two years.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said a
Committee had been appointed to inquire into the mat-
ter, and he should be wanting in respeat to that Com-
mittee if he answered. the question.
LORD-LIEUTENANCY OF IRELAND.
Mr. REYNOLDS wished to ask the Noble Lord at
the head of the Government whether it was the inten-
tion of Ministers to introduce a Bill this session for the
abolition'of the office °fiord Lieutenant ot Ireland?
LordJOHN RUSSELL said a Bill was preparing on
the subject, and he should give due notice is the House
before introducing it.—(A laugh.)
HUNGARIAN REFUGEES.
Mr. B. OSBORNE said as the Noble Lord the Secre-
tary for Foreign Affairs was not in his place to answer
a question he had given the Noble Lord notice of, he
should take an early opportunity of calling the attention
of the House is the conduct of the Turkish Government
towards the Hungarian refugees.
THE BUDGET.
The House then went into Committee of Ways and
Means, when
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER imme-
diately rose to bring forward the financial statement of
the Government. He commenced by thanking the House
for the kindness it had evicted towards him during his
illness, and then went on to ask the indulgence cf the
House while he entered upon his budget, not only on
account of his own indisposition, but for any inaccu-
racies that might creep into his statement.—(Hear, hear.)
Some of his Hon. Friends who sat behind him, be said,
were always anxious for an early budget, but at this
-early period of the session it was impossible to disclose
it with that degree of accuracy which it was desir-
able should always characterise a statement of this nature.
It was the duty of a person in his capacity .to state
what he fairly believed would be the probable income
and expenditure of the year now ensuing. With regard
to the expenditure. Honourable Gentlemen were aware
that it was necessary that the vote for the ensuing
year should contemplate certain excesses which
might have taken place in the navy, army, and
ordnance expenditure. The accounts of the navy,
army, and ordnance expenditure were not wade up till
the end of April, therefore it was impossible to form a
correct estimate of what those excesses might be. That
which was valuable for the House to have was such
an estimate as the person who made it might be
honestly and conscientiously able to say was re.illy a
true: state of the case. -Last year it was impossible to
make anything like an accurate estimate, considering
the time of the year when it was made. The circum-
staeces of this year were./more favourable to such a cor-
rect estimate. He had now to lay before the House
two estimates; of the income and expenditure ; one
for the year ending :sth April next. and another
for the year ending sth April, 1851. After referring in
touching terms to the death of a publio servant this
morning, by whom ho had been assisted in the business
of his office, the Right Hon. Gentleman proceeded to
say, when he hid before the House his estimate
of the income for the last year he estimated
the probable income at 52,262,000!. Up to January last
the receipts amounted to 52,874,000/4 the income up to
the sth April next he could not estimate at so
large a sum ; :but he believed, therefore, that the
probable income of the financial year ending sth
April next would amount to 52,785,5001.
Up to the sth of April next he estimated that the pro-
bable income would he '52,785,5001., while the expendi-
ture he calculated at 50,533,3514, which would give a
surplus of income over expenditure of about two millions
and a quarter. The House would be gratified to hear
that the actual expenditure in the last ear had been
less than the estimates by about 1,625,0001., which in-'
eluded about 400,0004 Rut to the account of naval
excess, and he holed. that this would he taken as
a proof that in every possible way consistent
with the public service attention had be3i raid to
economy. With regard to the estimates of ibis year, he
was afraid that there was not much encouragement for
quite so favourable a picture. In the first place, he
thought they must look for a considerable fallteig off in
the article -of Castling, which might be ascribe.' to
several causes, among others to the reduction upon
the duty in sugar which had taken place in Juno last.
Now, the decrease in the receipts upon foreign sugar he
found from the returns which were wale up to sth of
March this year, and up to the 12th of March la: t year,
was not less than 626,0001.—(Hear, tea'.) lie men-
tioned this in order to show that the expectations of
those who anticipated very large is luctions in the
Customs duties could not be realised.—
(Hear, hear.) Whatever increase bad occurred
had been tound to arise from the import of colonial pro-
duce.—(Bear, hear.) All the increase bed been from
our own colonies. In Derck Guiana they Were com-
plaining that they could find no market for their pro-
duce in consequence of the competition of the British colts.
nice, and there, accordingly, the gel west distress prevailed.
He was desirous of stating this in order to aid, further,
the fact that erreteous impressions prevailed in the
public mind respecting the sources of our prosperity.—
(Cries of .‘ Hear, hear.") But on other topics he could
speak with more confidence.' In 1848-9 the importa-
tion of brandy had been 577,0004, giving an accession
to then revenue of 43,3001:. This was partly owing'
to the state ot the - cornineree c f the country,
and partly to the alarm which prevailed respecting
cholera.—(llear, hear.) The other increase was upon
gin, rum, and the various.products of the British colo-
nies. During the last year the increase had been in the
duty reports 118,000 gallons, showing an increase of
duly cf 139,0001., and in 1849 the quantity was 559,786
gallons, showing an increase of 381,000 gallons.
It was not likely the same quantity of grain would be
imported next year. He estimated the probable receipts
of the Customs for the ensuing year at 20 millions. On
all the other items, he was happy to say, there were the
strongest reasons for expecting an increase. The Excise
produced last year 13,980,0001., and there were
circumstances to warrant his taking tee receipts of the
e xcise for the ensuing year 14,450,000/. Another item
(the nature of which we could not catch) he calculated
would amount to 6360,0001., the assessed taxes to
4,320,01)0/.; the income tex",,i5,010,0001.; the post-ellice,
820,000/. ; crown lands, 160,000/. ; miscellaneous,
260,0001.; old stores, 410,000/.; making altogether
a probable income of 52,285,0001. On the otter
side of the account there were these items
—lnterest on funded debt, 27,700,000/4 interest on
Exchequer. bills, 405,000/., making the charge or debt
to 28,105,0001. The other charges on the consolidated
fund of 2,500,0001., 5,849;4234, and 764,2361., would
make a total of these latter items of 1,613,1551.
T 1 e army estimates at present on the table amounted to
6,109,347/., the militia estimates were 110,000/., and
the commissariat department 500,0004, making a total
in the army estimates of 6,629,3471. The ordnance
estimates were 2,434,417/., and the army and navy esti-
mates together were 15,677,452/., and these items
added to the other he had mentioned made
an expenditure of 50,612,182/. In accordacce, however,
with the general wish of the House, expressed last year,
he proposed to :increse the vote for the new House of
Parliament, while, if the Bill of his Right
Honourable Friend the President of the Board
of Trade passed, would impose an additional
charge of 30,0001 on the Consolidated Fund.—(Herr.)
there would also be a further .charga this year for the
Arctic Expedition, and he propbsed, therefore, to take
a margin of 150,000/., making the probable expenditure
50,763,5821. leaving a surplus of 1,521,4101., but taking
off a further margin, the total surplus of receipts over
expenditure might be written down at 1,500,0001.
Now that balance- sheet of January was made known to
the public just after the meeting of Parliament, both in
and out ot the House; and there were persons who had
been very anxious to save him the slightest trouble in
disposing of that surplus.—(Laughter.) Hardly was the
belace-sheet out when his Noble Friend (Lord John
Russell) received a large dcqutatiOn interested in the re-
dr:dc_utnieotnicen.totte. tea. They state d a great advantage would
r. suit to the consumers cf tea in this country from the
ea.iniitheowseatrshee duty in the increase of our trade with
force representations
te Int straot
iseends
antsto say
perhaps
bestre wpaeshneoyt
as a genet al rule was to reduce duties to such an amount
as nut to interfere with the consumption of the articles
orderon w
itc he
ah
attaint y w etrheaitm imposed.—(Hear, d
it ( ewasrs, h .) Bu in
t indispensably
necessary that the House would not think it
right to dispose of the small surplus of last year
in the reduction cf • the- deity on tea. The
amount received from the &Iron tea 'last year was
5,471,0004 The duty on tea was now 2s. 2d. per lb.
The duty on the same import at Is., would only produce
2,500,0001., leaving. therefore, a first loss of
no less than 3,000,0004 To, recover the reve
nue up to 3,000,0001., would require an increase
of consumption to the extent of 10,000,000;bs.
Taking it in its most favourable light, there would be
a loss ut 2,500,000/. The next proposition he received
was a deputation asking for a't eduction cf the duty on
windows, bricks, and soap. The duty on there articles
last year amouted in the aggregate to 3,275,000/.
they had also a proposition to reeeal the duty en paper
to the amount of 754,0001., the advertisemeet duty of
157,0004, and the certificate duty, which amounted to
170,00 c/. Be was quite aware that very strong argu-
ments might be adduced in favour of the repeal of
these duties ; but be must say that, lookirg at the
interests of the great bedy i f the working classes
if the country there were not duties which had the first
claim. A proposition had been made also for the reduc-
tion of the duties on timber used in ship building. He
certainly had not been prepared to find so much value
attached to this tax as appeared to be now,
but, taking everything into consideration, be could
not at present come to any certain decision on
the subject. He hoped the House would not expect him
to do so, for as of late he had been prevented by, his

health from seeing any one, he had not had the opportte
nity of communicating with persons best acquainted with
these subjeots; but he would do so, and at present he
wouid not state anything definite to the House
on the subject. They had also a proposition
to reduce the malt-tax, amounting to
5,225,0001., but it must be obvious that nnlesa
the House were prepared to vote some substitute for the
deficiencies would occur to some considerable amount
there was no chance that any Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer could come down to the House prepared to make
such a large reduction. The next proposal was one made
by an Hon. Gentleman, whom he regretted not to see in
his place to-night (Mr. Disraeli) to transfer as many
items of local taxation to the general fund. It was almost
impossible to calculate the amount of that transfer, but it
was probable that it would be two millions and a half.
He was quite sure that the object of the policy which
had been adopted was to give the greatest advantage to
the whole community, and the policy which had pre-
vailed for the last ten years had besot instrumental in
the reduction of from 1,600,0001. to 2,000,000/. of annual
taxation.—(lleac, hear.) At least 1,000,0001. of the
taxation of the county had been permanently re-
moved in consequence of the charges which her
Majesty's present Government had temcved.—(Hear.)
they had iudeel only followed out the plan which had
been adopted by Hon. Gentlemen on the other side of the
House, who were now in the Opposition.— (Hear. hear.)
He was the more anxious to move this, because he saw
in the opposition which had been offered there was an
evident attempt to delay, if not altogether to
frustrate, the policy which had been pursued during
the last twenty years. In 1825, Mr. Huskisson had first
propounded the principles upon which Government had
during late years acted. The object e f that policy was
to remove from the working classes those burdens which
they had heretofore borne, and to place them on those
whose attained property would enable them well to bear
them.—(Loud and continued cheering.) This was the
reason why they had continually proposed the removal
of the restrictions on commerce, and the reduction of the
duties upon the necessaries of life and the articles which
are requisite for the conaf and well-being of the poor.
Since the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite (Sir R. Peel)
took office in 1840, duties on copper, sugar, and other
articles, had been repealed to the extent of 7,600,000..
On sugar alone the duties repealed could not
have been far short of a million. 8,650,000).
might be clearly taken as the amount of reduction of
duties on articles of consumption. Taking the reduction
on foreign sugar from 635. to 235., the average amount
for three years alone would be 1,600,0001. Many other
indirect taxes had been repealed, and the result
considerable benefit to large masses of the people,
including every order and every class.—(Bear.) All
I these reductions had been approved of by a large ma-
jority of the House. Now let him ask, did they believe
the state of shins pointed out by Huskistos bad come
Ito pass? Capital had accumulated, and every large
I town in the kingdom had increased in size
and population, especially this large metropo-
lis. Since Huskisson lost his Eft on the first
railway that was ever opened, 220,000,0001. bad been
invested i' railways. Within the last five years as much
as 140,000,0001. had been expendedon these undertakings
He thought he need not refer to more conclusive proof
than that of the accumulated wealth and capital of su-
perior classes of this great country, but could he con-
gratulate them on a similar improvement in the condi-
tion of the working classes?—(Hear, hear.) Certainly
it was creditable to the age that much more attention
was paid now than formerly to the condition of the
working man.—(Cheers.) But let the House look at the
report of the Factory Commission, the Mines Com-
' mission, the Sanitary Commission, and, above all, the
last report of the Commission appointed to inquire into
the operations of the law of settlement; and he was
afraid the House would have to confess that the condi-
' tion of the poorer classes was still miserable in
the extreme.—(Cheers.) And yet in the face
of all this two hundred and fifty gentlemen
in that Houss had recently been found voting for a pro-
position which would have had the effect of relieving
property from taxation by imposing it on articles of
consumption and the raw materials of labour.—(Cheers.)
He believed, however, that had those Hon. Gentlemen
fully considered and weighed these facts which he had
just brought before thew, they never could lave voted
for any ouch proposal.—(Cries of `• Hear, hear.")
He thought the past policy of the House had been beth
sound and just, and although they had been troubled
with a famine in Ireland, and a commercial crisis which
for a time had palletised the trade of the
country, he believed they were now approaching
that period when the whole country would reap
the full benefit of that policy.—(Hear, hear.) He COL,
ceeded to the Honourable Gentlemen who had voted for
that proposal, that great pressure bad been felt in the
agricultural districts from the change, but from in-
formation which be had recently received, be was very
much mistaken indeed if this pressure had not now
almost entirely passed away.—(Cries of " Oh, oh.")
He confessed he thought that the complaints which were
made throughout the country were a little premature.
He must admit, however, that the price of corn had
been lower than he anticipated it would be.—(Hear,
hear, from the Protectionists.) But at the same time
he thought it pretty clear that the present prices could
hardly be permanet t, or attributed to the operation
of free trade. He saw only yesterday a report which
had been presented to the President of the French Re-
public from the Council of Agriculture, Commerce, and
Manufacture in France, in which they spoke of the dis-
tressed state of agriculture in that country, and
where, too, agriculture was protected, in language
stronger than any that had been used iu the
most depressed districts in Frigland. It was obvious
that the low prices of corn in that country could not be
anributed to any importation from foreign countries.—
(Hear, hear.) Ile believed that the solution was simply
that there had b.eu an unusually abundant harvest.
The exportation we had received to any
very' great extent was hardly beyond what he
had anticipated from those csuntries which were
not usually exporting countries. Be found, for instance,
in France, the aserago pr.ce of wheat for eight years
ending 1845, was 48.. Id ; in Belgium, during the seven
years ending 1845, was- 495. odd; and in Amsterdam,
during the six years ending 1845, was 48s. 10d. Ile
had shown that in those three neighbouring countries,
from which we derived so large a supply, the average
price of grain was under 84s. per quarter.
He was fully convinced that the result of the late com-
mercial alteration had bad the effect of inciting those
engaged in agricultural to further exertion, and he felt
.fell reliance in the energy and spirit of the British
farmer that he would surmount all his diffi-
culties, elthoug h ho was aware that many in
that endeavour might fail. Such was an inevit-
able consequence of all gnat improvement?,
—to take a familiar instance,—were not all who lived at
a distance from London aware e.f• the great numbers that
had been deprived of ti *air em; loy meat by the introduc-
tion of railways, and been obliged to turn their ehdea-
yours to some other means of getting a livelihood. But still
no one thought of stopping the railroads on that account.
Great improvements went on, and though ISOILO persons
might be injured, no ono thought of stopping the in
provcments. He had touched upon all the propo. ale
which had been made for the disposal of his surplus.
Now he came to the views of her Majesty';
Government on that point—he had thought it right
to touch upon these proposals first, because it was
probable that they might be in the House, and be thought
it was as well that the House should be aware f the
views of her Majesty's Government on all of them pre-
viously. The surplus amounted, as he had already
stated, to 1,500,0001. Looking back at what
had taken place during late years, the chief desire
of her Majesty's Government, was to effect some reduc-
tion in the debt—and the manner in which that was to
be done, would require great and careful consideration.
If lion. Gentlemen would only refer to the money which
lisel been borrowed of late years, they would immedi-
ately perceive tt e stringency of the motive by which he
was actuated.—(Hear, hear.) In 1833.4 the sum of
3,000,0001. had been borrowed ; in 1841, the
sum of 5,000,0001. had . been borrowed; and in
1847, when the House refused to accede to
his motion for the permanent increase cf the
income-tax he had been compelled to go out of doors
and borrow the sum of 8,000,000/. Since then the sum
of 2,000,000/. had been borrowed, so that during the
years that bad ensued since the reduction of the war
taxation, no less a sum than 38,000,0001. had been added
to our national debt. Against this, however, there was an
Offset of 11,000,0001., which had been paid, thus sliming
that the permanent increase of the debt was 27,000,0001.
since, the attempt had been concluded for the reduction
of the impositions occasioned by the war.—(Hear, hear.)
To remedy this evil the only plan that could be adopted
was the reduction of the debt, and to pay off a portion
of the obligations which had been incurred during the last
ten years. The House had met his proposal for a con-
tinuance of the income-tax during an ensuing ten years
with a.decided negative.—(Hear, hear.) Be had made
that proposition in the hope of clearing the debt.—
(Hear, hear.) If they could not prepare for this in
a time of profound peace, when could they
do it? • What would they think of any
dpirsinvasttreoupserspoenrtwodb,o
awn ads oybeltigreedrusteod get
to
pirnotroiddeebftorinthae
obligations which he bad • incurred when more
prosperous
therosper timeseoousnrsoof th
csmere presentound.—(H yearear,a a ndcheeri.)
In moat
important question would come before the House,
viz., the removal of the income-tax, and
without entering into the opinions of parities on the
subject he would simply say that it was obvious
that this tax must be continual if any fur-
ther reductions were made in our taxa-
tion. The Honourable Member for Buckinghamshire
bad spoken cf the advantages which would be derived
by maintaining a high state of credit by the public
keeping an abundant available security. He (the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer) thought the income-tax was
a necessary element in maintaining that credid. A Mem-
ber for a large county in Ireland had stated that the cre-
dit produced by the income tux had enabled gentlemen
in Ireland to relieve their estates from incumbrances.
It was desirable, nevertheless, that some relief
should be given to the lauded interest, and
the first measure he should propose was one
which he hoped would be of some benefit to
the occupier and small holders of land. None but a large
reduction of rents could bent fit the occupier. The altered
state or the law, however, requited that there should be
same reduction, and when he remembered the cheapness
that the present policy was producing he thought
that reduction ought to be readily made.
Comparing the last year with the present, he believed
employment in the agricultural districts was
increased
improvement
cf the labourer would be still further improved.
d
condition
now greater than it was in the corresponding
period o f last i
nye
thear;
cualntidvalteionbeoltetibeed soilb
th y an
ne
the welfare of the community at large advanced. This
could only be intended by an outlay of capital
on the part of the landlord ; and he was
anxious that no obstacle should be thrown in

the way of his doing that. Now the stamp.
duty on a 501. sale of property was 124 percent.; on 1001.
si/. per cent.; on 300/. 2i/. per cent.; on 5001, 11. 14e.
3d. per cent.; and above that sum 11. per cent.
It was obvious, therefore, that in the case of
the small owner, he was not in an equal
position with his richer neighbour. (Hear,
hear.) Ho therefore proposed that there should
be a considerable reduction of the stamp duty on the
transfer of property up to the value of 1,000/.
Ifs proposed then to make some reduction on the
duty on mortgages, on the stamps for leases, so as to
reduce both to an uniform rate of per centage. The
Government had also a great anxiety to improve the
condition of the labourer, to increase his employment,
and to provide better accommodation for him in dwelling
(LEFT SPEAKING.)