The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-27 00:00:00

CORN-LAWS.

Mr. HUTT presented petitions from merchants of the
city of London, and from other places, in favour of the
introdUction of corn frOrn the British' possessions in
South Africa and Australasia at the same duty as corn
imported from Canada. The Hon. Member then moved
" That this House resolve itself into a Committee of
the whole House on the Corn-laws, for the purpose of
considering the following resolution—That it is expe-‘
dient that corn imported into the United Kingdom from
the British possessions in South Africa, India, and Aus-
tralasia, be made subject to the same duty which is
levied on corn imported into the United Kingdom from
Canada." He would lay before the House, in as few
words as he could, what he considered to be a great
grievance. In the course of the last session a Bill had
been introduced by the Government, by which certain dutie
were taken off corn imported from Canada to this country.
-The subject was very fully discussed, 'and received from
the ordinary supporters of the Government a good deal
of censure. The supporters of her Majesty's Govern-
Ment being chiefly attached to the sliding scale, coin-
cided with their leaders on that principle, and attempted
to lay down the proposition that it was the day of the
Government to make the colonies entirely and solely sub-
servient to our own advantage. The Right Hon. Bart.
at the head of the Government wisely rejected such
a wild and impolitic notion. The measure the Rt. Hon.
said would give great encouragement to the agricultu-
rists of Canada, and tend to cement the union between
'the colony and the mother country. It was precisely
upon those grounds that he (Mr. Hutt) now came for-
ward to ask for a further relaxation of the corn-laws in
regard to our colonies m Southern Africa, India, and
Australasia; and be would show the House that these
colonies had still stronger claims on our sympathy and
indulgence than even Canada itself. They were at a
greater distance from England, and consequently more
exposed to the dangers which the vicissitudes of the
sliding-scale occasioned. Again, they were farther from
any corn:consuming country ; but the great argument
was that the Legislature had already applied the prin-
ciples of free trade to a portion of our *colonial empire,
and why should not those principles 'be applied to the
Cape of Good Hope and to Australasia ?—(Hear.)
-Why should not the inhabitants of those colonies
r participate in those advantages of a liberal legislation?
It was true these colonists had never risen against our
authority as was the case in Canada ; they were mem-
bers of the same community—subjects of the same
Crown, and obedient and loyal to their Sovereign, and
Why should they not receive as great favour as the
Canadians? The case of these colonies. was not like
Nova Scotia or New Brunswick, which the Government
said should be excluded from the Bill regarding Canada,
because they never produced sufficient corn for their
own subsistence. The. Right Hon. Gentleman at the
head of the Government said that Canada was a corn-
producing country, and could export it. He thought he
would be able to prove to the House that the colonies to
he referred were in the same position. Australia,
though the country about Sydney might be an excep-
tion, seemed to be very well adapted for the production
of corn. In the southern districts, and about Port
Philip,' Corn had been grown in great abundance,
and at a trifling cost. But :the great granary
of the Southern Ocean was Van Diemen's Land.
It appeared from a return laid upon the table of the
House, upon a motion of his, that a considerable quan-
tity ciwheitt was imported lad year -into this country

-
from Van Diemen's Land. It had been imported lne •
large quantities to the neighbmiring colonies in tilt
Eastern Seas ; and, notwithstanding the fluctuatiol!
the sliding-scale, 1,300 quarters of it were imported Inib.u.
this country. This was the first time that wheat,.
produce of Van Diemen's Land was brought into
country; and considering the distance, and the disadvv.kt
tages in its way, 1,300 quarters was no inconsiderably
quantity. It came into the country also in a remark.lV
fine condition ; and after paying all the costs of frelL
and the duty of 55., it left a handsome profit,_to fi
porters. There would be an extended trade with I.'',
country if the restrictions at present existing on the;::a
portation of corn were removed.—(Cheers.)
never seen corn equal in weight, and in the ;Pei ed
ness of the skin to that which was thipoat
from Van Diemen's Land. It was sold
a price varying between 625. and 705., when the ave*"
price in England was only 565. It appeared, from 1.
per which he had received from Messrs. Buckle and ;;
of Mark-lane, that the price of wheat in Van Dienlitte
Land was 385., the charges for freight were 105., ter,
duty was 55., and other charges were ss. •a clusrthie•
making a total of 58s. a quarter when imported into the.
country. It sold at between 625. and 655. This was On e
6th of October, 1843. He was informed that the cherl4
of 10s. for freight was too low, and that the„sn
owners could have but little remuneration. He WO 070,
to find that there was a reduction of duty on ell
articles which entered into the composition of YeiStehe,
and he hoped the day was not far distant AO
shipping interest would recover from its present depre..e
sion. With regard to Australia, he had a letter befo7.
him from Mr. Charles James Stephens, of Marktel
which stated that the wheat produced there was ~e7j,et.•
to the best wheat produced in Essex and Kent, anu
owing to the dryness of the country, it ,"01'
very fit for exportation, and almost as es,
when landed in this country as when it 0,
shipped. He had other testimony to the same !fec.,e4,
and various parties connected with Australia bene:es,
that if the duty was reduced to ls. it would be ell,
the settlers for the cost of increased production.
then, was the case with Van Diemen's Land. It canna.
with all the conditions which the Right Hon. Gentl6l-ete
said that Canada possessed. Now with regard to 51,je
Australia, which was founded about six years and4l7,
ago, and which before that time was merely a " linlr"mi •
'
wilderness," inhabited by wandering savages, it. e;
sessed all the opportunities of carrying on protlate,
industry. He referred with the greater pleasure tea,
because he took an active part in the Bill under riot .
the colony was founded, and had acted as one o`,.
Commissioners afterwards. The corn produce& :1".01'
was even superior to that produced in Van Diejate
Land. It sold at 725. in this country, when. the•sT'ge:
price there was below 465. It would afford a proatilehe
trade with this country, if he succeeded in inducingel) *
Legislature to agree to his proposition. The Hote°liae
tleman then read an extract from the South Auger
Observer, for the purpose of showing the cortl-cej.
ducing powers of the country, and that it pred4All.
more than was sufficient for its own consumptl9Th they
the settlers wanted was to discover places whey..e::.nde
might export their superabundant corn. The Po'teee,
able Gentleman then read extracts from two let or
from South Australia, dated the 27th of May auidnese
28th of June, 1843, to the same effect. He .woult'S
refer to the case of South Africa, and the circutasw— the
of the colony were not in any way dissimilar frulTer_
other colonies he had spoken of, except that lt tee
sionally suffered ,from want of irrrigation. on' tee
colony at the Cape exported corn. He now cache ti 3.4 to:
case of India ; and if the case was strong with reetrZie
the other colonies, it was much stronger with r tje
India. The agriculture of India had advanced verf,,,i;
since their possession of that country, audits manufeWed
once so celebrated throughout the world, were inciltri.
by the commercial and fiscal regulations of this co Here
It was strange that the advocates of protectien_ftise
quite silent with respect to India, and that the rwo.
who would most oppose his motion were those Wititob
tinually raised at home the cry of protection to, "''„efi;
industry. ,It might be said that India would bell
little byzibe measure heproposed, inasmuch aa buts'oto-
flei
quantitTa her corn would reach this countrP• te4
those who from close observation were. well aent.DL.Thet
with the internal positibtOf India, were of a d10;0,
opinion; and the press of that country were all den: Ca,
ing a similar measure for India to that granted ...who;
nada. There were large districts in the neighbuuwr bleb
of the Ganges as large in extent as Great Britain, 'hest
0
were entirely , a wheat-growing country, and .0,4(1
informed persons on the subject stated that when anode
be shipped from the Ganges at between 165. tn pith
per quarter. But wheat alone was not the 'lo'
respect to which his measure would benefit Ind foth
was an article that was imported into this countrYiroe,
India in considerable quantities. There was a n3°. tile
speotable house in the City engaged extensively sise- of
importation of flour from India—he meant the 011 001
Lawson, Norton, and Co., from whom he learne"ne of
not less than between two and three thousand Wic,diet
flour were annually imported by them fro"
'',ooel
and that there was another house in 14,;:tioll
also extensively engaged in the import the
of that article from India. He called 011 Ito
Government then to concede whit he askew 1.1.411
thought he had shown them that all the colonies !hid!
he had mentioned had fulfilled the conditions on ,„gee
they had consented to give to Canada the advn: "ier
which he now asked for those dependencies of ";li:yeia,
pire. He knew that the great difficulty of the Guoioo
meat was that there were certain influential Pef,s,„ weft
property in that House and in the country /r":
strongly opposed to any change in the corn- e' ,0101
he asked Ministers if, in their government of the
nial empire, they would be guided by the visiont.tro(•
of a few men, who looked solely to their own ifloo
The measure that he now sought to have effec'*-050'
one which common justice and policy called for f0,„404
lutely necessary. Let them govern the colonies :riasl
view to their interests—with a view to fair 101,. never
dealing—and they might be assured they won't"' .1
seek to sever themselves from the parent couittlii ;
let the Government neglect the interests of tholeitit:st
settlements, and there was reason to apprehend Ice'
the first convenient opportunity, they would in hoe
themselves for ever from the harsh rule of
Government. to°l',
Mr. MANGLES seconded the motion. lei11'wslaiAcr
in a peculiar position, and had claims upon 116 Dv or,
were possessed by none of our colonies. Not teto;
she support the army and navy, but she renutte did
oo
country four millions and a half annually. 0e ego
.o.os
think that India paid too dearly for the achreru'ehoad'r
enjoyed ; but, in common justice, we were ""
afford her every facility for paying it.
Mr. GLADSTONE said that, though he °000t
sier'
accede to the motion, he was fully sensible of, jet
portance of the object the Hon. Gentleman 07,
He had no wish to prevent experiments from beetall
with regard to the trade of India and Australitively
did not think the duties complained of were
have that effect. The 'Hon. Gentleman founcleu.oo2o
• guments very much on the conduct of the Outiosbfite
' with regard to Canada lastyear, and he undertou-atit•
that the circumstances were analogous. He tbliTsoce
E Hon. Gentleman had entirely failed to make oil.netits
The proceedings of last year themselves conta
clearest indications of the intentions of the Gu; 11!
with regard to a motion of this kind. DI .404
with plausibility against the Government, in ',et aiil"-o$
' sion on the Canada Corn Bill, that it was lint estem
• and impolitic to disturb a question of such 'W.:O fifd
for the sake of any benefits which might aes;4o,
the extension of the trade with Canada ; ancit",4
to that was not a general denial of the factltneepv
rence to the pledges which had been gieellsafentleFild
vernment in a former year. The Hon. the
therefore, was not justified in expecting ;1360;e' l`td
vernrnent would assent to this proposition. 1:1" -Or
hen •
Friend the Secretary for the Colonies, NY O
to
01. C
whether it was the intention of the.GovernmpoAl 0 e
troduce similar measures respecting the 0t11e.,,,01;7/0
said he did not scruple to declare that the, v
Government was, that such a question as wet. 0
° ,00
E. ought not lightly, and without grave Calle, .09 a-tbjii
turbed. But were these colonies really iP tea 'ha
position as Canada ? The Hon. Member 01" eil;
. r
there were petitions from these colonief"haa.Ao.
. did not apprehend that any of then' .he g,ao
titioned in the same sense, or by cortho
authentic organ, as Canada had • done'liei4Pcry
had petitioned by the highe,it.public .aut1101: a 0 ilr-pe•
, colony for many years in succession, indicecliliesen!gfje
strong and widely-spread feeling, whilst the i0.4;10%
tition emanated only from individuals eng" of es
The Hon. Gentleman spoke in his resolutionfoo4 etc
the corn trade of these colonies on the same „,(10tXoti•
that of Canada ; but he did not propose to Inlttvol6,oo'
the importation of foreign corn into them tuie7Civ
acted in the case of Canada. Thus he oraitt7A topes
tial part of the arrangement made with regrd!l.t/00;
nada. The Hon. Gentleman asked where. thhiende4itoled
to come from. He (Mr. Gladstone) arPre-vT inoteeln,
this 3s. might be highly inconvenient to Inani 'Ol
cal
in the resolution. The Hon. Gentlecosu,..,oo°_,,joei
exporting colonies, but he thought that I,ll`. G-tio
them was entitled to that appellation. Take.
of New South Wales. That was manifestlaio' seig'
and not an exporting, colony. *The ‘l"riojo,porstedo
Hope was becoming more and more !Ilietion
and not an exporting, colony. The distin
roost 8,
fact, that in the case of Canada there ViaSa,„e-oro'
pectation of establishing a trade of some elc_l7l.footitea
which, though it would not produce any boirsgMfig
lent effect in this country, was still Worthy 0.
of _O•7 ere
into consideration as furnishing the means ere, tt to
in the supply of the increasing poPul
other reasons which had induced the ti.,.°o'refilj,o,
adore_ yeroineltiecl
propose a change in that case. A panic 71,,el,in.!Aiog
in Canada, on account of the legislative Chang bratZ-ogy
and this was now an important reason. I";;..ale.t'e
ifl
for the extension of its trade. Now,. r__`).es:telg,,tif
Gentleman a right to say that these colono,
the mass were exporting colonies ? 1",.101
obvious from their circumstances that they ovo
to calculate upon any supply of corn of
taken into account in dealing with this sultleZ Oro
Diemen's Land, and in New South Wales, l';',/s.11?0,0
corn, in 1839, was 15s. a bushel and Otn_terl
year 1.840, the price of corn in Van.Dienieu.s4 got. in
ifnr o.
ImB As:
itto
wl2ass. bushel,afrom 8 s ot,or frBooins. 6a4qS.utaort9e4rs.,:er:
and, stn%;
the colony which was .the most favoUrabl 2.!0rj0,
portation' of corn to this country. ThelY___,,D7tettnbe
which showed the total quantity of corn !1:1. the
all countries, from the year 1828 to Mod,
cn
Hon. Gentleman would examine he woulu "Ailittr of
first place, that they had actually sent to the -.`,..,0f,„0
corn
than f;tohme y this
had eroznetirvyedafrmomuchthegrse;stalf2,clivitticartepog
last seven years of the period to which hee.uitit 1),10,0
they had received no amount which was w 050'wase
named. During the first seven years, the
ciong..ss
colonies exported 2,589 quarters of wlleat.„,Of
second seven years, they exported 19 Onex,l7L.::. theflit
to this country. During the first seven 1.c:77n( ,4,0
ported 7,668 quarters of wheat in the t
during the second 60Yell raze they

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