The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-10 00:00:00

ninocloubtedly. ----
to a Char cellr,r, of the
but wtll
hilst t atiie on i): ,
thq &lies en-re nt cessery, it WRS CLIC,' 01
Chsn'e'ellor of the Exchequer to look to them. -But
there being three millions and a half of houses in, this
tr conndutto three millions were exempts,: from
they, p oor +.4' ithat the window-tax was levied mainly en
tOO benefit the rich, wsta a.,sertion
eidudly -
fact.
reason of vie disomn-
not
so
InillreVaikd the divellin4s of the poor, was
'" the operation it ties tax, as it fr,:m
goal' 'n(l3l Poverty. A c.itz.,ge ait n six wind°, s w,as
on the Property, and one of ti-itit class `having tw r o apul.2
would ground floor was better, as litany Lion. Members
in the PerhaPs think, than ninety-:411:e out of a hundred
.h
they
wis"euntr.Y. It must be otivioui to the flows that
Q
rPlan was to adopt the old principle of keeping
the burdens
Ictvhich we had, rather than go to ( there
wheY knew nothing. of; and holding that principle
at -
saw 11: "A'illing to give up the window-lax until he
/slobleisFwaY clearlywith a fitting substitute; and his
of this Friend had referred to the oppressive operation
to the
tax upon the poor, hut he must know, that the
tax was taken off hy Lord Al thore, in preference
tea window-tax, because the former did not so ma-
re,`4llY affect the richer classes of society. For these
ituseba• and for those which were contained in the
occasions,
he had made to the House on previous
Nobrbs, he felt it leis duty to resist the motion of his
Noble Friend.whLic°l..rd DIJILEY STUART said that this tax was one
.ereorpeourt.vioernY naturally affected the interests of the great
of the inhabitants of the metropolis, who
Were exceedingly anxious to see it repealed, as was
11;1nPlyremh testified by the number of petitions presen ed, and
Si aviary had the honour to present one, which was
a'r7 0Y 5000 ratepayers cf the parish of Marylebone,
, es desirous of saying a few words upon the subject.
greauteeli"Qd there was no tax that was looked upon with
r aversion by the people of this country. It was
tax ne •
ch_ such had hutted for a great many years, and had
ass been the occasion of murmur, aversion, and cla-
d Ilr•—(Hear hear.) He thought his Noble Friend had
ill)" himself honour hy his motion, and had endeared
I,Qm.. self to the people of the country, and that the Go-
reuraent, by resisting it, had done exactly the contrary.
bee remembered the way in which his Noble Friend had
was not
met on a former occasion two sessions ago. It
Xobl"t the Chancellor of the Exchequer then, but the
e Lord at the head of the Government, who intro-
ttiu'ohd a budget, and in- it a proposal was made thet the
ts_ me•tax sheuld be increased. The Noble Lord en-
otted the House to accede to his proposition, portray-
t.,a the most calamitous consequences in the event of
ilsal) and said that after two years they would have
rtt excess of revenue, and that prosperity would
tt„ urn. The Noble Lord forgot for the moment to
ti! the official caution of not mentioning the exact
Cue, and he had turned out right in the time which
e aid mention. The House did not answer his appeal.
et refus
coin ed to vote the additional 2 per cent. on the in-
-0'bl; notwithstanding which, none of the disasters
oe,
urred which the Noble Lord predicted. Prosperity
1,814 now returned to the country, and he wanted to
hocw from what taxes they were to be relieved. If the
4 ep following, the course which it had adopted on the
wejeasion to which he alluded, would refuse to grant the
ntlow-tax at al', the Government would soon find a
Chancellor
of getting on without it.—(Hear, hear.) The
of the Exchequer had remitted the duty on
slicks' which he did not say would not benefit the poorer
asses, but certainly it was of minor consequence. As
to
the stamp-duty remission, which was also contem-
plated,i he believed it would prove no remission at all;
„either did he believe that the revenue would lose by
I'4econtemplated change. Whenever the motion for the
repeals of thin tut was made, they had the same an-
i:ti3Over and over again from every Chancellor of the
thecueenee•
r who had resisted it, viz., that they wanted
The money. The uniform opinion of men of science on
fe prejudicial operation of this tax in a sanitary point
eti• ought to show the Government the inconsistency
f a"wieg it to remain in force; and if the Chancellor
the Exchequer still said that the revenue could not
bear the reduction, he would have him to consider
whether the country would much longer submit to lay
IL Re should cordially support his Noble Friend's
motion.—(near.)
, Sir GEORGE PECHELL observed that it was now
'5 Years since he heard the Chancellor of the Exchequer
,Inferrn the House that if the Gallant Officer the Mere-
Der for Winchester would withdraw his motion for the
rePtal of the window duty, it should be taken into con-
eideration in the next session. That was in June, 1835,
and since then they had six Chancellors of the Exche-
quer, and yet the question remained at the present day
Precisely where it did then. The number of cases de-
cided by the judges on appeals, showed the large amount
of sarcharges,annually made in the assessment to this
obnoxious tax; and so difficult was it for a person to
understand the nature of his surcharge, that many par-
ties submitted to it rather than contest it with the sur-
veyor. A mere aperture in the wall counted as a win-
dow, so that a man did not know when he was safe.
People thought they were safe under Lord Althorp's
Act, but that was no security, for a gentleman who had
compounded for seventeen windows under that Act, had
opened twenty-five, and upon an appeal he was sur-
charged, it having been held that he had lost his occupa-
tion by having let his house to a tenant. He also
Stated the case of a farmer, who was surcharged, which
he quoted, to induce the friends of the farmer to support
the motion.
Sir BENJAMIN HALL said, when a subject of im-
Penance was debated in that House, the public devoted
attention to it. In a morning paper of that day it was
laid that the present question was brought forward
under difficulties, as it preceded the financial statement
of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, so that it would be
objected it was premature, and if postponed it would
then be said it was too late. He saw no reason that the
Irish should be exempted from this tax, while it was ls-
Vied in this country. They had a right to be placed on
the same footing with the Irish. This question might
be regarded as a sanitary measure, and he hoped his
Noble Friend would persevere in bringing this question
jforward every session, for it was only by continually
y
-"ekinte at the door that he could succeed.
Mr. HUME said there was now levied between fifty-
seven and fifty-eight millions of taxation, although ten
:Lean ago it was not more than fifty-two millions a year.
lie saw no reason why this large amount of taxation
Should not be reduced. The only way to diminish the
expenditure of the country was by refusing the vote cf
money to the Government. The amount of the tax
was eighteen hundred thousands a year, and if they
wished for a reduction of taxation, the way
Was to remove this tax, and they would then find the
Government bringing forward diminished estimates in
the various departments of expenditure which were now
Unnecessary. They ought to put the screw on the Go-
Vernment, and keep it on, if they wished to enforce
eeunDiny. It was said there was nothing new in this
Question; that was not the case. Since this question
Was first introduced they had learned the importance of
Sanitary regulations, and nothing was more calculated to
Promote health than light and air. A petition was pre-
sented to that House signed by eighty-eight medical
Mete which stated that giving light and air by removing
this tax would promote health, and be economic by re-
itieving the poor-rates. The amount now levied could
be obtained from the parties now paying it in another
Nvel, but which would not prevent the free access of
light and air. The withdrawal of the African squadron
rWould
, make up the loss sustained by repealing this tax.
45 would, at all events, contribute 700,000/. If they,
therefore, would do away with this tax, they would soon
Ref, rid of the squadron.
Lord ROBERT GROSVENOR said, considering. the
!aterest the Government took in the question of sanitary
11uProvement, their refusal to repeal or modify this tax
Was done with a great less of character.
%. Lord DUNCAN, in reply, said the speech which
'e had first made in support of this ;notion had not been
Yet answered ; and, under these circumstances, he had
t:e other course to pursue in proposing his motion than
'0 reiterate the speech which he had first made it: its
support. The course pursued by the Government with
Nard to this measure would disparage their sincerity
lu promoting sanitary reforms.
The House then divided, when there appeared—
For the motion
Against it ••• ••• ••• 80
Majority ••• ••• ••• ••• —3 The announcement of the division was received with
several rounds of cheering by the minority.
L,,,,NCIMIBERED ESTATES (IRELAND) BILL.
hr SOLICITOR-GENERAL, in asking leave to
g in a Bill to provide more simple and effectual se-
eulties for advances to purchasers of encumbered estates
Q Ireland, said that this Bill was intended sclely for the
es
Vieth of proprietors of estates in Ireland. The object
g7lthe measure, as alleged by some persons, was not
Ireland.
for the benefit of English purchasers of land in
e.e'llud• He did net think that any single measure
Culd be introduced that would produce arty eery exten-
® number of English purchasers of hued in Ireland.
:II Making advances to purchasers of land in Ireland
"wo objects should be aimed at; first, to induce advances
of Money; and, second, to make the repayment of the
tn
-411eY advanced as secure as possible. In order to se-
-
,ure these, objects the earious provisions of this Bill
‘',ere drawn up. They provided for the security of the
advance by giving a power of sale in three months, in
"eltnt of the regular payment of interest, which
Was also provided for. A Parliamentary title
Would be given by means of a certificate in
a certain forte, which could be transferred
When desired, as easily as a bill of exchange. Upon this
security proprietors of land could easily obtain advances
t),.t. money for the improvement of the land. Without
land
possession of capital it was impossible to make the
asaud productive. There was a very large amount of
rcitley in England, which it might be possible to divert
-44,te this channel of Irish improvement. If the Bill had
this effect it would be most beneficial to Ireland. If it
had not that effect it would he a dead letter. It could do
harm to any one. He anticipated great benefit from
Sue, substitution of a Parliamentary title instead of the
rgsent expensive and elaborate mode of conveyauce. He
dPed the House would allow the measure to he intro-
llieed• that they might see what it was. Undoubtedly
subject
would be great difference of opinion upon this
iect but the general feeling in Ireland seetroel to he
tavour of the general scope and principle of the race-
sure„

Colonel DUNNE said that undoubtedly this measure
.Zou hadld be of great imursued on a portance to Ireland. By the course
attraetin
p former occasion he had succeeded
tq g
public attention. The Bill now they were
t,Tld was to be for the benefit of Irish proprietors, for-
"`"erly it was said to be for the hem& of Irish Yptculators.
".ha SOLICITOR-GENERAL—No.
Colonel DUNNE--Ile should say that he had the
annour of belonging to a society ettAblished two years
MO for the protection of the Irish propr:eturs, who were
Cc* to be swamped by the recent maasure of encuto-
_!red estates, and in that he Lad the concurrence of some
or the highest authorities, and
.those men who wore
,„;t4IIY disinterested, as not belonging to the British em-
mindl'lrNWhen ho reflected on this matter, he was re-
ed that that society to which he belonged had made