The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-30 00:00:00

THE COOPERS' TRADE.

Mr. HUME rose to call the attention of the House to
the depressed state of the coopers' trade in Great Britain,
and to move that the House would, early in the en-
suing session, take the petitions of the coopers into
consideration, with the view of relieving them
from their present distress. Great changes had been
made in our tariff, and the coopers considered that
their interests had been neglected, and their trade in-
jured. They complained that the colonial market had
been thrown open to the Americans, while a duty of 25
per cent. was maintained on the raw material used in
this country. It was, therefore, impossible for them
to compete with the Americans in the colonial market.
All that the British coopers wanted to prevent them-
selves and their families from being ruined was, to be
placed on the same footing with foreigners, with regard
to the raw material. The greatest benefit had
been experienced by those engaged in the cabinet.
making trade from the reductions which took place
in the duties on mahogany, amboyna wood, and rose-
wood. If a reduction took place on the raw material of
the wood from which staves were manufactured, he had
no doubt the change would be soon beneficially felt by
the coopers.
Dr. BOWRING seconded the motion.

The question having been put.
Mr. GLADSTONE said he was sure the Hon. Gen-
tleman did not desire to obtain the sense of the House
on this subject, and that his wish only was to raise a
discussion. He agreed with the Hon. Gentleman as to
the hardship which the coopers suffered, and he had
doubts of the expediency of imposing a heavy duty on
wood, or a class of articles like staves. He had said
that the coopers attributed their distress to causes
to which it was not to be properly attributed, and the
Right Hon. Gentleman appeared to him to be under the
impression that it was owing to the change in 1842, that
distress had fallen on them. He would not hesitate
to assert that their positition was improved by the
change in the law which had taken place in 1842.
At the time the change was made he had reason to sup-
pose that the trade were satisfied with the arrangement.
He now came to the alteration of the colonial duties
and the duties charged on the importation of staves
into the West Indies. The parties said their position
was materially the worse since the change in the law,
and to that they ascribed the distress under which they
were suffering. But the Hon. Gentleman was misin-
formed as to the extent of that change. The Hon.
Gentleman stated there was a prohiited duty on
timber, which was not the case.
fLEFT SPEARING.I

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, July 29._

In consequence of the sudden indisposition of Mr.
Commissioner Law, and the absence of the other Com-
missioners on Circuit, Mr. Nicholls, as senior barrister,
presided. —l:7--
The COURT was occupied for a long time in hearing
cases, in none of which, except the following, there ap-
peared any point of general interest.
IF RE PIERRE CHARLES BRUNEAU CARE.
The insolvent in this case, who is a native of France,
and whose debts and liabilities were stated to be very
large, applied to be liberated on bail until the day ap-
pointed for his final hearing.
A very general impression seems to prevail that it
is quite impossible for any person to obtain his fiberty
by even the most speedy adoption of the different tech-
nical forms under a period of six weeks or two months,
but this case, notwithstanding the number of debts
which appeared in the insolvent's schedule, afforded a
striking instance of the quickness with which insolvents
may take advantage of the present state of the law. The
prisoner's attorney brought him into Court. and securi-
ties being found for his appearance on the day fixed for
bis hearing he was liberated, after being in prison for only
eleven days from the date of his arrest.