The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-08 00:00:00

one, and if Government persisted in imposing it he
should divide the House.
Mr. PARKER said the tax of 151 would produce so
little to the revenue that it was not worth the Govern-
ment's while to retain it.
Mr. RICE would be quite ready to agree to the pre-
sent proposition of the Government, if t►he Chancellor of
the Exchequer would promise that in the Committee he
would give the information of which he had spoken.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
he proposed to give all the information in his power.
In reply to an observation from Mr. GISBORNE,
Sir R. PEEL said it had been proposed to reduce the
duty to 71. 103. It appeared that this reduction would
have too great an effect in reducing the amount of the
productiveness of the tax, but that 101. would increase
it above the amount to be derived from 151.
Mr. HUME asked, would the Right Hon. Baronet
agree to 101. now ?—(A laugh.)
Sir R. PEEL said he stood there not for the interest
of any party but the public, and if it were shown that
101. would produce more than 151., he would be prepared
to take that into consideration.
Mr. WARBURTON' wished the question were settled,
as a deal of property was now locked up, and kept from
sale by the delay of the measure.
Mr. HAWES was of opinion that 10/. would produce
more to the revenue than 15/.
Mr. HUME—And 5/. more than either.—(A laugh.)
Sir R. PEEL said that he would not now state what
the amount should ultimately be fixed at. Impiries
were in progress, and he would at a future stage be able
to state to the House the result.
Mr. HUME said it was quite clear that the Govern
mint had proposed the increase to 151. without any in-
formation whatever. He really hoped the Right Hon.
Baronet would now consent to fix the amount of the
duty at 7/. 10s.—(A laugh.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said,

Hon. Gentleman was bidding against himself.
—(A laugh.) The Hon. Gentleman first proposed
71. 10s., and then he suggested 51., and now he went
back to the old offer.—(A laugh.) He (lhe Chancellor
of the Exchequer) would consider the question, and
would lay before the House all the information he could
obtain.
Mr.WILLIA,MS thought that 10/. would be a rea-
sonable medium, and hoped the Government would as-
sent to it
Lord WORSLEY said that if the Committee divided
he would vote for 10/. But in the present imperfect
state of their information, it would be better not to
divide in the present stage.
Mr, PLUMPTRE thought in the conflicting offers,
Government might very well knock down the tax at to/.
Mr. BROTHERTON thought that, as they were
working in the absence of all information, and as the
measure was one of experiment, 101. would be a fair com

promise.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was not
prepared to give the House information either as to the
number of auctioneers altogether, or as to the number
of those who paid the higher duty.
After a desultory conversation, which was much inter-
rupted by laughter and cries of " Divide," strangers were
ordered to withdraw. As we were leaving the gallery,
we under,t,od
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER to say
that he had not yet had an offer of ten guineas.
Mr. HUME—Oh, but guineas are not a legal tender.
Upon our return to the gallery we faun i that no
division had taken place, the original motion having
been withdrawn.
The House then resumed, and the Chairman reported
progress.