Star.
London, England, 1825-06-08 00:00:00

rklb

S

. ,

.
.. • '

:~

• •
•
'all other duties There never was a tie which so
many circumstances required should .be re;:ealetf..-
Ile could prose that there was an absolute loss to th-
revenueof nearly 1,000,0001. per annum, in consrqtvrtce
of illicit consumption. It appeared from calculations,
that that there were at least 400,000 tons of. snap, illicitly
consumed every year. Thrs quantity multiplied by 28/.
thezieunmtof_dott per ton, would make the sum of
1,120,0001. annually abstracted from the revenue.
This, he was sure, was very nearly the fact. A'though
*the duty on soft s ap was only one penny three far-
things per pound, yet it was a mischievous tax, be-
cause a large drawback was alloWed in it. The duty
on soft soap entwined to ahnnt 480001. per annum,
and the drawback to about 11.0001. On hard soap he
wished the duly to be decreaced fifty rer cent. or one
half. Unless the duties were reduced, smuggling could
never be put an end to. With respect to candles, the'
duty was not so high, but as there was a great facility in the manu-
facture, there consequently existed a temp!ation to smuggling. This
tax pressed hardly on the poorer classes, for the rich wire enabled
Ito use the recent inventions in gas, oil, &c. It was a tax upon
Ii
the: labour of the industrious, inasmuch as many branches of
industry were carried on at night. It was heavier on the dip
candles than on the mould candles, and this was another invidi-
oas diuinction bet‘reen the poor and the rich. He thought he
had shewn that the height of the duties encouraged contraband
trade and decreased the revenue. This was the ground on which
he rested his demand for some modification of the tax. He wished
that early in the next Session some measure might be adopted to
repeal or diminish the tax. The Ilan. Gentleman theu moved a
Resolution, pledging the House at an early period of the next
Session, to reduce the duty on Soap, and another, to regime that
on Caudle'. •
Th CHANCELLOR n' the EXCHEQUER said he
should oppose the present motion, although he was not
aware of any new arguments which might be produced
in -addition- to those urged by bins on former occasions..
The House opght to recollect, on a motion of this sory
that already during the present Session there It id been
repealed 1,500,00 W. of taxes. It should also recollect
I-ow much had been done in other respects to lighten
the public burthens, even when no taxes w ete positively
repealed. It should also recollect that many proposi-
tions had been submitted with respect to further repeals
ow future occasions. Government should not therefore
be crippled in its resources by new repeals not origin-
ating with themselves. if the present motion were for'
an immediate repeal, -lie should be able to meet the
statements of the Hon.hlember at once; but as it merely
required from the Howe a vague and
,indefinite pledge
- • -•ur,

•
various eaglets, penis asioes is the Ceeety•of Calan; in favour of;
the Catholic Claims.—Laid on the table.
lard DACRE having moved the Order of the Day for re-
suming the hearing of 'Cosmos* upon the Equitable Loan Bid,
Counsel were called in.
Mr. Hawse* and s Mr. spoke at considerable length in
support of the Bill, and urg • the propriety of their being allowed
taxa evidence at the Bar taiitillb.theadialdne which would re-
sult to the Public froth its adoption.
Their Lordships having decided' that evidence should not be
heard except in proof ofthe deed or the Cosernt.•
The LORD CHANCELLOR, asked Counsel whether it was
their wish or intention to prove the Deed? •
Counsel replied, that they wished to be allowed some time
to consider what course it would be roper foe them to adopt on
this subject.
After a short conversation, the House allowed them till wants:-
row, and the IASI) CHANCILLOS told them that they should be
to the Bar at Eve o'clock.—Adjourned.„
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Mr. ROBERTSON presented a.Petitioa from certain Operative
Dyers. praying that some regulations may be skeilily made relative
to transactions between Masters and Journeymen.--Referred to
the Committee no the Combination Laws.
Mr. Lyrri.F.ToN moved for the appointment of a Select
Committee to inquire into the constitution of Committees on Pri-
vate Bilis, and report thereon to the House. lie expressed his
hope that the House, considering the manner in which property
was affected by the proceedings of these Committerga, would adopt
means for remedying the notorious abu ich prevailed.
Mr. S. BOURNE said that the dney? Members in Private
Committees ought to he discharged in the same manner as that of
Juries, and he hoped that a change in the existing practice would
be effected.
Sk 1. COFFIN hoped that one of the improved regulations
would disallow the right et voting to Members who had not at-
tended Committees.
• The motion was agreed to, and a Committee appointed.
Mr. S. RICE presented a Petition from certain Coroners in
• *viand, praying:that the law relating to their °thee may be restored
jolts former state, and complaining of abuses which had taken place
mtder the existing alterations.
Sir J. NEWPORT suppOrted the Petition.
Mr. J. SMITH said that the abuses contplained of could not
. exist in thissfountry a Week, without being put down by the force
of public opinion..
After a few words from Mr. Rice, the Petition was ordered to
be printed
Sir H. PARNELL presented a Petition from • certain Timber
Merchants in Dublin, praying a reduction of the duties on timber.
—Ordered to be printed.
Mr. ?LUMMER presented a Petition from the Chairman and
Committee of the London Hospital. in favour of the Bib for repslathsg the houses kept for the slaughtering of horses.—Ordered to
be pr4teld.
Mr. HUME moved for uteri Returns, relative to the receipts
- the

and expenditure of the Commissioners of briptotement in
Town ofßrighton.—Ordered.
• Mr. LAW LEY presented a Petition from Birmingham against
the existing restrictions on the Sale of Baer.—To be printed.
The Pirates' Head Money Bill was read a third time and passed.
. • WRITS OF ERROR.
Mr. Secretary PEEL said, he rose to move for leave
to bring in a Bill which would be the first fruits of the
liberal course which the House had just taken, with
r:•gard to the salaries of the Judges in the different
Courts in Westminster Hall. The object of the Bill
was, to throw obstructions in the way of suing out fri-
volous writs of error. The nature of a Writ of Error
was. an appeal against the judgment of a Couit, where
parties had been subjected to the payment of damages.
The practice was for such parties to sae out a Writ of
Error, and the effect of that was to suspendlhe execu-
tion of the judgment so given. To shew the abises
which eiisted under this form, he need only state that
in the Court. of King's Bench alone, in the years 1817.
1818, anclll4l9, the number of cases in which Writs of
Error weve.siied•Oni was rot less than 1197. 01 that
Dumber thetk-7 158 cases in which no proceedings

vow. .
about something to be done in the nest Sesitrin,he -shourtt
content himself with urging the eStretrie inconvenience,
attending such a motion. As nething was•to. be. dowe,,
but much to be threatened, the great rstattufactittero
would be left in uneerta'nty, and much less might
ensue. This alone was his reason for opposing the mo•
lion, although he Mt disposed further to object to some
of the Hon. Gentleman's &tails. For instance, the ar-
pment about the decrease of the duty on soap of 3,0001.
an one year, was of little value when it was considered
that the amount of the duty was 1,200,0001. per aa3Uns.
He could state that the increase of,tonsumption in the
preceding ten years was nearly 21,0001b5. So, as to
the extreme pressuse of the tax on saddles upon the
poorer classes, it amounted to one penny per pound,
which added to 4s. Hid. was the price of a dozen lb.
of what are called dips; but he could not believe that
the fluctuations which often took place in the prices of
candles were at all to be ascribed to the duty. The,
Right Hon. Gentleman concluded with saying, that even it he were
disposed to reduce the duty on Soap and Candles, still he could nbt
accede to so Inconvenient-a motion as that now before the House.
Chkiwzilor of the-

wesq
were agetv*ls talc'', 702 cases inwhich the judgment
of the Court was affirmed. and 326 cases which mere

Mr. HUME contended that the .-__
Exchequer hid misunderstood the question: The additi

abandoned alt,getber. There were only nine bases of Id. per lb. wagon addition of nearly 25 per cent. Tor
where there was any argument at all, and in one only if the price of a dozen pounds of dip candles was 44.11 ii;
was the judgment reversed. But of these 1197 cases the tax of Id. per lb: would be just another shillings
where We:ts of Error had been sued out, only eight It was evidently, then, a heavy tax, and fell on'thosir
had been so obtained under any valid iniention of sub- classes least able to endure it ; 61 per lb. was a Air
srquently acting upon them. The consequence in all price for dips, and if the tax were removed;they would
these cases had been, that the execution of judgment be sol 4 at 54. but now the price was ad. Another evil was the
Was delayed for a to elvetionth. He thought he had interference ofßight
Excise, w
entlema hich grea
badtly increased the price of the
ankle. The Hon. Gn oo former occasion laid
said enough to induce the House to go along with him it down as a principle that the interference of the Excise added
in placing some rests ictions upon . the obtaining of from 10 to 20 per cent. on the price of every article. The House
Writsot Error. There had been fees payable to the should do all Inks power to remove such a vexatious addition to
Judges upon the issuing' of these forms, which he the prime Cost of the necessaries of life. Oa twee &Lit fall heavier
should propene to abolish altogether. There was an Act of King than on Soap and Candle&
regulation, compelling parties Mr. Alderman WOOD said, there was a large class
James, which cambia a salutary
issuing this Writ to rive security for double the amount of the sum which was obliged to carry on its labours entirely by
for which the judgment rendered him liable. He proposed to re- candle-lighr, whose interests ought not to be forgotten:
'ere this regulation, and to provide that the Writ should be granted
the
ee
public
were
depest..edlettWaso a hard thing that in Valeta
arida: the formal sanction of the Court. He intended the alters-
tibits tai applj to alt the 'Courts. The Right Hoc. Gentleman of thewor et " a right Puiselied in every other cdtlatrr
• ' moved for leave to bring in a Bdl for preventing the practice of tides as were manufacturing, in their tiats bosses, all suds ar-
suing out frivolous Writs of Error.—The motion was agreed to, and for their own cousumption.
Lord A. HAMILTON supported the motion.
a Committee appointed to bring in the Bill. Mr. HERRIES thought the arguments of the Chancellor of
Mr. HUME presented a Petition from the Reverend Henry the &Amt.., quite conduive.
A ithanaltewartePraTioll for some alteration in the Dire °I Sheriff Mr. IlikES replied, and the motion was negatived without'
- . is Ireland. • a division.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT said, that the 'object required the in- Mr. Sccretary PEEL brought in a Bill for the purpose of pre •
terferenee of the House. venting frivolous Writs of Errr' which was read a first time, and
After a few words from Mr. Hirst:, Mr. Secretary. Pin, and ordered to be read a second tinietio Friday next.
Mr Jams Nitarroer; the Petition was ordered to be printed.
' Lord NUCIRNT gave notice that, on Tuesday next, he should IMPRISONMENT IN INDIA.
present two Petition from Banbury and West Looe, upon the Mr. HUME sad, that in the. East InJies the.Mi-
important subject of the Elective Franchise, and its alleged abuse litary Authorities had the enormous power of int-
in those Boroughs. prisoning whom they chose, and for what length of
Lord RBRINGTON presented a Petition front Honiton, pray.
log for a revision of the Corn Laws.—Laid on the table. time they pleased. Under the exercise of this extraor-
. The Report of the Irish Church Rates Bill was received, and dinary power, several individuals had been imprisoned
the Bill was ordered to be read a third time on Friday. for life, without the slightest judicial proceeding against
The' Report of the Lunatic Trustees Bill was received, and them. He therefore thought it right that a regular
agreed to with some Amendments. The BM was ordered to be
read a third time on Motility seat. annual return should be made of all the S:ate Prisoners,.
SOAP AND CANDLES. and of the circumstances which led to their confinement.
The Honourable Gentleman bete made some allusion
Mr. SYKES rose to bring forward the motion 'of
to a former debate, in which the Right Honourable
which he had given notice relative to the duties on
S?cretary of State for Foreign Affairs had been un--
' Soap and Tallow Candles. it was not his intention to
derstood to express a wish that there should be al
propose any departure fronithe financial arrangements
law passed to prevent appeals to the Supreme Govern-1
cf the Right Honourable Chancellor of the Exchequer,
meat from the decisions of the Presidents in Council.
As be only differed with him as to the manner in which
He could not conceive that any obj ,ction could be made
he made his redactions. If he oent down to the country
o the Returns for which he Wes about to move.—That a retorts
and was-asked what had been done by Parliament to- co be mide of all state Prisoners, wither Natives, eon-
wards reducing the burthens of his Constituents ? he fined in India since the year 1800, the kogth of their imprisonment,
could -reply that they had reduced the duty on wine. and the particular offences for which committed by the Governors
But then. he should be told that they drank no wine, of Madras, Bengal, and Bombay.
and feltato relief. If he then told them that the duty Mr. C. W. WYNN did not rise for the purpose of
on spirits had bran reduced, they would reply that enplap:l3:lforg the e motion,ata and, therefore,
state
returns could
coutbad been
d not be
' they did not want to burn their 'livers, and that they that thselacreht
Rade during the present Session. Still he wouldsay' that no delay
referred clean linen and clean skins, to red 'noses and aseuid take place in making the required returns.
bloated bodies. The Honourable Member contended Sir C. bORBES said, that the State 1' isoners in to.
that the tat upon these articles pressed most severely,. dice ften prevared Memorials to be submitteofo the Court of Di-
aLtrosaftiaisEihallanbede,nanodftehneired good reason believe that those
puin the lower and manufacturing classes of the com- ed. The Hon. Moonier then
riffnity. The whole of the duty uion soap amounted ''''
alluded to some statstlnenta Which lad brat Made by the President
to'l2o per cent. and the consequence was that the et the Board et cuntroui tsar. Canatiaat with regard to bankers in
it Oat t.f the smuggler was :100 per cent. ancrthe fib!. India, when—
trader was driven out f f the market. He knew that its: bin CAtINING rose and said," I, Sir, shourd not have
tali town, many respectable tradesmen were cOmpelled offered one word upon this subject, dd it not appear
to purchase the article of the- contrabandist, in order to to me that I li.tve been quoted during my *bseate; and
support themselves against Sirit. lathe face of increased as far as I have the means of judging, a; i .correctly as
consumption, and the growing luxurious habits of the the ch4rges made in my presencecei utility are. I con-
country, he could shew that the duty-had greatly de- fesi, Sir, Ido not secugssise ps :p.m, any of. the .:enti-
creased. This was a arcing proof of the impolicy ments imputed to rim, and rs..w That lam .reminded of
of the tax. Bat- een let and 1824, there was a the circumstances a luded to, [ must say thirst LA* en x-
deCrease of a. 250. on soap alone. Though this are they nothing like those which have been stated, hat
looked 'moil in amount, yet it was a great deal; quite the reverse. The ca.e before the House upon the-
*bee taken in tele:mos with the large increase of occasion retested to was, that of Epropeao toa4kers