Star.
London, England, 1822-02-28 00:00:00

.

• .1111

PARLIA if ENAI Y:PlietleiDt
' HOUSE OF L 011411114
Their Lordships am at ten *Make
APPIALS.

Jomi lova% 8.0. Amnesia i no-
Wham or MAJOIL Scorr W4alno,
This was an appeal from the deehlon
(Scotland).
_ The Arroaarr-Garnaat. was bawd

Judgment postponed.
Jarman., Appellant ; the Ram or
This was an appeal from, the decision
eery (Ireland).
Remitted back to the Conk belowlor

coat of the appeihut.
MUMS, AppIIBRIMI
This was an appeal from the decision
quer (Treland).—Judgment of the Court
Tim COMMISSIONERS or TM! BOARD dr

pellants; Davin Vans, .
This was an appeal front the decision the Court of Session
(Scotland).
The Arnourer-Ginteaat. was heard for the appellant. The
respondent did not appear.—Judgment postponed.
DAVID CA 1111PZIE, ESQ. Appellant; MN* Masoanse Scow, Ms
mom con.° or Parma Sewn, Eq. Decease% Respondent.
Mr. Wessatun.t. and Mr. Angst were heard for the appel-
lant; the Arruanrr-Graeam. and Mr. Attraction's's for the
lespondent.—Judgment of the Court below reversed.

Earl BAT.HUICST said, that he begged leave to present to
their Lordships three Petitions from the British Possessions in
North America. One was from the Inhabitants of the City of
Quebec, and the others were from Hampshire and Hertford, in
North America, all which he laid upon the table of the House.
After some consultation, informalities were discovered in the
reddens from the Counties of Hampshire and Hertford, but
the Quebec Petition was accepted.
The LORD CHANCELLOR then moved the House to go
into a Committee on the BB enabling the Judges to open the
Assizes on the day after that specified in the• Commissions fir
holding the same. Amendments were proposed by the Noble
and Learned Lord, and adopted by their Lordships. The Re-
port was immediately made, and the amended Bill ordered to
be printed for the use of the House.— Adjourned.

ITO USE OF COMMONS.
Mr. JAMES HUNTER BLAIR presented a Petition from
the Landholders of the County of Wigton, in Scotland, com-
plaining of Agricultural Dbtress, and praying relief.—Laid on
the table and ordered to be printed.
Colonel DAVIES moved for Returns of the total Expense of
collecting the Excise up to January 1822, distinguishing the
West India Docks and the Tower. He also moved for similar
Returns for Ireland.—Ordered.
Mr. HUME moved for Accounts of the application of
X 40,480, granted upon general warrants for the service of the
Militia, together with th Names of the Officers of Counties by
whom-the money had been received, for the last year. Ordered.
The lion. Member also moved for Returns of the Names of
Places where there were Barracks for soldiers, distinguishing
the temporal y from the permanent Barracks; together withthe
names and salaries of Officers attached to each, and the expense
of the whok, distinguishing any money laid out in repairs, up
to the Sth January, 1822.—Ordered.
Mr. RICARDO moved for Returns of the Weekly Supply of
Wheat at the Corte Market in Mark-lane, distinguishing foreign
from British wheat, for the last year. Also for similar Returns
for the two pteeedin7 years.—Ordered.
Mr. Al A HENLEY gave notice of a motion for Thursday, the
14th March, for an Inquiry into the nate (lithe Public Accounts.
Mr. HUME said he had been requested by an individual,
named Robert Gourley, to present his Petition to that Hons..
Ile stated that similar Petitions bad been presented from him
on the 11th July, 1820, and the 27th June, 1821. He stated
that he had resided in Upper Canada for several years, and he
wished to call the attention of the House to the present situation
of the colonists there. He was of opinion that, under a dif-
ferent system, these colonies, which were now a great charge,
might be maintained, not only free of expense to this country,
but be made-productWe of a revenue, under proper manage-
ment. The point to which he called the more particular atten-
tion of the House was the manner in which the waste land in
Canada was disposed of. In the neighlwuring districts of Ame-
rica the land was sold at so much an acre, and last year this sale
produced upwards of E 2,000,000 dollars ; whilst in Canada the
distribution of land in the same time cost this Government a
round sum. A great objection lay to the manner in which the
land was portioned out. In most places large intervening tracks
were left totally unpcopled, whilst the emigrants were scattered
about, and there being no villages,:they were unable to give
each other that support which was necessary to all colonies. The
consequences of this mismanagement were strongly marked by
the contrast which Canada presented with the neighl*uring dis-
tricts. A line was drawn between tippet Canida and the Pro-
vinces of the United States and though the mode of cultivation
was alike, yet upon the British aide the land was of small value
and thinly peopled, whilst on the other there was a dense popu-
lation, and the land was five or six times more valuable. This
state of things was attributable to the existing laws. The-revi-,
lion of these laws was one of the prayers of this Petition. Peti-
tioner also called the attention of the House to the mode in
which the Government of Canada was administered ; and he as-
serted that if some alteration was not made in• these respects,
Canada, in ten years hence, would not be a dependency on Great
Britain. He suggested that it was better to make it the interest
of the colonies to remain subject to this country, than be here-
after obliged, at a great expense, to retain them. The Hon.
Member said the Petition contained many other observations
worthy the attention of this House, and as, upon reading it over,
he found that it contained nothing objectionable, he would move
that it be brought up.—The Petition was laid upon the table.
HAWKERS AND PEDLARS ACT.
Mr. IIU3IE, seeing the Hun. Secretary of the Trea-
sury in his place, said he would take that Opportu-
nity of moving for certain returns connected with the
Board of Hawkers and Pedlars, and Hackney Coach
Licenses, to the production of which he expected
there would be no objection. He would state very
shot tly what was the object of his motion. One great
purpose which he had in view by the prodUction of
these papers, was to spew to the Public, that even in
this very small establishment, the Board for managing
these licenses, there was apparent the greatest neglect
of economy
.with regard to the collection of the Re-
venue. He referred the House to the Report of the
Committee of Finance of 1797, in which it was stated
that the Office of Hawkers and Pedlars Licenses was
one of great expense and little utility. It was there
recommended, that it .hould be entirely done away
with, and its duties transferred to the Stamp Office, to
be executed by distributors appointed by them, with
the same allowance of poundage as in other cases.—
The Report stated that this transfer could be safely
made, foe that in ten years only one contested case
came before the Commissioners. Another Report
was made in the same year upon the Board of
Hackney Coach Licenses, and it was recommended
that the duties of that Board should be also trans-
ferred to the Stamp Office. The concluding words
of that Report were—,. In Whichever way Parlia-
ment would reform this, the present expenditure
would admit of the mist material retrenihment." If
the suggestion a that Committee had been attended
to, a great saving would be made. Instead of that,
him ever, the two Offices were thrown into one. The

persons . wing psn
formed no services to the Peblic. the total Revenue.
collected by these offices amottoted to 8,5,7541. which,
if calsuLatel at au nesse a. 93461. for collecting it,
woula gire a result 0(16 per cent. The duties on
sage-coaches, which were more difficult of collection,
amounted to 256,5911. and the expense attending
their collection amounted but to 67001. a year. He
asserted that if these things were Permitted,'neither
the Revenue nor the country could prosper. The Ho-
nourable Member then proceeded to state, that with
regard to the thirty country Inspectors of Hawkers
and Pedlars, he had ascertained that they had for the
greater part sinecures in the places where they were
stationed. One. of these was said to be stationed at
Coventry, but he lived in fact at Birmingham. In
Hampshire the situation was filled by a Clergyman,
who never was called Upon to. issue a licenie. Another
individual was said 'to be stationed at Plymouth, wh.
was the near relation of a Noble Lord, but he did not
reside there—ant, in fact, there Was no instance of
an application to him. Another individual was in a
state of insanity, and had been '
so when he was ap-
pointed to the office. He would not, however, fatigue.
the House .by going through more details, but he
would state generally that all the appointments were
madehy the Lords of the Treasury, and not by the
Commissioners, who were the best judges 'of petunia
fit to fill the situations. In most cases they were given
to persons to whom their Lordships were friendly.—
But surely, if it was important to give facilities to the
taking out of licenses by placing iistributor in vari-
ous parts of the country, at was fit that theie distri=
butors should be stationed hi all the large towns.—
'This, however, was not the case. There was not one
in Sheffield, or nearer to it than York, which was 50
miles diltant. There ,wets' not one at Manchester,
whilst one was stationed at Leek, in Staffordshire.—
In Hampshire, where the' distributor should be sta-
tioned at Southampton, he resided at Christchtirch.
He could name several Other, places where the placing
of these distributors was ecpially inconvenient. lie
contended that all their duties could be performed by
the agents of the Stamp Office. He saw no difference
between issuing licenses to sellers of lace,and that of
issuing licenses to pedlais and hawkers. If the Com-
missionera could collect the coal duties, he saw' no
reason why they could not also collect those payable
by hawkers and pedlars. He contended that the
Hackney-coach Office could not be defended on the
ground of its being an Office of Police as well as Re-
venue, for it rarely happened that complaints against
hackney-coachmen were brought there to be heard.
Perhaps this might be accounted for by their sitting
only one day in the week. He mentioned a case
within his own knowledge, of a person making a
complaint there, who was put off to the next Fri-
day, when he was told that the Board would then be
sitting,' and they would give him redress. Under
such circumstances he was warranted in complaining
that there were five Commissioners in these offices,
whose situations were mere sinecures. He pressed
upon the Honie the necessity of attending to the Re:
ports of the Committee in. 1797, and of transferring
to the Stamp Office all their duties. It was most pre-
posterous to be paying 16 per cent. upon the net re-
ceipt.of the hackney-coach duties, and 21 per cent.
upon the hawkers and pedlars' licenses. He was sure
Ministers were not aware of the expense
.of these
offices, and that When the papers were presented they
would be taken as much by surprise as the House.—
He trusted, however, that they would feel it their
duty to adopt some measures upon this subject. If
they neglected to do so, he wished to take this op-
portunity of giving notice, that he would himself,
When the papers were laid:opbri the table, move fdr
a Committee to incplire hoar -far the expenses of these
offices might be diminished. The Hon. Member con-
cluded by moving for Accounts of the Establishment
of the Offices for managing the Hawkers and Pedlars
Licenses,' and the Hackney-coach Duties, for the year
1822, together with the names, offices, and salaries
of the different Officers belonging to the same, with
'their allowances of house, or house-rent, by whom.
appointed, and what was the nature olthe'aecutities
which they had given.
Mr. LUSHINGTON said • he had no objection to
produce these papers. He agreed with the Honour.
able Member as to the expense of these offices ; but
the. Hon. Member had understated the amount of
revenue which these duties produced. The net pro.
duce of the duties on hawkers licenses and*hackney
coaches was considerably more nosh than in 1797.
The increase was entirely attributable to the exertionfi
of those insane Inspectors *whom the Icon. Member
had been representing as entirely useless. - What
proved this was, that the increase was wholly in the
department of the hawkers and pedlars' licenses, and
not in the hackney-coach duties. The Hon. Member,,
by confining himself to the Report of the Committee
1797 •• 18 -1

of 179 i, had overlooked what was done in 18lbovitt
regard to these offices. At thatlitne the subject'. Was
taken up by Parliament, but instead of abolishing the
offices, aq increase of salaries to the Inspectors in the
country was recommended. Since then additional
poweri had been givenirc) the commissionerh
now pos.,esseJ a beneficial contr,oill 1 over.,ll

times, fur many of the shopkeepers were cons erted
into pedlars. h. was, diet-garb; not thie that the inr
crease was atttibotable to the actisrfty of the Inspec.
tors. Wittrtegard to the Hackney-coach Offite being
an office of Police, he contendetrthat all that class of
complaints which might be brought before them;
would' be as well disposed of at any of the Police
Offices in London or Westminster, and thus agreat
saving would be made.
Sir WILLIAM DE CRESPIGN'( obseried, that
it would be convenient if the Board of Commissioners
held their meetings oftener than once a week.
The motion was then agreed to.
Mr. HUME then tnoved for Returns orthe Per.
sons employed in London as Inspectors of Hawkers'
and Pedlars' Licenses, and Hackney-coach Duties,
with their names, salaries, allowances, and the na-
oture of their duties.
Mr. BENNET, in seconding the motion, observed,
that he was a little surprised to hear the Hon. Secre-
tary opposite state his intention of moving for a Com-
mine of that House to inquire into the Hackney-
coach Office. Such an inquiry was more particu-
larly the duty of Ministers, and it was not to le
borne that they should cast the labour off their shoul-
ders, and saddle a Committee of this House, with it.
It would seem that Ministers intendedtp do nothing
but take their salaries. Ministers ought; in the first
instance, to make the inquiries, and then state the
result to the House. Parliament was more properly
a Court of Controul over Ministers, than of inquiry
in the first instance. There were, however, difficult
cases, such as the question of Agriculture, when the
advice of the Council of the Nation was asked very
properly ; but in a mere matter of arrangenient as
to aux, it was a little too much to ask twenty-one
Gentlemen of that House to immure themselves
months and weeks togethei, in doing that which was
the bounden diity.of his Majesty's Ministers.
Mr. LUSHINGTON said, that this House bad
appointed a Committee to inquire into the best means
of reducing the expen.e of collecting the Revenue.
Mr. BENNET said, that the Committee alluded
to was appointed for a particular purpose. It did not
follow,however, as a matter of con rte., th at there should
be a Committee to inquire into each particular de-
partment-connected with the collection of the revenue.
Sir J. NEWPORT said, that the labours of that
Committee, which was appointed under peculiar cir-
cumstances, were confined to Ireland.
Mr. LUSHINGTON observed, that he'still cont
nued to think that this Houie was the most proper
tribunal to refer the clnsiderarion of any important
question to, and I e thoui,ht any question connected
I'with the Revenue was of that nature.—The motion

was then agreed to.
Mr. HUM E then moved for Returns of the Persons employed
in the country u Inspectors of Hawkers and Pedlars' Licenses,
and whether they performed their duties by themselves or by
deputier, together with the nature of the Securities they had
given, and the number of Licenses issued fur the last five years,
distinguishing those issued in each year.—Ordered.
The lion. Gentleman also moved for a Return of the Penal-
ties inflicted under the Hawkers' Act, and how these Penalties
had been applied. Likewise for similar Returns under the
Hackney coach Act.—Ordered.
The Hon. Gentleman again moved for Returns of the rum-
her of days on which Boards were actually held, distinguishing
the number in each week. and the number of Commissioners
present at each.—Ordered.

Mr. LUSHINGTOS broughc.up the Report of the
Commissioners for inquiring ince the Expenses of Col-
lecting the Revenue in Ireland.
Mr. WALLACE, in moving that. the Report be
laid on the table, said he was anxious to say a few
words, in, order to obviate any: disappointment which
might arise, to those expectations of success that were
formed from the labours of the Commissioners who
had prepared it. He believed a hope was generally
entertained, that, at the tneeting.of Parliament, the
Commissioners would by able to state to the House
that some decisive tesuk had.crowned their labours.
That, however, they were not yet enabled to dd; and
from toe manner in which the investigation was ne-
cessarily conducted, and the views or things which
they were obliged to take., they were still unable to
fulfil that. expectation in 4 manner satisfactory either
.to the House or themselves, This Report, therefore,
was to be considered only aka. prelimimary measure.
It only stated generally the course taken by the Cont.
missioners ; but there was reason to hope that Parlia-
meat would sanction that course, as they were con-
...limed it would lead to ag economical a.id efficient
.reduction of the expense.of colleerhig• the Revenue
,in Ireland. The Horne would kecnitect.that, when
they were pleased, to appoint the Commissioners, they
desired that their attention should be addressed to two
objects, namely—to con4cr the best means of re-
ducing the eispense of collecting the revenue in Ire-
land, and to assimilate, its far as possible, that mode
to the practice of this country. The Commissioners
had found that the 'coilectica ol the revenue was
conducted upon g much fume expensive plan in the
'
sister
rilro" rnuin:l thetb*l use t ilaEneo it ad,
and they, could sat
was likely a •perfeee
assimiLation of the duties could be obtained in that
icy. This increased expense arose, in tom, re.
hti45434 u 44964 a'44.64644111114 and is; others

111BVINU.11 OF IRELAND.

' :

• ~ • 1 ia- ...,.- , ': ''• ? )i ~. •
4 * ...r '.b .iiiitat •.) A vie yaal- cerytkiry st. P. 1, .. ' , .1.
a • .- : • i No. e. i . '; ,• . /
../ , • I Abe tliiii; mi.
r -frvetit NPs ; t ,
i. - . ~;:n •, ' . ~+ •'• "- • •4‘ ..` 5 : •• '' '.•' .1 , ;I,,tr ;•4:Sit'i ,
• "' • **•'''' I^ • I'M r t• 0. r', ! •1. " ," y . . t.. % s ' . . . .
. - - . ..... •-. .-.-
..••••..... ..... ......... mom. -w.
. '.....
. .. Pt
Air ' ' . ;t'
' . I' ' .1
1 ' rP 3":-..... IA
•o, 1 RUA —.. fr `" r I•iii,w• ...:. . ..;
__.., 'Airii ;t134J6v1., %03rey % a., it ICI, MlClVEN.irdgasp
.----.77: . . ." 4
(Nos. . .
...,,,./. ti1dt.411,;.t.,, t 4 ./ )p;imitairit , . . iihnifleplolanall mid wijaiiiiiii, ,• :
~i;, ~-f., , . - 1
,has as •
..rer- '4l"' .'
'll-7.' Wile iiikOf ' bid Ofth the Wait
ifillitnaT ItY. • 4v. tea .-'• • • t 4 ......c,,,A,;(1-jits'vtoot be-stuvt'sab• le tn abOlisht.thile eCodmidet, 1.. :7
to =• ' ! 7-1-1 lec *its ,pg 4
urn ' : *libber .of 'l* thalteeirtliasOni 'The juditiul fluittioni :wii
strist
''." ' '' ' '''' • iniPectql iit. r4iattylis= 414., . Viiiir.tslied• "they exereise‘coblif no( be tratufeiseil to .dt; ..
- IfAttatee
itlezz: since . ttlit loc. ,-.' '•i .. , *it! tO-Oesce. •It lavishiveier, the wish of 13 :• '
eciusita,
ton a the (*it . 29, of ‘vholiS.4 i‘ frs • ,
,"' • five Coasmissatssi,sa " . , , gOol, to! his inky-don to'nsiiiie for i Ctinunktee of tW
.rd for the rewilldspto— SOW. a year. Pieitartit *.'re ' 6 it.. with a view of inqidting how fir rlfactions coulti bel
• tend only once avreelksi stikatinies,for ve or us carried. When the papers were Jai% upon the table,, .
,i,„," Corti: hour" of of ann. weeks
,together they• Were not troubled. ,Cod." Thorn- he hadino doubt he should be able so thew than, not..
ton was never there i Mr, onsot: was cpnstancly withstanding. the rise in the salariek, the returns of
'for further evidence It the engaged -in Lord ,liv,ellioors Ace, and Mr. Jesse' revenue from these offices had considerably increased,
111111 T, t.
had a situation uncle the. Board of Wks, where be and that the addlAional powers confetred on the Com.%
BIM a th Responden
of &the-
was already sufficiently engagid..' Inn' addition to rnissioneri for cAtropling the hackney-coathmen had
e Court
°art below affirmed. these offices„.there. mui
.0 Receiver and three Clerks. 'been exercised with the beNt effects, .
dr FACISIC (Scort.ows), Ap- From this statement ,tir House would see That there Mr. Alderman-WOOD observed that the increant
Respondent• were persons receiving the public itioney, who per. of hawkers' licenses arose mit of the distress of did
lee a the Court et. Setae" - - --_-!_-_ •- ..t. VI .1.16 - .11-•........1 n__-_-- .:-- r —___ _r -I__ t_ t_