Star.
London, England, 1829-06-09 00:00:00

• THE MALT TRADE.

•
Yesterday afiernotin; a meeting of Mafesters delegated
by a large proportion of the trade, to arrange matters
for the reference agreed to by Government on the sub-
ject of the oppressive nature of the last Malt Act, was
held at the New Corn Exchange Tavern, Mark lane.
Mr. R. Moslem( presided. •
On the subject •of an adherence to the certificate
system, Mr. Gate contended, that if it could be made
effective, it would protect the fair trader as well as the
Government. He firmly believed that not a Maltster in
the kingdom for the last thirty years, had paid the full
duty claimed by the law. As the certificate system
now stood, it was unjust and oppressive. He moved a
resolution to that effect, which, however, was negatived,
the system being generally considered as affirding a
loop hole f•r unfair traders to get out in cheating the
revenue. The referee was instructed accordinglf.
On the subject of sprinkling the barley in the•process
cf malting, Mr. Kent, Mr. Gosling, Mr. Fatten, and
ether maltsterp, gave their opinion. It was ultimately
decided that endeavours should be made to abolish
sprinkling. as by such means the corn was swelled, and
an increase obtained.
The CHAIRMAN next advtrted to the most oppressive
part•of the late enactment, viz. the penalty on the couch
gauge. He said the Chancellor of the Exchequer was
wrong in t.tating, the duty on malt was an ancient duty.
Beer drinking first occurred in Henry the Seventh's
time, and he (the Chairman) had no doubt but that ra•
pacious Monarch taxed beer drinkers. In ig4s. the first
duty on beer was laid on, and on the 12th of April
' 1714, the first duty on malt of Bd. - per bushel.
continued op to this day. In 1787, the duty on malt
e as raised to 105.61 per quarter, and at present it was
• 20s. Bd. per quarter ; recollecting the value of money
in 1787. when 6. sir was Ns. a sack, and the quarern
loaf Std. the increase in the Malt duty was not great.
The penalties by the new Act had greatly increased.—
In the old Act there were nine penalties,, not reaching
in all to lOW.' in the new Act 106 penalties, amounting;
to 186,0001. How was it possible few the Trade to. go
on without some amelioration ? The couch duty was
the moat oppressive.
Mr. FORD said, the Chancellor of the Exchequer bad
sent a communication for the Maltsters to take this

subject into consideration. He world, in his conference
•wiin Mmiaer., endeavonr to promote the general good
of the Trade, and would enforce the resolution that
double duty should be charged for all that was over-
, guaged in the Couch.—Tne Meeting then adjourned.

. A jockey residing in the West of England baying a
horse to sell some time ago, a person who wished to
purchase desired (as his customary) to see his paces--
on which the jock !y placed his son. a lad about ten
years old, on the horse's back, who had not proceeded
Many yards before some doubts came across his mind
whether the animal was his father's or not. Checking
tl►e horse, he inquired of the latter, in an under tone,
nit the horse was to be rode for. to buy or 110 SW.
A Jew. who complained at Union Hall yesterday of
having been robbed at Epsom Rates of 51. by one of
his own people. said that he obtained a pr. fit of 41.up00
the sale of SI. worth of oranges at the Racer.
• About tight o'clock on Friday morning last, as. Mr.
Wells, of Piercefield, was sitting at breakfast, he per.
ceived through the window, at some distance, an extra
ordinary blaze of light. which was found, on inquiry,
to pr..ceed.from a Ere that had broken out in the wood
shove Abbey Tinter n, just below Ws. Cottage. on the
road to Chepstow. A terrible coufl gra, son ensued,
arid raged with great fury until about three o'clock iii
the afternoon. when it ceased, in consequence of the
sagacious measures that had been in the mean time
adopted by Mr. Wells, who cause a space of ground to
be cleared in advance of the flames, and thus prevented
their fuithrr roves,. This was happily effected in
time to preserve the beautiful wood under Pier cefield,
which would otherwise have fallen a sacrifice to the
destructive element.—MoronotriAshire Medals.
The Duke '.f WILLINGTON. like FaIDIRICIC the
Canal' of Pima, the present SULTAN, and (Auer dis-
tinktrished characters, often mixes with company by
whom he cuoctives be is unknown. with the view of col-

letting the opinions of various parties on political and
other public subjects. His Grace, aware that the bow
• whiCh is constantly kept bent to its extremity must in
time 1, se pait of its elasticity, occasionally relaxes his.
Mind, and relieves it Item the pressure of weighty affaits
Of State by taking a rural ramble on foot, and, when fa-
tigued, entering the first stage-coach he meet-, wheie he
.:-etta:s with the passengers with the greatest affability. In
these rambles he is peculiarly felicitous in eitraoing
the opinions of the passenget b, and has been sumrtimes
amused by finding himself and his political conduct the
-subject
cisliscussi•m; one party extolling his military
genius and talents as a Statesman, while another
will not him any Merit whatever. The con-
test cf, en ends wi•li an appeal to the Duke himself,
who is unknown to the fatties. and lie freely. gives
his ripi,.ion, by observing that is he has long known
'Vie Duke of WELLINGTOI4 ; believes him, at least, an
fittr.est and upright man, but considers the ; raise be-
. sr.)", ed on hi, talents °vela) rt4ed, anchnore ch.! effecter
partiality than ost any merit which he posse-,es."- Oil
'oht occasion, ha•ing expressed himself to this effect,

he sea grossly attacked bs the vituperations of a furl us
l'ar•on. on the subject of the Catholic Question,
'Whom he resorted o ith deserved and triumphant seve•
. city ; but the in. o.erant Priest became dumbfounded r'n
his ativer,at y leaving the coach. who was immediately
'recognised at the inn-door at the Duke of WILLINGTOI..
Tire Duke in some 41 his rambles bears not only his
otcn character, but the characters of his colleagues dia.
set ted—t! e affairs or the nation discussed, and many
tefoinn and measures of the bighet importance sug-
gested—but he has more than once come in contact
with a dandy, who has been intimate with him for years,
and been at all h•s parties," though be never before saw
the wit n beacei, whom he quits without chiding him
fur his falsehood and vanity.
Saturday last the Duke amused himself with one of
those stage coach excursions to Kew, and was no doubt
considerably .mused by the observations which were
?Dade on Ins personal character and political conduct.
His Grace pursued his plan of concealment so sec•
cessfully that no one suspected with whom they had the
honour of travelling, until a few minutes befell:ibis Grace
had lett the coach. The late Ca tholicEnsancipationßill—
" the man or drives the Sovereigu"—the war between
Turk y and Russia, and many other matters, were dis
cussed, or rather questions put respecting them. part of,
which only his Grace chose to answer ; but the conver.ll-
- never lagged, and it was only when bis Grace I
said, a few "primes before leaving the stage, ge that I
he knew the Duke of WiLLINQION Wen," " very
intimately indeed," that his fellow travellars began
to suspect with whom they had the honour of con-
vening. The Duke scanned to enjoy his incognito
elnaltingly, and what may perhaps be more gratifying
to out readers,-appeared to be in excellent health. On
quitting the coach at Kew Bridge. bis Grace ran along
it with all the alertness and agility of a youth of 19.

THEATRES. • •
SADLER'S WELLS.
. Last night a sew Pantomime was produced at Sad•
lees Wells Theatre, which is arranged by the old fa-
vourite of the pablic, sen. who, unable any
longer by active exertion to please the public, is em-
ployed in his study for their amusement. The Panto.
mime is .founded on aid hears the title of the well
known nurserytale of the Three Wishes, and when we
say that it is got np by Mr. GRIMALDI, from twelve
different Pantomimes in which he was most popular, it
will be seen that we cannot speak in higher commen-
dation of it After the Pantomime en Interlude entitled
Intrigue, and the Melodrame of Paul Jones, were per-
formed. The house was crammed in every corner.