Star.
London, England, 1829-05-13 00:00:00

malt beverage. Tkolokifinsption of malt liquor si PO'''
AcWitifib Pre t(1:1110144eue:
pop uritiart ; quantity
consonted,into consideration, she.fucrene Of tonstun.;
tion.,bore,a4ll proportionto theisteresse of populadoo:
Many of the articles of which the increase of coosuosp.
tion was largest; too..bore a very in sea, for
, instance, the increase consumption-Win inwenotis.—
1787, the perioctalltided to by the Hon. Gentleman,l
the quantity consumed was fi,2BB,oo'ilbs. weight, "whilst
43 the. year INA for there Were no returns later, the eoc-
isnipthin bad !increased to .28,0004001bt. weight.—
There was no one f ova-contend that tea had not be-
come in some -degree a -substitute for malt liquors.
sod to this fashion, and si.chinge of taste, had contri-
buted at least as much as the high duty cn malt. In coffee
there wax also an --toorrnons -increase of Consumption;
pod hi late yean'the consumption of wine was greatly
increased, wine having become the beverage of a class
which formerly indulged in malt liquors. All those
circumstances co-operated in causing a reduction of
the consumption of malt liquors. It was impossible
to guard against the variation of taste with regard
to any article of consumption; and though he was
not quite satisfied with referring the decrease of
malt liquors entirely to that alteration of taste, yet
ittere were so many circumstances, all tending to
prevent an increase in the consumption of malt, that
he contendid it would be very unsafe to ascribe it
to the high rate of duty. When the Hon-wrible Geo-
denials attributed the want of increase in the consump-
tion to the increase of regulations, he did not take into
account that there was no period when the malt trade
was not subject to restrictions. The restrictions in 1787
were quite enough to diminish consumption. Anoth4r
objection was; that the counties did not contribute to
,the malt duty according to their size. It appeased to.
him, hoisever, that the duty contributed had nothing to
do with-the size of the counties. Wherever most barley
was grown it Wu probable most malt would be made,
an that the amount of duty paid by each county de
paistee on the cultivation re barley, and varied as that
was mote Or less in different counties. Toe hop duty
end the cider duty had' no ref, rence Whatever, for in
stance, as to the size of the counties which contributed
most to thou duties. As to the tax on beer. he re.
greued that it was impossible to diminish it, as the article
was certainly one of general consumption. A moderate
reduitirio of that. bobrever, would only bent fit the
manufacturer and not the consunier.lt it were possible,
for instance, to diminish the duty to the extent of a
farthing on every pot of beer, it was a mistake to con-
ceive that the pot of beer would be sold at tour pence
three farthings instead of five pence. There would be
no reduction to the COMUILer in that case.shilat the G-
overnment would lose above 600,0001: and the consumer

_ .
would have the,consol;tion that he was contributing to
the increased 'profit of the brewer. When reductions
were talked of, therefore, it was always desirable to
consider whether such reductions would' really produce
benefit to the conasmer. It was said that the beer tax
pressed unequally on the loiter' orderer but this was
'Not proved. And when if Was proposed to impose'
a to; sat 'sawn, brewers, which would certainly
hew tuided to equalise the pressure on this pant-
inlet; branch of taxation,
.it was rejected by the
House at inexpedient on various and very cogiot
ilgrounds. As to the licensing system it,was rot neces-
sary to enter into that_part of the subject at present,
as that was rather imatter of policy than of finance.
This duty was (silt; Arsetisfy the House that it ought
not to consent to theinotionsowinder consideration,
because it was spathes talcslated to eitite the opinion
that. the. House was disposed to admix the 'reduction 4
duties to the amount of seveirndliefte, whkft he don
siderod .the foundation of our taxatioo. sod-necessary
, for beeping up the public credit. on thesegroonds he
riesisted the motion, but he would be: fderefs reedy to
give his deliberate. and inspanirit consideration- •to any
plan for collecting the revenue with, lessindinvenieace.
or to the change of any regulative by :rildth• the ift;
*testi of the revenue aid. of the liiiiltradet, erne POI
' likelyto be injured.. .. • • . t
Mr. MONCE considered this subject ear/ important,
not only to the mass of the people. but especially
'to the corn growers. It was clear theresias a etate
vial diminution of the coasiunrion of .malt, and
it was the duty of the House to inquire into 'the
muse* of the decrease. It was extraordinary that anti
@averment ktnild incunther a trade with the abst4rl
cestrictions imposed on persons. engaged in the Mali
trade. The suong beer brewer was 'not allowed to bet •
intermediate beer, nor the intiiinediate beer' ineiritt
to brew strong or small beer t Sod •4
third...,bte*,
she . 'retell brewer, was not allowed to:brew fr
susall or intermediate beer. This •wis just as if a
regulation was passed obliging -one man 'to •'soli
wheat. another butler. and another oats:
..' Not.
witbstsndieg all the Political ficonotee• which was
'toad in, that House, no such system. of legislation
• prevailed is icy civilised country. _ 'ln flis
pinion Wehiewer should be allowed' to•btew any hilid
Of beer upon' the Payment of a moderate duty, say. 4s.
This suggeatiot. tie.had before throWn out. rind-Loid
Goderich. then Cheneelloe of the Exchequer, thought" •
praeticsble..and Pirfthised to take the measure, into co .;
f
sidesatiorr. The ctirct
.of all those *build legulatio It
was tp drive beer out of ta,hion, and substitute let •
wholesome beverages. In his opinion, the. subject wet
well dew vine the attention of a Committee. •., ~ ::
• Mr. W. SMITH said. if there were no other reason for appobli.
In; a Committee on this question, he would And. an ample ground
in the increased quantity of ardent spirits with which theory of deluged. I
was
i
r.I.WROT IESLEY was. decidedly of opinion
that if the regulations which at present existed with re.
spect to the duties on malt were removed. that the mis
outecturer would be induced. to make a much gteatee
quantity of that article, which would ifi every way, be
thought. be beneficial to the country. In the more re-
mote districts of the country the 'minter was, in maa7'
instances, able to evade the greater portion of the duty&
on advantage which the maltster in the vicinity of lowa
could not participate in, owing to the superior vigilance
of the excise. The town enlister, therefore, by the pre,
sent regulations.was not placed on a fair footing • with;
shore' who lived in the more distant parts of the 'coon-
try. In the growth of bathes, again,' there was a
dilcreoce. Some counties were tar More genial to-
me culture of that speeles•of grain than others, but the
averages, as they were at present drawn up. were al.i
ways in favour of the Hertfordshire farmer. if the
,Chaneellor of the Exchequer wished to levy a duly,
spun malt bethought he shoulddo so in a direct ma9r
net, and not by a isnt old& wind, to the injury of the
bsti eel. maltipse, As the arrangements at present stood
he knew that a great quantity of barley was used fole
cattle, and much dissatisfaction had been expressed 0*
that bead. Ise had' thought it right to mention these
circuissiences Weenie the present appeared to him'ut
.1 •
ogq. a Par opportunity for making an alteration in the
isersuppo this. subject, and because he thought it' no:
casaalyetbg soma eharatiott should be made: The 01
othei-obsetvarbm which he wished, to make swis,• chit
in his oPloitift it would be better to give the recess of
the excise a higher salary rather than to allow them a