The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-04-23 00:00:00

CUSTOMS CONSOLIDATION BILLS

Mr. S. RICE said ifliii in the absence of his right hon. friend
(Mr. P. Thomson), and at that late hour of the night, he would
not detain the house by any observations on the bills the second
reading of which he was about to propose. In those bills there
were no new provisions; they were only intended to effect a con-
solidation of the existing laws. He proposed that the bills should
now be read a second time, and that a month should be allow-
ed to elapse before they went into committee. The bills would,
thus be laid before the house for a considerable time,_ and indi-
viduals would have an opportunity of looking into the existing
law, and of examining what was proposed to lie done with re-
ference to it. No party could therefore be taken by surprise.
Under these circumstances he hoped the house would allow the
bills to be read a. 'second time, and that they should be commit-
ted ou that day month. .
On the motion " That the British Possessions' Bill be now
read a second time,"
Mr. YOUNG rose, and said he wished to have some explana-
tion as to the alterations which were about to be proposed in the
present system. He was anxious to learn from the hon. Secre-
tary of the Treasury the specific alterations which it was pro-
posed to introduce in the various bills. He saw some words and
figures printed in italics, which appeared to him to be oromi-
nous import, and he was anxious to know what they meant.
Mr. 1-1 UNT wished fora postponement of these measures. He
was wholly taken by surprise on this occasion.
Mr. Hums observed, that but a few hours had elapsed since
he had received some papers connected with these bills. He
conceived that, on the second reading of hills of such great con-
sequence, a greater portion of information should be afforded.
Mr. S. Rice said, that in moving the second reading of these
bills, he did not call on the house to affirm any new proposition
whatsoever. and, by fixing the committee for the 17th of May,
an opportunity was given to every person interested to weigh
and consider what was the nature of the proposed alterations.
The object of reading- the bills a second tune now, and com-
mitting. them for this -day month, was to give individuals an
opportunity of examining what the law at present was, and
what the alteratien would be. Individuals under the old sys-
tem, sometimes acted wrongly, because they knew not what
the law was; but the course of proceeding now proposed would
enable them to know what the existing law was, and what the
alteration would be. _ _

The following bills were then read a second time, and ordered
to be committed on the 17th of May:—British Possessions' Bill,
Registry of Vessels Bill, Customs Duties' Bill, Customs' Man-
agement Bill, Customs Bounties' Bill, Customs' Regulation
Bill, Isle- of Man Trade Bill, Warehbusing Bill, Smuggling,
Bill, and Navigation Bill.
Mr. LENNARD moved the second reading of the dame Bill.
Mr. F. PALMER objected to legislating again on the subject
till the bill of 1831 had had a fair trial.

After a few words from the Siilicifor-General and Col. Wood,
Mr. H. Ross moved that the bill be read a second time that
day. six months.
Mr. LAMB opposed the bill.
The house divided:—
For the amendment
For the second readibg . .

Majority against the bill , . 11
Adjourned'at hall-past one o'clock.
THURSDAY,—TWELVE O'CLOCK.
The house was occupied in receiving petitions until three
o'clock when the Speaker vacated the chair.

ADJOURNED SITTING-FIVE O'CLOCK.

Mr. O'CONN.EI.I. gave notice,, that he would on Monday, on
the house going into a committee of supply, again bring under
the notice of the house the state of the county of Kilkenny, in
reference to its being proclaimed by. Lord Anglesey.

BEI;It HOUSES.

The Marquess of CHANPOS, pursuant to notice, moved for a
select committee to inquire into and report upon the state and
management of beer-houses. ilis..object was to improve the
character of those houses, by submitting them to the same po-
lice regulations as public-houses. At present they tended to
increase.erime and pauperism, besides not furnishing the poorer
classes with good beverage.
Colonel WiILIAAts approvednf the noble lord's motion, as
he conceived the beer-shop system to be fraught with unquali-
fied abuses. . .

Lord AurhouP had no objection to the proposed inquiry
with a view to police regulation; indeed; he thought it highly
desirable that the beer-houses should be subject to the same
control as publie-houses.
Colonel 'Whop said that they were so, so far as the excise
and the magistrates were concerned. If hon; members were
anxious to afford the working classes a better and cheaper
beverage than that.now afforded by the beer-shops, they might
easily effect their object by repealing. the duty on malt.
(Hear.)
Mr. WatieuirroN hoped that if the beer-shops were placed
on the same footing with respect to magisterial control as pub-
lic-houses, that they would have also the same privilegeswith
respect to the hours of opening and shutting.
Mr. HUsia said that. it would be proved. before the committee
that the beer-shops had been productive of great advantage to
the working classes, who, through their means, were furnished
with a better and cheaper beer.
Mr. BARING admitted that such was.the fact in the county of
Middlesex, but.in it only.. Throughout the country at large
there was no second opinion as to the bad effects of the beer-
shop system.
he. motion was agreed to, and a committee appointed,