The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-05-13 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MONDAY.

The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. Nume-
rous petitions were presented on the subject of Papal
aggression. The House went into Committee, Mr.
Bernal in the chair, upon the Property Tax Bill ; where-
upon Lord J. RUSSELL said,—Before we proceed with the
bill with regard to property and income, I think the
house will desire that either my right hon. friend the
Chancellor of the Exchequer or myself should state the
course we propose to take with regard to that measure,
and with regard also to the financial measures of the
session. But as it is a matter which affects the Govern.
ment in general, I have thought it better that I should
take upon myself the task of stating that course. (Hear,
hear.) The house, on Friday night last, by a majo-
rity of fourteen, came to the decision that one year
instead of three should be the period for which the
Property and Income Tax should be renewed. The bon.
gentleman the member for Montrose (Mr. Hume), who
made this motion, stated as his ground for doing so that
it was desirable that inquiry should be made into it with
a view to make it more just and equitable, and that such
alterations and modifications having been introduced, he
would wish the tax to be continued, and indeed to be
made permanent. I did not agree, nor do I now agree
upon consideration, that it is desirable to abridge the
duration of the tax for that purpose. I think it would
have been far better if, as a matter of principle, the
house had been asked to agree either to an inquiry into
or a modification of the tax, regard being had to the
general principles of taxation ; but the house having
decided otherwise, it was for us to consider what course
we should take, so as to maintain public credit and the
financial system of the country. Now although, in my
opinion, it is very inconvenient so far as to place such a
tax in jeopardy, and make it pass only for a year, yet I
cannot suppose that a majority of the house which agreed
to the motion had any view or any intention of placing in
jeopardy the public credit of the country. (Hear.) I
cannot suppose that, because the house, since its first
assembling after the last general election, has shown
itself most careful in preserving the public credit, and
providing for the necessary establishments of the country.
I could not suppose that, because among the members
who voted for the motion were men distinguished both
by their acts and speeches for determination to maintain
public credit, and to provide for the necessities of the
public service. Therefore, concluding such to be the in-
tention of the house, we have to consider whether we can
adopt the resolutions of the house, and proceed with the
bill in its present shape. Many gentlemen who in private
have argued this question with me, have said there is
a general impression in this country that the in-
come tax is unequal and unfair, and that it might
be made more fair and more equal ; and when I have an-
swered that Mr. Pitt, Sir R. Peel, and others, who in
office have had the care of the financial arrangements of
the country, have always come to a different conclusion,
it has been replied to me, if the conclusion to which these
eminent men have come can be supported on inquiry,
the country would feel satisfied with the result of that
inquiry; and if, upon the other hand, it should be found
that the tax by modification can be made more fair and
equal, in that case such alterations might be made. I
have no doubt that those who have pressed these conclu-
sions upon me in private acted in that view upon the
occasion when they gave their support to the motion of
my hon. friend. Seeing, then, that, contrary to our
opinion, the house has come to that resolution, we think
it desirable, in the present state of affairs, that there
should be inquiry upon the subject. I think that, after
the decision of the house, it would neither be fair nor
wise to attempt to refuse or to evade inquiry. But I
think there ought to be a fair inquiry, conducted by men
who, in this house, are generally leaders upon financial
subjects, and in whom the house can place full confidence.
I should, therefore, say that the Government is prepared
to agree that there should be a fair and full i▪
nquiry into
the subject. (Hear.) But a further question naturally
arises, and that is—whether, taking the income-tax only
for a year, we can agree to any other modification, and
whether we can proceed with those measures relative to
our financial policy which my right hon. frie•
nd has el-
ready proposed. We have upon that subject to consider
that this house has, by its previous votes, agreed to the
continuance of the income-tax for a limited period, and
rejected a motion made by a right hon. gentleman, to
the effect that a reduction should take place in .the
income-tax equivalent to the "surplus which the house
might be disposed to relinquish in the shape of taxation.
The house likewise concurred with my right hon. friend
in bis proposal to repeal the Window Tax, and to supply
one part of the deficiency which would be occasioned by a
tax upon owners and occupiers of houses. The house
likewise agreed without division to the resolution proposed
on the subject of timber and coffee—duties which formed
a major part of the proposed financial arrangements of
the country. Now we should be extremely reluctant to
forego the repeal of the Window Tax, which my right
hon. friend proposed. We look on the Window Tax not
so much as a great financial burden, but as a special evil
(cheers) ; therefore, it would be a great misfortune if
we should be obliged to maintain that tax which the
house had already resolved should cease. But at the
same time we must consider that in order to carry those
resolutions into effect, we ought to be enabled to have it
made clear to you that while this is pending there should
be no further alterations of the Income Tax, limited to the
period of one year ; and in the next place, that there
should be no further lessening of the finances of the
country, so as to deprive the Chancellor of the Exchequer
of the means both of supporting public credit and defray-
ing the costs of those establishments which the house
has agreed to meintain. I think lam making no unrea-
sonable request from this house when I ask for this ; end
while we propose to go on with the Income Tax, limited
as my hon. friend the member for Montrose proposes,
we expect that that tax shall pass without further obstruc-
tions, and likewise that the whole of the revenue which
we hope to obtain shall be secured, to enable us to repeal
the Window Tax, and carry into effect by a bill a resolu-
tion of the house with regard to coffee and timber.
(Hear.)—Mr. Hintz thought the noble lord had
taken a very judicious course in proposing to persist
in, repealing the window tax ; and with regard to the com-
mittee, he trusted it would be appointed without delay.—
Mr. DISRAELI also thought there should be no unneces-
sary criticism upon the financial measures of Government
during the discussion of the measure, but he thought the
case of the tenant farmers paying income tax should be
considered this year.—Col. SIBTHORP postponed his mo-
tion upon this subject, and after a good deal of conversa-
tion, clause 1, as amended, limiting to one year, was
agreed to.—The other clauses were agreed to without op.
position.—Lord J. RUSSELL then stated the course which
the Government meant to pursue in respect to the re-
commendations of the committee which sat last session
on Public Salaries. The following are the principal
items of reduction which have been determined upon :
The salaries of the Junior Lords of the Treasury would
be reduced from £1,200 to £l,OOO ; that of the Secre-
taries from £2,500 to £2,000 ; the Judge Advocate
from £2,000 to £1,500 ; the Lord Chancellor from
£14,000 to £lO,OOO ; the Master of the Rolls from £7,000
to £6OOO ; the Ambassador to Paris from £lO,OOO to £BOOO.
A motion of Mr. FREWEN'S relative to the distress among
the hop-growers occasioned some discussion, but was ul-
timatelyeu
th the house
withdrawnadjourned ado; and
at after2o minutes somotphasert lc? tine busi-
n