The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-03-13 00:00:00

MALT DUTIES.

The Marquis of CIIANDOS, in-
opening this debate, assured
the right hon. baronet at the head of his Majesty's government,
that he had no wish to embarrass them by tt e course which he
meant to pursue. He acted from a sense of duty, and in con-
irmity to a promise made to his constituents; end having once
given a pledge nothing under heaven should prevent him flout
redeeming his word. The malt tax was first imposed in the
reign of William and Mary, and was then four shillings a quar-
ter. It had been at different periods increased, and he found
that in 1787 it was 10s. 6d.; in 1791, Its. 6d. • in 1802, 183.6 d.;
in 1804, 38s. 6d. ; in 1817 it was reduced 20s. Bd. • Many
gentlemen were of opinion that a partial reduction of this duty
would be beneficial to the country, but this would still leave the
whole machinery of the excise and the expense of collection un-
'touched, while the total extinction of the duty would effect a
considerable saving, not only to the farmer, but to the country.
The operation of the malt tax diminished the ,orowth of barley,
and prevented the-farmer from receiving into his house the la-
bourers he employed, and they were deprived of that beverage
of home produce by which, in former times, their strength and
happiness were so beneficially sustained. (Cheers.) The malt
tax, like the sugar duties, used to be voted annually until the
year 1822, when that course was altered. It then became a
permanent tax. The extraordinary pressure of this tax has
caused an immoderate increase in the use of ardent spirits
gin palaces were flourishing while breweries went to decay. No
one could doubt that this had tended to demoralise the people,
and to promote the increase of crime.- (Hear.) To prove this
the noble marquis referred to the returns which had been laid
before the house on the state of crime throughout the country.
From this return it appeared that, from 1812 to 1819. the num-
ber of criminal offences was 52,216; from 1819 to 1826 it was
95.628; and from 1826 to 1832 it amounted to 131,818; and
what most to be lamented was, that of this last number there
were 12,000 women, all of whom were brought before the ma-
gistrates for offences arising out of a too free use of ardent
spirits. It was much to be regretted, that while relief was ex-
tended to different classes of his majesty's subjects, not the
slightest attention was as yet directed to the relief of the agri-
cultural interest.. The right hon. baronet, in the relief which
he proposed, intended to do away with the county rates and other
local expenditures. This would be of no advantage to the
farmer ; for on a farm of 250 acres these taxes would not amount
more than eight pounds a-year, whereas if the malt duties were
removed, the benefits would amount to seventy or eighty. The
farmer was now unable to give his servants a good, cheap, and
• wholesome beverage • he, as well as his labourers, were com-
is ellsetto -resort-iv beewer -rortr deterinrated4rtiete; at a
high price. (Hear.) In those days it was cheering to look at
the farmer's•comfortable fireside, with his happy servants con-
gregated around it; but now, he was sorry to say, the pump or
the nearest ditch was resorted to to satisfy the demands of na-
ture. In behalf of these men he appealedlo the House of Com-
mons, and he hoped be should not appeal in vain. Many of
them had been compelled to abandon their homes and seek for
subsistence in a foreign land, while others had been compelled
to take refuge in a workhouse. He did not ask for relief to this
class at the expense of another, or one that would not benefit
the country at large. The tradesman depended upon the pros-
perity of the farmer for success, and what tended to raise the
condition of one, would also, by its influence, act upon the
other. By a reference to the revenue tables it would be seen
that the consumption of malt, to the 10th October, 1830,
amounted to 40,758.900 quarters, which, at eight shillings per
bushel, made £16,303,560; and it further appeared that the
duty paid to his majesty's government for malt, in 1833,
amounted to 1:4,923,074 barley increased 7-14th part in the
malting, and this was gained by the malteter. Looking, then,
at this slim of 1;16,303,560, and comparing it with that paid to
the Exchequer, it must be evident that the difference found its
way into the pocket of the maltster. Redueing the tax one-
hair, he admitted, would confer a benefit, but it would not put
an end to the monopoly which existed at present. The noble
marquis proceeded to show that the quantity of malt consumed
now, as compared with 1720 and 1730, had considerably de-
creased, while the business of the brewer had increased. in
many counties the feeders of cattle would prefer .feeding theist
on the refuse of barley, but in consequence of the exciO
laws we dared not wet it7for that purpose. Were they pertnitteid
to do so that -which now is of but tittle value to the farmer could
be made available, as it was well known to those who were con-
versant with rural affairs that two Isushels of malted grain was
more nutritions than three bushels of bailey. He might nut
suoctchealed.einthhe itspresent motion, and he regretted that he should
n
support of his right him, friend (Sir Robert Peel);
but he had the gratification of feeling that lie should have Ike
support of many country gentlemen, who were pledged to imp-
port•the proposition which he should have the honour of sub-
mitting to the house. He admitted that his right hum friend
had a right, when snch a reduction was proposed, hatlea right to
ask what was intended to be substituted in its place ? But he
(the Marquis of Chiandos) might answer in the words of the
late Mr. Tierney "that it was his business not to suggest taxes
but to endeavour to take them off." 'Feeling a loss for a budget,
he would adopt the proposition made last sear by the Right line.
the President of the Board of Trade, and increase the ditties on
spirits, wines, and other articles to meet the deficiency which
the abolition of this tax rnig!.t create. These taxes sectad press
upon the higher classes to the relief of the poorer. He could
have wished to introduce into the resolution the exact time whets
those duties should be taken off, but as considerable interests
were involved he found the difficulties to that plan not easily
overcome.' He thought he should best consult the interests
individuals and of the community by proposing a resolution fur
the gradnal abolition of the tax by one, two, or three instalments,
by which means time would be given to the ma lster to get rid of his
stock in hand and the Chancellor of the Exchequer relieved