The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-03-05 00:00:00

CIVIL LIST.

Mr. LENNARD seeing tl.a Right Hon. Gentleman in
his place, wished to ask him whether it was the inten-
tion of Government to make any reductions in the ex-
penses of the Civil List, pat ticularly that part of it which
related to the expenses of Foreign Ambassadors.
Mr. Secretary CAN replied that he certainly had
not intended to carry further reduction into the Civil
List during the present Session. Some reductions had
already been made since his coining into office. At the
same time h. did not pledge bitnself that something fur-
ther might not be done.
Mr. LENNARD then said that, as his question had
not received a direct negative, he would suspend any
motion upon the subject for the present.

a OP ryes—CJMUUTATION.
Mr. HERRIES brought up the Reduced Assessed
Taxes' gi IL
Usir the question of its being ream a first time,
Mr. EAU:RAFT said that be would take that oppor-
tunity of giving his meed of praise to the present Chan, e'.
lor of the Exchequer, for the very wise and humane re-
gulations which he had made with regard to the Assessed
' Taxes in Ireland, by rep. sling them altogether.—(Hear.)
They were small in their amount, but v-xations and op-
pensive. to a degree, in the collection. Of tde manner
in which he had disposed of the English Assessed Tax-e,
be (Mr. C.) could not give so qualified as approval. He
was obliged to say that the reductions were no: made in
that class of burdens which pressed most heavily upon
the bulk of the people.—(Hear.) Being precluded at
this stage from suggesting any amendment to the mea-
sure, he could only bay, that be would have wished to
-see the Leather and Candle 'lax commuted for the reduc-
tions mode in the taxes on horses, ponies and carriages.
—(Heat.) He regretted that these were not the taxes
reduced, as they w.'uld be of more extensive operation,
and confer more material benefits. Of the reductions
made in the Window Tax he entirely approved; but he
wished those had been carried to a total repeal, and that
the taxes on carriages had be. it left untouched. This
latter was a tax upon luxury, the fittest thing to be taxed ;
and in fact, the number of eqnipages set up by indivi-
duals bad ratiter increased than niminighed during its ope-
ration. The tax upon leather, npon tn., other hand,
was an impost upon a necessary of life, and leal.!rigt most
heavily upon those who were most entitled to exeitip.;,:n
and protection, namely—the poarest classes. To this
vast body it would be a great boon if the Leather Tax
was remitted; for though one-half of it was already re-
duced, yet such was the profligacy in the collection of it,
that the half that remained, whilst under the Excise, was

quite as oppressive as the whole would have been as it
originally stood. It would be his wish, therefore, to re-
peal these two taxes altogether; but, as he was precluded
from commuting them, lie pledged himself move
them substantively. This, however, would be in the
event of the National Debt Reduction Bill not passing
for if that Bill, which was now before the House, pig in
its present form, the hands of Parliament would be en-
-1 tirely tied up from making any further remission of tax-
ation. For the principle of that Bill was, th the surplus,
whatever it might be of revenue over the expenditure,
should go to a Sinking Fund, and, therefore, whether the
excess was 3,000,0001. or 5,009,0001. the whole was to
go to that Fund. But if be understood lientlemsn in
that House rightly, many of them seemed to be of opi-
nion, that greater reductions might bet made this Ses
sion. ney accepted the reductions already made, but
they did not exclude themselves from pressing for more.
Nothing could be more invidious thar the manner in
which the late reductions had been made. This House
might very properly he taunted with reducing those
taxes which applied exclusively to themselves. and ne-
glected those which concerned the bulk of the people.
If this Reduction Bill did not pass before the rec-ss. he
weal take the sense of the House upon these two taNes:
but if in this lie was dis ippoin.e I, he w•itil.l then uhile
two separate motions ilium lien; to the Hoare.
The Bill was then read a first time.
TAX UPON COTTAGER.

Mr. CURWEN gave notice, that as the whole of the
Duty upon Cottages was not repealed, lie wive it,
as an instruction to the Committer. on Assessed Taxer, to
take the subject into their conshieration.