The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-06-28 00:00:00

NEW STAMP OFFICE IN EDINBURGH.

IIt:ME called the attention of the House to
what he considered :td instance of disregard to the pub-
lic busine's on the part of the liavernuorat. A new
Stamp (Ace being wanted, a Gentleman woo( appoint-
ed to Search for a coaeeniest, building, in which the
Nosiness Ise the stamp department could be carried on.
Hoch a place was, accordingly., found in s convenient
situation, but Ministers, in corder to Eaves An imlivi
(ht .1, had, notwithstanilitq the rcrommenelAtions of
the LlJar(l of Sumps avid the IlloArl of W'.trL•s In i:s

&year, decided on blindly' a sew Ace la aloe ap-
propriate shoflies, with fewer counuioucin se ft
a greater eepenee. To him this appeared to be tong
the greatest jobs that had ever cease widths hie recol-
lection. The only person he believed that had is the
Ant lostance ventured to recommend the sitaatioa
pre-
torred, was a grocer of the name of Johnson; bet the
work having been beren early in ISIS, in lON Led
Melville had remised it, and proaosseed the build-
lag to be suitable. This was stated, bat this might
he a gratedt•es assertion on the part of the Honour-
able Baronet who had advanced It. The work bad
bees examined also by the Lord Advocate, aid on the
eighties* of Lord Melville, the Lord Advocate. sad
'Atoms the greeter, it had bees carried on, is app.-
Alen to the reeommeadatios of the Board of Stamp.
He teeth occasion to notice another lastasee of noel-
gooey es the part of Chavernment, where the pahlk
Serest was concerned. The revenue of Seotlaall,
amounting to 3,000,000 t, had bees transmitted to
this country by tercels Bankers, at forty days. A
friend of hi. bad offered to transmit it at twenty, aid
to give Bieheqeer Bilis in advance, or say security
that might be required. This however had mot been
attended to, and the others having come down to 30
der, the Chancellor of the Bichequer had left the be-
sines, in their handy, and thus a less was sustained
by the country. The new Stamp ()Sleeted bees said
to have been built in a more centrical situation than
that whkh had first offered. He denied that such was
the fact. What would the inhabitants of Leaden thuds
of an °Mee being built in Whitechapel to secure the
advantages of a centrical situation. If suck an erec-
tion were to be made at the beginning of Whitechape.,
near the Misories, it would have as good a claim to
be considered centrical as the new Stamp Oleo had in
Edinburgh. The house Ant offered had a bandied
feet of ground belonging to it, on which any belldiag
might be raised that should be thought necemary...--
The spot finally chosen had nut a foot of ground be-
longing to it behind the building, and it was liable to
he built close op. To prevent this be umberstood
IWO guineas had recently been paid. An Homme-
-1 able Baronet had engaged to purchase the gonad f..r
1• notch smaller sum ; bat be understood the Chance:-
be of the Exchequer, with much good nature towares
him, but with little regard for the public purse, lia4
.assented to let him off, and hail not held him to h.l
agreement. The building had been coestrneteil, nut
seder the Crown Surveyor, but under a Mr. Elliot,
who was employed on the recommendation of the Co':-
tractor. The building had cost 9,100/., and, adding
le this other charges, with the thousand guineas :S
be had mentinned, the total expence was upwards o:
I t,ooof. Drumbeck's Hotel, the situation previously
offered, might have been had rot 7,800/., so that .t
need he seen a loss of four or five thousand pounds
had been sustained. Besides this, the transfer of V.:,
bailees+ from the Stamp Office had been deferred fur
three year., in order to obtain at last inferior were
inodation •at a greater expence. He coneisded by
moving a Resolution, declaring, that It appeared to
the Howie that great irregularities had taken place in
ronueetion with the building of the new Stamp Mite
its Edinburgh, and particularly in the appointment of
a surveyor by the contractor, and in carrying on the
works contrary to the opinions given by the Board e!
Stamps and the Board of Works, and in the purchase
of the ground adjoining the said building.
Sir J. SIAJORI BANKS explaine3 the circum-
stances connected with his purchase of the ground on
which the Sta p Office had been built, and his offer of
the same to Government. He had recommended it to
a betilder to submit an offer to Ministers, and had a-
ltered in he his security. The situation be contended,
was en various respects more eligible than any other
that had been offered. As to time, he chewed from
certain letters that lee read, that the Board of Stamps
I ad not been always in a hurry to transfer the heasi-
fiefs to a new office ; and after all, the period at which
tie new office was to be ready, was bat six months
later Into the period at which they were offered pos.
es.iccit of the other building, that it had bee?'
:I contemplation to take. Time size of the new build-
inz the wished to speak within compass) was at least
one-third larger than llumbreck's hotel, and laid out
expressly for the business. The cost of that weal I
have been b,4011/., and the alterations which would
have been necessary, must hare occasioned an addi-
tional charge of 1,500/. making a total of 9,9001.—
The new building cost 9,1001. He had received no
particular information from the Treasury. When he
spoke to Mr. Vansittart, he merely remarked, " You
have spoken to Mr. Harrison on the subject." Gen-
tlemen who were entrusted in obtaining information
from the Chancellor of the Exchequer had little temp-
tation to go often to the Treasury for any answer they
could get from the Right lion. Gentleman. The offer
of another building which had been praised so highly.
if he were to point nut several circumstances connected
with it, he might be justified in describing it as Willi-
dious. The same building had formerly been sold for
twenty-three or twenty-four hundred pounds. lit
1906, it was purchased for 4,200/. This was the
House which had been offered to Government for
N,400/. He complained of having been kept in town
by this motion, when he widow' very much to ar-
eumreny his family to Scotland. That be should be
so detained on this occasion was as curious as if a
watchman should take him to the matehhottee that
night for looking at him. Were this to happen on
being sliseharsol to-morrow worming, he should feel
that he lead not been treated with more seve:ity than
he hail experienced in this instance.—(A laugh)-s-He
explained the circumstances which led to the peeler-
ence given to Mr. Elliott as Surveyor. The expense
incurred scow the Estimate for the liailtiing was monad
by the external gm/Wentz which bad. hole enpptimi,
and Mr. Elliott hail only had a pett6ll4 twit awl a
half per cent. while five per rent. would ism twee. m-
g/acted
.by the Crown Surveyor. be had- gel the
riZd which hod been mentioned might brperseisaseat
re Onedred pounds. lie was not diepoted tit sea
~.Balch floss on unprovidget fugocconits.i.sics
when he founi :he ground could nut be olvaine..l for