Mr. O'Connellpresented a Petition from the Corporation of Chandlers and Soapboilers of the City of Dublin, complaining of the effect of the present state of the Drawbacks in England. Their trade, in consequence of the Duty on Soap in England, being paid back on exportation was almost annihilated. They prayed that some measure might be introduced for the purpose of giving them relief, and for that purpose they suggested that the Tax on Soap should be entirely repealed.
§ Lord Althorpsaid, it was undoubtedly true that at present the Irish soap-boilers were much injured by the state of the drawbacks. There were three modes in which that evil could be remedied. The first was, by an alteration of the drawbacks; the second, that suggested by the hon. and learned Gentleman of taking off the duty altogether; the third, to take off half the tax in England, and lay it on in Ireland. He hoped soon to bring forward a measure which would remedy the grievance complained of.
§ Mr. Lalorsaid, it would be much better for the noble Lord to repeal the tax in England, than lay it on in Ireland.
Mr. Ruthvensaid, the question was not quite understood. What the Irish soapboilers particularly complained of was, that 1099 the drawback was not given on duty actually paid, but on duty to be hereafter paid. The soap-boiler in England actually re-received the drawback some months before he paid the duty, and thus was enabled to undersell the Irish manufacturer by trading on capital lent by the Government, for which he paid no interest.
§ Sir Francis Burdettobserved, that the Irish in general, the consumers, got their soap cheaper by the present system, although a change might be advantageous to the manufacturers. If any body suffered by the present state of the law, it was the English.
Mr. O'Connellallowed that the consumers did certainly get it a little cheaper at present, but then it was through the medium of a gross fraud on the revenue, by the perversion of public money to private speculation, and by the ruin of the Irish manufacturer. Whatever alteration the noble Lord might introduce, he hoped it would be for the abolition of the Excise-duty. His constituents were decidedly against allowing Excise-officers to come into their premises at all and he trusted that they would be chased from every manufacturer's door; their appearance checked industry, and the ingenuity of the country.
Petition laid on the Table.