§ Lord Wharncliffesaid, that he had learnt that a conversation had taken place in their Lordships' House a few days ago, upon the third reading of the Appropriation Bill, in which a noble friend of his had taken occasion to say something with respect to the operation of the recent removal of the Coal duties. His noble friend had complained that the result of the measure of removing the duties was, to occasion a very considerable loss to the revenue, without any corresponding benefit to the consumer. He stated that the price of coals to the consumer was only 2s. less, and that the difference between that and the 6s. of duty removed must go into some other pockets. He (Lord Wharncliffe) was anxious that the coal-owners should stand clear with the 905 public, and he could assure the House, that if the public did not benefit to the full extent of the duties removed, the coal-owners were by no means benefitted by the difference, which had not gone into their pockets. The prices of coals at Newcastle and Sunderland were precisely the same now as they were before the duties were removed; and in point of fact, the coal-owners were losers instead of gainers. When the tax was taken off, the stock in London was extremely low, in consequence of the anticipation generally entertained that the tax would be reduced. The coal-owners continued to supply the market as usual for a few weeks, when the workmen at the pits seeing a favourable opportunity, struck for an increase of wages, and they kept the pits for seven weeks unworked; so that coals were actually imported into Newcastle in order to keep the different steam-engines at work. This had ended in an increase of wages to the amount of from ten to fourteen per cent, and as the price of coals had not increased, the coal-owners were consequently losers to this extent. In addition to this, the workmen by an agreement among themselves, would not work beyond earning a certain sum a day. This state of things was brought on undoubtedly from one of those combinations among the operatives, which caused increased difficulties every day, in carrying on any kind of trade in this country. The result of this combination among the colliers was, that the coal-owners could not supply the markets to the extent of making up their losses sustained by the increase of wages. He would only add, that if the workmen were allowed to proceed as they at present occasionally did, it would strike at the prosperity of the manufactures and commerce of the country. The coal-owners, it was to be feared, would not be able to supply the markets adequately with coals until next spring, if they had to contend with such combinations; but their inclinations and their interest both induced them to furnish an ample supply, as the reduction of price ought to cause an increased consumption which the coal-owners were anxious to meet. He should move, "that there be laid before the House a return of the prices in the London markets of seaborne coals, from the 1st of February to the 17th of October, 1831.
The Earl of Falmouthhad understood 906 the noble Duke to have said, that the public had not derived the full advantage of taking off the duties, but he had not understood the noble Duke to say by whom the benefit had been reaped, although the presumption was, that it was the coal-owners.
§ Motion agreed to.