Commons Sitting of 1 April 1806

MINUTES.
New writs were ordered to be issued for Honiton, in the room of sir John Honywood, deceased; for Peterborough, in the room of William Eliot, esq. who, since his election, has accepted of the office of chief secretary for Ireland; for the county of Sligo, in the room of Charles O'Hara, esq. who, since his election, has accepted of the office of one of the commissioners for managing the affairs of the Treasury in Ireland; and for Queen's County, in Ireland, in the room of Henry Parnell, esq. who since his election has also accepted of the office of one of the commissioners of the treasury in Ireland.— A petition was presented from earl Spencer, and the other proprietors of Battersea Bridge, against the bill for making and maintaining a bridge across the Thames from Vauxhall Turnpike.—A petition was presented from the debtors in the Jail of Newgate.—The Irish Treasury bill, and the British Fishery bill, were read a third time and passed.—Mr. Calcraft brought up an account of unappropriated balances in the hands of the Treasurer of the Ordnance on the 5th Jan. last.—Sir J. Frederick having moved the 2d reading of the Lambeth .Inclosure bill, lord W. Russell said he had no objection to the bill being read. a second time circumstances being un

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derstood to be without prejudice to the opposition made to the bill by the persons for whom he presented the petition, or to their right to be still beard by their counsel against the principle of the bill. On this understanding the bill was read a 2d time. —Mr. Yorke, pursuant to notice, moved for extracts to be laid before the house, of the correspondence between the government of Ireland, and the commissioners, relative to the suspension of the late paving board, in Dublin. Lord De Blaquiere said, he did not mean to oppose the motion, though he must again repeat, that it was natural for a set of gentlemen, who had been so severely censured for their conduct, to have expected that they might have been heard in their justification, before they were condemned. Mr. Yorke replied, that when the papers were before the house, they would show that the Irish government was far from being precipitate in its proceedings. The motion was then agreed to.—Mr. Yorke next moved, that the abstracts presented of the Subdivision Rolls, under the Levy-en-masse act, should be printed. He observed, at the same time, that the abstracts of the enrollments of the year 1804, contained only seven, and that of the year 1805, only six counties. He understood that the late administration informed the lords lieutenants of counties, that the returns were to be made regularly every year; why that was not complied with, he knew not; but he thought it of great importance, with a view to every military system, that the house should know the number of men in this country capable of bearing arms, Agreed to.— Mr.Vansittart presented,agreeably to order, the proclamation made by his majesty, relative to the Importation of Slaves by British subjects into Foreign Colonies, The Attorney General then obtained leave to bring in a bill for preventing the Importation of Slaves by British subjects, or in British bottoms, into foreign islands, &c. and for rendering more effectual the order of his majesty in council on this subject, dated 15th August last.—Mr. Vansittart brought up the Tea Duty bill, and the Tobacco Duty bill, which were read a first time.—On the motion of Mr. Vansittart there was ordered to be laid before the house, an account of the number of persons assessed to the Income Duty in 1801, and Property Tax in 1803. Also of the Gross Assessment, under the Property Tax in the year 1803, distinguishing each County, &c. so far as the same can be
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made up.—Mr. Huskisson moved for certain papers, not, he said, to provoke a renewal of the discussion which had already taken place, but with a view to get quit of it. He accordingly moved for a comparative account of demands outstanding in 1805, and 1806, exclusive of those for Naval Services; for an account shewing how the 1½ million remaining unemployed on 5th January, 1806, had been employed; and, for an account of the Disposition of 3½ Millions granted last year for subsidies; and whether any, and what proportion of them had been applied for Navy Services in the year 1806.—The house then went into a committee on the Ordnance Treasurer's bill, when, after a conversation between lord H. Petty and Mr. Calcraft on. the one side, and Mr. Huskisson and Mr. S. Bourne on the other, principally on the point whether the idea of reform in this department had occurred to the late board previous to, or in consequence of, the Tenth Report of the Commissioners of Naval Enquiry, the bill was gone through, and the Report was ordered to be received tomorrow,

PROPERTY TAX BILL.
Mr. Vansittartbrought in the Property Tax bill, which was read a first time; and on the motion for its second reading,
Sir Robert Buxtonsaid, that as he had not had an opportunity of speaking on this subject before, be would now remark on the extreme injustice and hardship which the bill would inflict, as well on the lower classes of the people, as oft the landed property of the kingdom in general. If the exemptions for repairs, for instance, were taken away, the tax would fall unequally, at least, in the proportion of 12l. or 13l. per cent. on the landed interest. This doing away of that exemption, he had always opposed. He did so on bringing in the bill of last year, and if those whose business it more peculiarly was, should not attend to it, he should feel it his duty to propose exemptions for that purpose in the committee.
Mr. Vansittartreplied, that the exemption alluded to was not included in the present bill, and that the committee was the proper stage for the discussion of that subject. He said, he meant to propose, that the bill should be read a 2d time to-morrow, for the purpose of having it committed on Thursday, after which it would be printed, and a day appointed for the report, after the holidays, when it would be competent to any gent., who thought proper, to move for its being recommitted. He assured the

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house, at the same time, that his noble friend, the chancellor of the exchequer, bad every disposition to listen to every reasonable suggestion that might be made; but he must also remark, that exemptions of that kind might he just and right, in particular cases, which would be highly injurious if generally adopted.
Mr. Alderman Prinsepsaid, he was aware that this was not the proper stage for going into any discussion: but promised to deliver his sentiments upon it, when the bill should he in a committee.
Mr. Bastardcautioned the house, while they limited, the operation of the act to 10 per cent. against sanctioning a principle by which more than that amount might fall on any particular class.
Mr. Shaw, Lefevrethanked the hon. gent. for the attention paid by him to the convenience of a certain class of the members of that house, and suggested Monday, the 21st April, as the most convenient day after the recess for taking up the consideration of the bill.—The bill was then ordered to be read a second time to-morrow.

AFFAIRS OF INDIA.
Mr. Hobhousemoved to postpone the order of the day for taking into further consideration the report of the committee to whom the petition of the private creditors of the late nabobs of the Carnatic was referred, and moved that the same be taken into consideration on Monday se'nnight.
Mr. Franciswished to know if the report would be printed in time for the previous consideration of members, before they were called on to discuss a subject of such importance.
Mr. Hobhouseanswered, that it was now printing, and he had every reason to think it would be finished time enough to be in the hands of every member during the recess. If not, however, he should have no objection,hereafter, to any reasonable delay.
Mr. Francissaid, the subject was one of the utmost importance, which involved a question of some millions, no less than six, which certain gentlemen, who called themselves the creditors of the late nabobs of Arcot, said were due to them by those princes: if this was now to be paid, it must come out of the coffers of the East-India company; and in their present most embarrassed and distressed situation, he felt it of high importance to consider how far it was prudent to throw such a claim upon them.
Mr. Hobhousesaid, that the question before the house regarded only 3 short
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postponement, and would not allow him to go into the merits of the measure. On Monday se'nnight he should move for leave to bring in a bill, and would fully explain the grounds upon which it was founded. At present, he should abstain from all argument, as not being the proper time for discussion.
Mr. Goldingmoved for a copy of the letter from the governor and council at Bengal, dated 28th March, 1805, to the court of directors of the India company, in relation to the friendly conduct of the nabob of Oude towards the British troops engaged in the Marhatta war; which was ordered.
Lord Henry Pettyrose to express his hope, that an hon. gent. opposite to him (Mr. Huddleston) who had given notice of a motion for that day, respecting the production of India papers, would have no objection to defer that motion to another day, as a right hon. friend of his, not now in the house, (Mr. Fox) was precluded by indisposition from attending in his place, and who was certainly desirous of being present at any discussion which might take place upon this subject.
Mr. Huddlestonanswered, that from the polite and modest manner in which the noble lord had shaped his request, as well as an earnest desire that the right hon. gent. alluded to should be present when he made his motion, because, from the known opinions on that subject always avowed by that right hon. gent., he relied upon his support to his motion, he should have no objection to postpone it till Thursday.