§ Lord H. Petty then moved, that this bill be read a second time.
Mr. Rosesaid, that from all the enquiries he had been able to make, and all the information he had collected on this subject, it appeared to him that this tax would be of great detriment to the general interests of the country. He contended that it would bear harder on the farming interest alone, than the duty on horses employed in agriculture, which had been proposed and abandoned during the last session. Besides which, its operation would extend to almost every species of manufacture carried on in this country.
§ Lord H. Pettysaid, that he was aware of a variety of objections to which the bill was liable; though he was decidedly of opinion that the inconveniences attending the tax had been considerably over-rated. He should wish, however, that full time should be allowed for the mature consideration of the tax in all its bearings and consequences; and on this account he would propose, that the bill be now read a 2d time, and that the house should enter more fully into its merits in the committee, on Friday next.
§ Sir J. Wrottesley,with a view to disencumber the debate on Friday, would ask now, whether any thing was proposed to be done to obviate the difficulty of giving a sufficient drawback to the manufacturers engaged in the export trade? A number of gentlemen in town, whose opinions deserved the attention of the house, thought the proposed drawback insufficient, as it seemed the utmost to be allowed, did not ex- 949 ceed 4l. per ton. The deductions on account of the ordnance and naval stores. would be considerable. The hon. baronet then proceeded to point out some omissions in the returns of the consumption of iron in the navy, made to the house from the navy board; and expressed a hope, that the noble lord would use his influence to procure every information for the house, connected with the subject.
§ Lord H. Pettystated the amount of deduction for iron used in the ordnance, and for the navy departments, to be altogether 51,460l.; the drawback on foreign iron 13,770l.; that on British iron 123,000l.; making a total, with 5000l. the estimated expence of the collection, of 193,000l. to be deducted from the produce of the tax. The average of the drawback was 4l. a ton.
§ Mr. Wilberforceconsidered this tax as so inconsistent with the fundamental principles of taxation in its tendency and effects, that he trusted the noble lord would see reason to withdraw it. On this account he would leave it to the calm consideration of his own mind.
§ Mr.I H. Brownesaid, that he would have objected to the tax upon the first proposition of it, if it were not for his reluctance to oppose a plan of taxation founded generally upon the views and system of his late right hon. friend, the predecessor of the noble lord.
Lord A. Hamiltonexpressed his disapprobation of the tax, but reserved the avowal of the particular grounds of his opposition until the bill was committed.
Mr. Vansittartobserved, that, in the committee, many modifications of the bill could take place. An hon. baronet had mistaken the extent of the proposed drawback; 4l. per ton had been calculated upon as the average, and not as the highest allowance.
§ Mr. canningfelt reluctance in opposing any of the measures for procuring supplies in the present situation of the country. But the objections to the present tax were so numerous, and had been so strongly urged in various representations which he had received on the subject, that he would recommend it to the noble lord, to turn over in his own mind the possibility of substituting some other less objectionable tax in its room. He contended that it would raise half as much more from the agricultural interest alone, than had been proposed by the tax on horses employed in hus- 950 bandry which had been abandoned in the, last session, while all other classes of the community would be affected by it.
Mr. Felloweswas not apprehensive that the tax on iron would affect the farming interest in the proportion which had been mentioned; but he feared it would go a great way towards anni[...]ilating the export trade, which, when once diverted from its channel, it would be extremely difficult to bring back again.
Mr. W. Smithsaid, it was not only in the iron used for shoeing horses that the farmer would seriously feel the tax, but in other uses, which made the consumption with him large.
Mr. Rosesaid, that a farmer who had four horses in his team, would pay at least 40s. a year under the tax.
§ Mr. Babingtonthought that the general effect of the tax would be severe; but in checking the machinery of the country, he apprehended its operation would be particularly injurious.—The bill was then read a 2d time, and committed for Friday. The order of the day for the committee on the Property Tax bill on Friday was discharged, and the same-ordered for Monday next.