§ Mr. Whitbread, referring to the accounts laid before the house, of the incidental expences of the Stamp Office departments in Eng- 341 land and Scotland, particularly pointed out some items in the accounts for England, which he thought required investigation. There were a number of trifling articles paid by the commissioners of their own authority, which he thought required investigation, such as servants wages to the house-keeper, and other small sums amounting to between 300l. and 400l. There was also a considerable sum of upwards of 2,700l. yearly charged as allowances to stampers for extra hours at 6d. per hour. He understood that all the servants of the office were paid for their time. If the salaries were too small they ought to be encreased. The only, and surely the most economical way, to have good servants, was to give them adequate and liberal salaries. He observed also a sum of 50l. to the warehouse-keeper for an increase of duty. All these sums he conceived should be made by public grant, and not at the discretion of the commissioners. In Scotland the items granted in this way were even to a greater amount, and there was one item which appeared to him to be particularly objectionable. This was a sum for premiums for procuring good bills for remitting the Stamp Duties from Scotland to England. He concluded by moving for an Account of the mode of managing, and Charges for managing the Stamp Duties in Scotland for the last two years, distinguishing each particular Charge. Also for the authority under which the different extra and incidental expences were paid in England and Scotland. And also for an account of the premiums for procuring good bills for remitting the Stamp Duties in Scotland to this country.
§ Mr. Huskissonagreed that the premiums for procuring good bills for the purpose of transmitting the Duties from Scotland to England, were an unnecessary expence. It arose from this circumstance, that the Bills sent were at ten instead of forty or fifty days. It was not necessary, however, that the bills should be at ten days date, and in future this expence would be avoided. To explain that, till now, the existence of this mode of conducting the business was unknown, he should move for a letter from G. Harrison, esq. on that subject.
§ Mr. Whitbread's motions, and the additional motion of Mr. Huskisson, were then put and agreed to.