The Chancellor of the Exchequerrose, in pursuance of notice; to move for the renewal of the committee which sat in 1800, to enquire into the intercourse of spirits between Great Britain and Ireland. Since that committee had been appointed, repeated Acts had been passed to prevent the intercourse between the two countries; and as it now became desirable that the subject should 429 be brought to some arrangement advantageous to both countries, as a preparatory step to that proceeding, he begged leave to move—
That a committee be appointed to inquire into the regulations which govern the drawbacks and countervailing duties on the importation and exportation of spirits the manufacture of Great Britain or Ireland, from one country to the other respectively; and also what alterations it may be expedient to make in respect of the same, in order to place the intercourse between England and Ireland, and Scotland and Ireland respectively, in the article of spirits, upon those terms of reciprocity which are required under the articles of union between Great Britain and. Ireland; and that they do report their observations and opinion thereupon, from time to time, to the House.
§ Sir John Newportwas extremely desirous that the committee now proposed to be appointed should examine the question for their consideration fairly, and with a determination to come to some certain regulation upon this important subject; as nothing was so improper as the temporary acts which had been passed, and which were in direct violation of the first principles of the Act of Union. It was extremely impolitic always to be looking solely to the present moment, without paying any regard to futurity. With respect to the motion of the right hon. gentleman, it was not his intention to oppose it; but he did apprehend that the object in view would be attained with more certainty, if the instructions to the committee were not of a nature so general as those contained in the motion. The inconveniencies of such instructions had been fully proved by the result of the deliberations of the last committee, which had never been able to come to any fixed conclusion, in consequence of the variety of matters by which the attention of its members had been distracted. He thought it would be best to confine the attention of the committee solely to the question at issue between the two countries; and with that view, he begged to suggest to the right hon. gentleman the expediency of so wording his motion.
Mr. W. Fitzgeraldsaid, that there was no wish on the part of his Majesty's government, that the committee should direct their attention to any other point than that in which the two countries were particularly interested.
§ Sir John Newportsaid, that as long as the instructions to the committee were so general, it would be in the power of any member to bring forward the discussion of any collateral branch connected with the spirit intercourse of the two countries.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerhad no wish that the committee should go further than the hon. baronet thought necessary; and had formed his motion merely with a view of letting it be understood that the committee was similar to that appointed on a former occasion.
§ The question was then put and carried.