Commons Sitting of 25 May 1814

PETITION OF THE CORN DISTILLERS OF ENGLAND.
Mr. Brand presented a petition of several corn distillers of England; setting forth, "that the importation of Irish spirits into Great Britain, or of British spirits into Ireland, has been for a considerable time past, and now is, suspended in consequence of doubts having arisen whether the regulations under which the drawbacks and countervailing duties paid or payable on spirits the manufacture of Great Britain and Ireland, imported from either country into the other, do not operate as a bounty on such exportation of spirits, contrary to the sixth article of the Act of Union, until proper provisions could be made for regulating the inter course between Great Britain and Ireland, in relation to spirits the manufacture of either country; and that such suspension will cease and determine on the first day of July next; and praying, that the doubts which have arisen, and the regulations which are necessary, may be forth with taken into consideration by the House, or that the suspension of intercourse may be further continued until the investigation has taken place, and sufficient time afforded for a Bill being passed for putting the trade in spirits between the two countries upon a just, fair, and equal footing."
In illustration of the hardships complained of by the petitioners, the hon. gentleman stated, that above 370,000 l. had been paid for duties on spirits in this country, which were not disposed of.

COPY RIGHT BILL.
Mr. Giddy, alluding to the Bill relative to copy rights of books, wished to state, that a clause introduced in the Bill, which tended to throw an unmerited reflection on certain establishments for learning, should not have his assent. It had been reported, no doubt erroneously, that these learned bodies authorised the copies of books which were sent to them gratis, to be sold. He had no doubt that the suspicion or accusation was unfounded; and as he was the last man in the world who would countenance such an insinuation, he wished it to be understood, that it was not his intention to preserve the clause in question.