§ Mr. Boswellpresented a petition from the ship owners and others of Ayrshire, earnestly entreating that the bill might not be passed into a law. The petition set forth, that the bill would impose an increased expense on coals imported from the county and neighbourhood of the petitioners; that there were already funds sufficient to meet the expenses; and that the proposed measure would affect the little commerce that remained between the coasts, most injuriously, especially the lime and coal trade.
Sir N. Calthurstmoved the second reading of the bill. He hoped there would be no objection to this motion as the me- 1036 rits of the bill could then be canvassed in the committee up stairs.
§ Sir Isaac Coffindeclared himself to be an enemy to all jobs, and such he conceived this bill to be. The people of White haven and its neighbourhood had already taken the alarm, and entertained a strong dislike to the measure; a paper containing some powerful objections to the bill had been put into his hands, and unless those objections could be upset in the committee, he should continue to say "No" to the measure.
Mr. Curwensaid, he had a petition most respectably signed by several hundred of the inhabitants of Cork, against the measure. This petition he should shortly present. In the mean time, he wished to state that the people of Hull were against the bill. The competition in the trifling branch of trade which was carried on between Hull and the Irish coast, was at present so great, there was little or nothing to be got by it at present; and the bill would render matters still worse. For his part, he considered the principle of the bill so objectionable, that no alterations that could, be made in the committee could make it at all palateable. He would therefore move, "that the bill be read a second time on that day three months."
§ Sir N. Colthurstentreated the hon. member not to take the sense of the House in that early stage of the bill. He hoped he would suffer it to go to a committee up stairs.
§ Sir James Grahamentered his solemn protest against the bill. From all that he had heard, and all that he had read, he was satisfied that the measure altogether was a most obnoxious and a most unjustifiable tax on the property and industry of those who had no right to pay it. He trusted it would be thoroughly sifted in the committee, and as he was anxious that it should be so sifted, he hoped his hon. friend (Mr. Curwen), would consent to withdraw his amendment.
Mr. Curwenconsented to withdraw his amendment. The bill was read a second time, and, on the, motion of Mr. Boswell, the petitions against it were referred to the committee up stairs.