Mr. Maberlybrought up the report on the linen bounties acts, and moved that the resolutions be read a second time.
Mr. Robinsonargued against the policy of making these bounties permanent. He objected strongly to the second resolution which recommended the imposition of a duty of 28s. on foreign linen yarn.
§ Sir G. Hillregretted that this question should have been agitated in the present session.
§ Mr. Humeconcurred in the view taken by Mr. Robinson, and hoped his hon. friend would withdraw the second resolution. He urged the propriety of allowing the same drawback on ashes used in bleaching in Scotland and England as was allowed in Ireland.
Mr. Fostersaid, that the people of Ireland wished that those of England and Scotland should be included in every thing 139 in the way of advantage which they derived, but it would be ingratitude to take away the bounties on linen from Ireland. If he were exclusively an Irishman, he would say, treble the duties on yarn coming into Ireland, for the country grew more than it could manufacture. As to the drawback on ashes, he did not think it was sufficient, for formerly they were imported into Ireland free of duty.
§ Mr. Huskissonsaid, that every principle of justice required that the other parts of the empire should be put on the same footing, as to bounties, with Ireland.
§ Mr. Ricardoconsidered bounties given to Ireland in this way, as in the nature of a tax on the people of this country, and therefore he was generally opposed to such measures.
The first resolution was agreed to. The two other resolutions were negatived, and a bill was ordered to be brought in, founded on the first resolution.