§ Mr. Stuart Wortleysaid, he had the honour to present a petition from the merchants and manufacturers in Wool, of Huddersfield and its neighbourhood, against the late duty imposed on foreign wool. The petitioners stated, and he believed justly, that, as an effect of that impolitic tax, a considerable quantity of capital had been sent out of the country. A noble friend of his intended to give that night a notice of a motion for its repeal. Till that discussion he should defer further observation on the effects of a tax whose further continuance he so much deprecated.
§ The petition was ordered to lie on the table.
§ Lord Miltonsaid, he wished to put a question to the right hon. the president of the board of trade. He wished to know from him, whether it was the intention of his majesty's government to repeal the late duty on wool? If such an intention was entertained, it would afford him the greatest satisfaction, and in their hands he would gladly leave it. If, on the contrary, they were not disposed to take that course, he rose for the purpose of giving notice that on Tuesday next he should move for the repeal of the late duty on foreign wool.
Mr. Robinsonstated, in answer, that he did not know if to be the intention of his majesty's government to take any such step. The notice, of the noble lord might therefore stand as proposed.