HC Deb 26 February 1830 vol 22 cc1010-1
Mr. Hume

said, that the hon. Member for Staffordshire (Mr. Littleton) had given notice, that on Wednesday, the 17th of March, he should move for leave to bring in a Bill to render more effectual the laws for the Payment of Wages in Money. He wished then to give notice, that he should move, as an Amendment to that Motion, for leave to bring in a Bill to repeal all laws which inflicted penalties on Masters for paying wages in goods. He hoped he should be able to put an end to the delusion that prevailed on that subject. He would also then move for a Return of the number and names of each post town in which an extra charge, beyond the rate of postage fixed by Act of Parliament for the delivery of letters, had been made; together with a statement of the authority on which such extra charge had been made;—also, for a return of the number and names of places which had been relieved from such extra charge during the last three years—also, for a return of the gross amount of Excise Duties collected in Great Britain in the year ending the 5th of January, 1830; distinguishing the amount paid for collection, and the amount actually paid into the Exchequer—also, for a similar return respecting the Duties of Customs, and the Land and Assessed Taxes. The hon. Member said, he would take this opportunity of stating, that if the Ministers did not propose any further reductions, he should, as soon as the Estimates were over, submit a motion on the subject of the Collection of the Revenue. After the able manner in which an hon. friend of his (Sir H. Parnell) had exposed, in his late publication, the abuses of the mode of collection, and the saving that might be made under that head, he thought no rational man could doubt that the subject was deserving of serious attention.