TAXON HEMP. (Hansard, 2 April 1832)

Mr. Alderman Thompson
presented a Petition from the merchants, ship-owners, and others, of the City of London, on a subject of so great import- 1179 ance, that he regretted that none of his Majesty's Ministers were now in their places. The petitioners prayed that the duty at present levied on hemp should be reduced to the same amount as that imposed upon flax. The duty on the first article was 4l. 13s. 4d. per ton, while on the latter it was only 1s. 8d. for the same quantity. He begged to state, that there were three sorts of hemp: the first clean, worth about 33l. per ton; the second, outshot, worth about 28l. per ton; and the third half clean worth 25l. per ton; yet the three sorts although so much differing in value paid the same duty. The cheap sort was used in the manufacturing of sacking; the grounds on which the petitioners relied, rested on a promise held out to them some time since by Government, when it contemplated the taking off the bounty on the export of linen, which bounty ceased in January last, and amounted to twenty per cent ad valorem. The consequence was, that those who were engaged in the linen-trade, by losing that bounty, were entirely excluded from the use of any of that material in the manufacture of linen; and he was informed that a certain quantity of hemp was necessary in the manufacture of linen adapted to the South American market. In a trade carried on for many years, such a state of things materially affected the capital of those engaged in it. The loss tended to lower the rate of wages, and to throw a great number of persons out of employment; which of itself, was a subject highly deserving the attention of Government. Although the income of the country, as compared with the charges upon it, was nearly equal; yet, when it was considered that this duty last year did not produce more than 40,000l.—that for many years past it had been gradually decreasing—and that there was a prospect in the present year of a still further decrease, he should say, both on the grounds of policy and justice, this duty ought to be reduced. But the manufacturers of linen were not the only parties interested in this case; the shipping-trade was materially affected. Foreign cordage was imported, placed in bond, and allowed to be purchased for the purpose of being sent abroad, or to the colonies; and although it was supposed to be used solely for commercial purposes, there was nothing to prevent British Captains, so soon as as they had 1180 passed Gravesend, from rigging their ships with this cordage. This was in fact constantly done and the consequence was, that the English ropemaker suffered the loss of a considerable portion of his trade, while, at the same time, the duty pressed most severely on shipowners engaged in the coasting-trade. Whose vessels must be fitted up with English cordage at an increased expense of 10l. per ton, caused by this heavy duty on hemp. He considered it also necessary to state, that while the quantity of hemp imported into this country had been decreasing, the quantity imported into America had been increasing; and in a similar proportion the quantity of cordage and linen manufactured there had increased. It was evident that this country would be deprived of a considerabe portion of its linen trade, if a reduction in the duty of hemp did not take place. Hemp was so necessary, that he trusted this impediment to its use would be removed. A strong case had been made out for reducing the duty; and the shipowners had a right to claim from Government every concession that could be made, in order to enable them to compete with foreign shipowners.

Mr. Hume
said, he held in his hand a petition from the ropemakers of London to the same effect as the petition just presented. He begged to remind the House, that a pledge had been given by the Government in this House, at the time the Reciprocity Bill was passed, to take off this duty—a duty producing only 40,000l. annually; and, to obtain this paltry sum about 5,000 ropemakers, about the metropolis only, were suffering the severest privations. Only one-fifth of them were employed, and that at reduced wages, while the people of the United States, from procuring the article untaxed were enabled to supplant us in the South American markets. Under such circumstances, and considering the injury our shipping interest was also sustaining from the same cause, he did hope Ministers would take an early opportunity to repeal so obnoxious a tax, which produced so small a sum to the revenue and caused so many industrious people to be thrown out of employment.

§ Mr. Robinson
had formed part of a deputation which waited on the noble Lord (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) on this subject, and from what then transpired had hoped the Government would 1181 have taken it into their consideration, and that the duty would have long since been repealed. The duty was productive but of a trifling amount, and had the effect of pressing very heavily on the labouring classes.

§ Mr. Horatio Ross
most cordially supported the prayer of the petition, but as he purposed to bring on a motion on the subject in a few days, he would reserve himself for that occasion.

Mr. Ewart
entirely concurred in what had fallen from the hon. Gentleman who had spoken on the subject, and supported the petition. The United States were gradually getting the whole trade which depended on hemp into their own hands, and were even beating us in our own markets owing to the tax.