TIMBER DUTIES. (Hansard, 4 March 1834)

§ Mr. Hutt
rose to submit a Motion with respect to the Timber Duties. He wished to see an equal- 1114 ization of the duties on Baltic and Canada timber. He represented the trade as in a state of great and injurious suspense. He wished to know from the noble Lord (Lord Althorp) whether any alteration was intended? It was then three years since the Government had proposed a wise, a just, a necessary measure, and he wished to learn if the noble Lord had deserted his principles, and also if the right hon. Gentleman, (Mr. Poulett Thomson) whose fame was connected with the budget in which an alteration of the duties was proposed, had forsaken the opinions he then enforced? Than the present moment a better opportunity for dealing with the subject could not be expected. The stock on hand was extremely short, and the whole of the trade required improvement. Would not the noble Lord pursue the course which consistency and common sense pointed out, or would he wait until Germany and the whole of Europe had, as a measure of retaliation, excluded British manufactures? The country was carrying on a commerce with Canada at the expense of 2,000,000l. a-year. Canada before many years would be an independent state. He would not pursue the subject as the House seemed so impatient under it, but he hoped an equalization of duties would be recommended by Ministers, when the plan would receive his support. He would move that an account be laid before Parliament of the duties received on timber imported from the British provinces in North America, stating also the duties that would have been paid if it had been imported from other countries.

§ Lord Althorp
said, in reply to the hon. member for Hull, that he had not changed his mind upon the subject of the timber duties. It was not, he had further to inform the hon. Member, the intention of Government to do any thing in the present Session which could have any effect upon the trade. It was not at present necessary to consume the time of the House with a premature discussion upon the timber duties; and he had only to say, in addition, that he had no objection to the production of the papers asked for by the hon. Member, except, indeed, that they had been already granted upon the Motion of the member for Bridport.

Alderman Thompson
had no wish to involve the House in a premature discussion; but when the subject should be regularly brought before the House he 1115 would be prepared to show, that the change which appeared to be contemplated would not only be detrimental to a very considerable commercial interest in this country, but would be also greatly injurious to the Canadas.

§ Mr. Robinson
thought the question was one of very considerable difficulty, and it would be absolutely necessary to adopt some course that would prevent the Canadas from falling a sacrifice to any unwise concessions to Russia. He should not then go into the general question, but content himself, for the present, by supporting the Motion.

§ Mr. Warburton
said, the noble Lord was in error in supposing that it was he who moved for the papers. They had been moved for by another hon. Member. He would beg to inform the noble Lord that, amongst those engaged in the importation of timber, a very general expectation was indulged that, in the present year, some alteration would be made in the timber duties. In fact, amongst the entire trade an impression was entertained, year after year, that some alteration would be made, and he could assure the House that putting off a question of such moment was calculated to produce a very injurious effect upon the trade. In fact, nothing could tend more to paralyse trade than such a state of uncertainty. At present the enormous duty of 200 per cent existed, and surely the Government ought at once to interfere.

§ Mr. G. F. Young
regretted, that a subject of so much importance should have been thus incidentally introduced, and subjected to a crude and unsatisfactory discussion. It was, in his opinion, a fallacy to suppose that the reduction of the timber duties would be attended with benefit to the consumer in this country; and there was no doubt it would produce a considerable diminution in the revenue. It was a fact worth the notice of the House, that when the duty was only 10s. 11d., the price of the timber to the consumer was not less than when the duty was 2l. 15s.