§ On the Motion that the Glass Duties' Bill be committed,
§ Sir John Tyrellwould avail himself of the opportunity to express his regret that the Government had extended no relief to the agriculturists. Their claims had been preferred and supported by unanswerable arguments. All other classes were relieved but the unfortunate agriculturists.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerwould not be drawn into irregular discussion; but, as it was the fashion, in and out of doors, with particular parties to attribute unfeelingness to the Government regarding agriculture, he must complain that the hon. Member, after all that had passed, lent himself to such opinions. On the hustings many Members had made vehement protestations on this subject—he did not say that the hon. Member had done so; and yet a good many of those vehement advocates of the repeal of the Malt Tax, when the question was brought on, had voted against that repeal. After that he thought it was rather hard thus to attack the Government. He maintained that there could not be relief to manufactures without benefiting agriculture. It was probable that the moment this Bill passed there would be many persons taken off the roads who were now engaged in breaking stones. In one case forty labourers would be thus released. Would not taking them off the rates be of any benefit to agriculture? If the hon. Member desired to see the reasons for opposing the repeal of the Malt Tax fully stated, he would refer him to the speech of the right hon. Member for Tamworth (Sir R. Peel) on that occasion.
§ Mr. Robinsonexpressed regret that, as it was sought to afford relief to this particular branch of manufacture, the Chancellor of the Exchequer had not reduced the duty altogether; for by that course there would have been no necessity to keep up the machinery for collecting a small rate of duty.
§ The House went into Committee. The Bill was read and the House resumed.