§ In answer to a question from Mr. Hastie,
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, that he was anxious to put the House and the public in possession of the facts relating to recent ex-parte applications on the subject of the Tea Duties, in order to avoid the inconvenience that might otherwise arise. In the Bill passed last year, the graduated scale of duties upon tea was put an end to after the 1st of July of the present year: the result would be, that lower-priced tea, such as Bohea, would be introduced into consumption after the 1st of July, subject to a duty of 2s. 1d. per lb., instead of a duty of 1s. 6d. per lb. He believed, that the quantity of Bohea in this country had greatly accumulated, and infinitely exceeded the amount originally calculated upon. It was now ten millions of pounds, and it was probable that there would be ten millions of pounds more before the 1st of July, all which, under the existing law, must either be entered for home-consumption prior to the 1st, of July, or bonded and taken out afterwards, paying a duty of 2s. 1d. per lb. The applications to which he referred had been made to extend the system of bonding beyond that period; indeed, to extend it indefinitely. Taking the annual consumption of Bohea at eight millions of pounds, if it were so extended, it would continue the distinctive duty for two years and a half. Strong representations had been made in favour of this course; but hitherto Government had made no reply, and was most anxious that the attention of the public should be called to the matter, in order that those who might be interested, and took a different view of it, might give full notice of the application that had been made. He should therefore move in the course of the evening for copies of the memorials presented, and he should then be enabled before the 1st of July to give a definite answer to them. At present the communication had been made, but no engagement of any kind had been entered into by Government with respect to the bonding of tea.
§ Subject dropped.