§ Mr. Grotepresented a petition from a number of persons interested in the tea trade, and begged to put a question, founded on the petition, to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The House was aware that all teas arriving after 1st July next would be subject to the equal duty of 2s. 1d. per 1b. The quantity of Bohea imported, he was sorry to say, was unusually great, and the loss upon it, therefore would be very considerable. He had been intrusted by the petitioners, comprising the principal persons in the tea trade, to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it would not be possible to afford them some relief?
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, that this topic had been recently brought under the consideration of the House when he had stated the course he was prepared to pursue. The facts were in a very narrow compass. By the alteration made in the tea-duties last year, all teas imported after the 1st July next were to be admitted at an equal duty of 2s. 1d. per pound: up to the 1st July the old duty would continue in operation. Of this change in the law all parties had knowledge, not by a Treasury intimation, but by a positive Act of Parliament. It so happened, however, that the quantity of Bohea teas imported, and about to be imported, infinitely exceeded the calculation; and under these circumstances, certain parties had applied to the Treasury to be allowed to take their bonded Bohea teas out of the warehouses after the 1st July, at the lower rate of duty. His reply had been that the Treasury had no power, and that Parliament alone could give the parties relief, if due ground were shown. 634 They represented how seriously they should be injured, and some of them, perhaps, altogether ruined; but still he felt that he could do nothing but refuse acquiescence. They stated further, that there were no adverse interests to be damnified by a relaxation of the law, and that importers and dealers were all agreed upon the point. He had, therefore, moved for copies of the memorial to the lords of the Treasury, in order to call the attention of all persons to the pending question; and undoubtedly he had received intimations, not very numerously signed, nor from many places, showing that to comply with what was required would be injurious and inconvenient. He wished it to be distinctly understood that on revenue grounds he did not oppose the object of the memorialists: he should make no objection, as Finance Minister, to any relaxation; but he saw very good reason for not altering the existing law upon insufficient grounds and ex parte statements. No alteration could be required till the 1st of July, and in the mean time the papers before the House would be printed and circulated. The hon. Member would excuse him (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) if, on the present occasion, he did not give a distinct reply to the question. He was anxious first to ascertain whether there were or were not any adverse interests. It was a subject not involved in the finance statement he was about to make; but at all events he intended to reserve himself respecting it until he should be able to ascertain whether any, and what, parties would be injured or affected by the introduction of a measure to accomplish the wishes of the petitioners.