§ The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in a Committee of the whole House, moved a resolution, that the excise duty now payable on sugar made from beet-root be charged on sugar manufactured from any materials whatever. The reason why this measure was proposed at so late a period of the Session was, that until very recently he had no idea that such a one would be required. The House had placed a duty on beet-root sugar, but the moment that was taxed the ingenuity of parties set them to work to get it from potatoes and other substances. The present bill would meet every possible case, for it included sugar extracted from any material whatever. [An hon. Member: It has been lately manufactured from old rags.] From old rags? I have heard of its being made from rice, but I never till now heard of old rags as materials from which to get it.
§ Resolution agreed to.
§ House resumed.