SUGAR DUTIES CONTINUANCE BILL. (Hansard, 24 July 1846)

§ LORD G. BENTINCK
moved, that the 5th of July, 1847, be substituted for the 5th of September, 1846; the effect of his Amendment would be to extend the opera- 1405 tion of the Bill for eleven months instead of one. His object in moving the Amendment was not to obstruct the Government in any way, but to facilitate their movements; his Amendment would not interfere with any permanent measure, if the Government should still see fit to introduce it; but if, upon further consideration, Her Majesty's Ministers should defer till another Session the permanent settlement of the Sugar Duties, this change in the date of the Bill would give them an opportunity of so doing, whilst it would be a great relief, and an act of mercy and justice, if they gave to the small producers a respite from the measure proposed by Her Majesty's Ministers. As to any apprehensions of a sugar famine, they were as visionary as those of a famine in corn. He had taken the liberty of stating on a former evening that the quantity of produce likely to come from the Mauritius in the ensuing year was 60,000 tons, instead of the quantity of 40,000 or 50,000 tons estimated by his noble Friend the First Lord of the Treasury. Since these estimates were made to the House, the overland mail from India had arrived, bringing intelligence from the Mauritius, as the result of the present year, that 46,000 tons had been actually shipped; and estimates were given in the papers of the Mauritius that not less than 60,000 tons would be shipped in the ensuing year 1846–7. Supposing that 2,000 tons would go to the Cape of Good Hope, there would be 58,000 tons to be sent to this country. He presumed that the fine season, which had had the effect of producing this enormous quantity of sugar in the Mauritius, extended also to the East Indies; and then the quantity he took on a former night as the produce from the East Indies would be understated. So that, instead of the quantity of sugar on hand on the 5th of July next year being the smallest, it would probably be the largest which had ever been known in this country at the same period of the year. It was not his intention then to go into the general question in the absence of his noble Friend the First Minister of the Crown; but he thought he had shown sufficient reason for asking Her Majesty's Ministers to pass a Sugar Duties Continuance Bill, on the same principles and terms as the last, for eleven months, in order to afford to the merchants in the sugar trade in the East Indies, the Mauritius, and the West Indies, a small chance of escaping from the ruin which 1406 he feared would overtake a great number of wealthy and substantial men if the measure of Her Majesty's Ministers should pass, and the present duties be renewed only for one month.

The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER
admitted, that it would be better not, in any way, to go into the general question of the Sugar Duties, or into the probable demand and supply of sugar, and he would confine himself simply to the Bill before the House. He believed that every one was agreed—and certainly every communication received by Her Majesty's Government, whether official or private, agreed—that it was most desirable, as soon as possible, for the question of the Sugar Duties to be permanently settled. He believed that all parties agreed in this—whether they supported the proposal of Her Majesty's Ministers, or whether they went further or not, all, even the West Indian body themselves, desired that there should be a permanent settlement. They all knew the term meant by a permanent settlement; and he did not believe that any one in or out of that House believed that the present Sugar Duties could remain on their existing basis; the proposal of the noble Lord, therefore, would defeat the very end he had in view; for it would leave the permanent settlement untouched for a long time, and instead of being a boon would be an injury. On Monday next it was the intention of Her Majesty's Government to go on with the question of a permanent settlement, and he hoped their measure would receive the support of the House; but the extension of the present duties for a period of eleven months would be a great misfortune, instead of a great blessing, to the parties most interested.

§ SIR R. H. INGLIS
would not enter into the general question; but there was nothing in the proposition of the noble Lord the Member for Lynn which would at all interfere with the ultimate decision of the House on the proposition of the noble Lord the First Minister of the Crown. The Bill did not omit the usual clause, that it might be amended or repealed, in the present Session of Parliament; and if it were not amended or repealed, the only effect would be that it would give to the Government a little more time for consideration, and to the trade a little more breathing time. The proposition could do no harm in his own view of the case; and if the Government were to have the triumphant majority of which they boasted (though he 1407 thought they were grossly deceiving themselves) in favour of the proposition of the noble Lord, the present Amendment would not in any manner vitiate that decision. If, however, that proposition should not be carried, the amended resolution would secure the continuance of the existing duties to the 5th of July next; and there was no one who would deny the importance of continuing the Sugar Duties as a source of revenue. He therefore urged the House to adopt a proposal which, according to his views, would do good, and, according to the views of the Government, could do no harm.

§ MR. LABOUCHERE
said, all that the Government wanted was that the question should be fairly laid before Parliament, and should be fairly discussed on its own merits; and they had, therefore, a perfect right to object to this measure as prejudging the question. It might also produce an impression that the House was not about to settle this question permanently, and that the Parliament was unwilling to enter into the serious consideration of the Sugar Duties with a view to their final and satisfactory arrangement. All knew the effect which uncertainty had produced during the last five years, and that there was nothing so much required as a final and permanent adjustment. Although he admitted that the Amendment would throw no technical obstruction to the permanent settlement, yet there would be a moral effect, and an impression would be made on the public, and commercial interests would be prejudiced.

List of the AYES.
Aglionby, H. A.	Cavendish, hon. G. H.
Antrobus, E.	Christie, W. D.
Archbold, R.	Clements, Visct.
Baring, rt. hon. W. B.	Clerk, rt. hon. Sir G.
Barnard, E. G.	Clive, hon. R. H.
Barron, Sir H. W.	Cockbum, rt. hn. Sir G.
Beckett, W.	Colebrooke, Sir T. E.
Bellew, R. M.	Courtenay, Lord
Berkeley, hon. C.	Craig, W. G.
Berkeley, hon. Capt.	Crawford, W. S.
Bernal, R.	Cripps, W.
Blackburne, J. I.	Denison, J. E.
Bouverie, hon. E. P.	Dennistoun, J.
Bowring, Dr.	Dickinson, F. H.
Brotherton, J.	Duncan, G.
Brown, W.	Duncannon, Visct.
Buller, E.	Duncombe, T.
Byng, rt. hon. G. S.	Dundas, Adm.
Carnegie, hon. Capt.	Egerton, W. T.
Cavendish, hon. C. C.	Ellice, rt. hon. E.

Elphinstone, Sir H.	Maule, rt hon. F.
Escott, B.	Morpeth, Visct.
Esmonde, Sir T.	Morris, D.
Estcourt, T. G. B.	Mostyn, hon. E. M. L.
Etwall, R.	Napier, Sir C.
Ewart, W.	Norreys, Sir D. J.
Ferguson, Sir R. A.	O'Connell, D.
Fitzroy, hon. H.	O'Conor, Don
Fleetwood, Sir P. H.	Oswald, J.
Flower, Sir J.	Parker, J.
Forster, M.	Pattison, J.
Gibson, rt. hon. T. M.	Peel, rt. hon. Sir R.
Gill, T.	Peel, J.
Gore, hon. R.	Philips, Sir R. B. P.
Goulburn, rt. hon. H.	Philips, M.
Graham, rt. hon. Sir J.	Plumridge, Capt.
Grey, rt. Sir G.	Price, Sir R.
Grosvenor, Lord R.	Rutherfurd, A.
Guest, Sir J.	Seymour, Sir H. B.
Hamilton, W. J. C.	Sheil, rt. hon. R. L.
Hastie, A.	Sheridan, R. B.
Heneage, E.	Smith, J. A.
Hervey, Lord A.	Smith, rt. hon. R. V.
Hindley, C.	Somerset, Lord G.
Hobhouse, rt. hon. Sir J.	Spooner, R.
Hogg, J. W.	Stuart, Lord J.
Horsman, E.	Strutt, E.
Hume, J.	Sutton, hon. H. M.
Hutt, W.	Thornely, T.
James, Sir W. C.	Trench, Sir F. W.
Jervis, J.	Troubridge, Sir E. T.
Kemble, H.	Wakley, T.
Labouchere, rt. hon. H.	Ward, H. G.
Langston, J. H.	Warn, J. T.
Layard, Capt.	Wilshere, W.
Lemon, Sir C.	Wood, rt. hon. C.
Lincoln, Earl of	Wood, Colonel T.
Loch, J.	Wortley, hon. J. S.
Macaulay, rt. hon. T. B.	Wyse, T.
Mangles, R. D.	TELLERS.
Martin, J.	Cowper, hon. W. F.
Martin, C. W.	Rich, H.

List of the NOES.
Allix, J. P.	Jones, Capt.
Austen, Col.	Lygon, hon. Gen.
Baillie, Col.	M'Clintock, W. B.
Baillie, H. J.	Miles, P. W. S.
Bankes, G.	Miles, W.
Benett, J.	Newdegate, C. N.
Boldero, H. G.	O'Brien, A. S.
Codrington, Sir W.	Packe, C. W.
Dick, Q.	Pakington, Sir J.
Disraeli, B.	Palmer, R.
Douglas, Sir H.	Powlett, Lord W.
Du Pre, C. G.	Rolleston, Col.
Floyer, J.	Round, J.
Fuller, A. E.	Stuart, J.
Grogan, E.	Trollope, Sir J.
Henley, J. W.	Waddington, H. S.
Hildyard, T. B. T.	Wodehouse, E.
Hodgson, R.	TELLERS.
Houldsworth, T.	Inglis, Sir R. H.
Hussey, T.	Bentinck, Lord G.