HC Deb 20 May 1847 vol 92 cc1103-5

Excise Acts read,

MR. MOFFATT

then moved, that the House resolve itself into Committee on the said Acts, for the purpose of considering the propriety of permitting British spirits to be rectified in bond for exportation, and to permit rectified spirits and compounds to be warehoused for exportation. He was ready to provide by Bill certain restrictions to prevent the commission of fraud.

The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

said, that the objection to the proposition of the hon. Member was, that in the opinion of those officers of Excise the most competent to form a judgment, its adoption would render it impossible to protect the revenue. As the law at present stood, all spirits going from the distillers to the rectifiers were charged the duty, and the revenue could not lose; but if the spirits were to go from the distillers to the rectifiers, and the duty was not to be charged except on that quantity which left the rectifier's premises, the Excise would have no check on the amount of spirits on which duty should be charged, as there was no mode by which the strength of rectified and compounded spirits could be properly tested.

MR. HUME

supported the Motion. He contended that rectified spirits might be tested by the Excise; and by opposing the Motion, the Chancellor of the Exchequer was actually stopping an important branch of trade in this country, and throwing it into the hands of the Dutch.

MR. FORBES

said, that if the proposition of the hon. Member did cause a little trouble to the Excise, he did not see why the House on that account should not do justice to a large class of Her Majesty's subjects. The hon. Member for Montrose said, that in consequence of the regulations of the Excise, this branch of trade was being driven into the hands of the Dutch. He understood that the advocates of free trade desired to place the British and foreign manufacturer on the same ground; but he trusted that they would not go so far as to give a bonus to the foreigner. He thought that the House ought, at any rate, to allow the hon. Member an opportunity of presenting his Bill.

MR. BARKLY

supported the Motion, and thought that the Chancellor of the Exchequer was not acting judiciously in setting up the Excise as a barrier against all improvement.

The House divided:—Ayes 56; Noes 63: Majority 7.

List of the AYES.
Adderley, C. B. Hastie, A.
Baillie, W. Henley, J. W.
Baine, W. Hodgson, R.
Bankes, G. Hope, Sir J.
Barkly, H. Houldsworth, T.
Bentinck, Lord G. Humphery, Ald.
Blackstone, W. S. Ingestre, Visct.
Bouverie, hon. E. P. Jolliffe, Sir W. G. H.
Browne, R. D. Jones, Capt.
Bruce, C. L. C. Lockhart, A. E.
Buck, L. W. Lockhart, W.
Burroughes, H. N. M'Carthy, A.
Carnegie, hon. Capt. M'Taggart, Sir J.
Collett, J. Manners, Lord J.
Crawford, W. S. Marton, G.
Dennistoun, J. Molesworth, Sir W.
Disraeli, B. Neeld, J.
Divett, E. Newport, Visct.
Drummond, H. H. O'Brien, A. S.
Duncan, G. O'Connell, M. J.
Duncombe, T. Sheppard, T.
Farnham, E. B. Spooner, R.
Feilden, Sir W. Trelawny, J. S.
Ferguson, Sir R. A. Wakley, T.
Forbes, W. Walsh, Sir J. B.
Fuller, A. E. Yorke, hon. E. T.
Gisborne, T.
Gordon, Adm. TELLERS.
Hallyburton, L. J. F. G. Moffatt, G.
Hamilton, Lord C. Hume, J.
List of the NOES.
Baillie, Col. Grey, right hon. Sir G.
Baring, right hon. F. T. Grosvenor, Lord R.
Barrington, Visct. Hawes, B.
Bellew, R. M. Hodgson, F.
Berkeley, hon. C. Hogg, Sir J. W.
Borthwick, P. Hussey, T.
Bowles, Adm. Inglis, Sir R. H.
Bramston, T. W. Jervis, Sir J.
Brotherton, J. Lemon, Sir C.
Carew, W. H. P. Lygon, hon. Gen.
Denison, W. J. Macaulay, rt. hon. T. B.
Denison, J. E. Mangles, R. D.
Dodd, G. Marjoribanks, S.
Duncombe, hon. A. Marshall, W.
Dundas, Sir D. Mitcalfe, H.
Escott, B. Monahan, J. H.
Forster, M. Morris, D.
Gardner, J. D. Ogle, S. C. H.
Gaskell, J. M. Pakington, Sir J.
Gladstone, Capt. Polhill, F.
Gore, hon. R. Rich, H.
Graham, right hon. Sir J. Richards, R.
Romilly, J. Stanton, W. H.
Russell, Lord J. Strutt, right hon. E.
Rutherford, A. Tancred, H. W.
Scrope, G. P. Thornely, T.
Sheil, right hon. R. L. Troubridge, Sir E. T.
Shelburne, Earl of Ward, H. G.
Sheridan, R. B. Wood, right hon. Sir C.
Smith, A. Wrightson, W. B.
Smith, right hon. R. V. TELLERS.
Somers, J. P. Tufnell, T.
Stansfield, W. R. C. Parker, J.