HC Deb 23 June 1848 vol 99 cc1079-80
SIR L. O'BRIEN

wished to take that opportunity of putting a question which he had brought last night under the notice of Her Majesty's Government. His object simply had been to inquire whether the right hon. Gentleman intended to adhere to the differential duty on rum originally announced on the part of Her Majesty's Government, or whether, in accordance with the wishes of the deputation, the right hon. Gentleman was prepared to adopt a differential duty more favourable to the interests of the home distiller. He begged now to repeat the question which he had put yesterday.

The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

Since last night I have had an opportunity of laying the matter before my Colleagues; and I can assure the hon. Member that I did not give him an answer yesterday, only because I could not give it. The principle for which the West Indians contended in 1846, as that on which the subject of the spirit duties ought to be dealt with, was, that they should be put on a footing of equality with the British distiller. Last year I proposed that the difference should be 6d. in the duty on British and on colonial spirits. I repeated in the early part of the Session that a differential duty of 6d. would be adequate. Since that time I have introduced a measure for the benefit of the distillers; and in accordance with the views of those whose opinion is entitled to the highest respect on such a subject, and who think that 4d. is a sufficient differential duty between British and colonial spirits, the proposition now before the House has been made by Her Majesty's Government. I have submitted to my Colleagues the representations made by the Irish Members yesterday; and they have seen in those representations no reason to change the views they previously entertained of the measure which has been laid before Parliament, and which, in the opinion of Mr. Wood, the Chairman of Excise, is sufficient to afford the protection which is fairly required for the British distiller, and sufficient to compensate the colonial distiller for the disadvantages under which he labours.