§ MR. MULLINGSproposed an Amendment. By the present Act a stamp of 2s. 6d. is imposed on all agreements, but if they contain above 1,080 words, a further stamp of 35s. is imposed, and a further stamp of 35s. for every additional 1,080 words. This scale of duties was continued in the schedule; and he proposed, as an Amendment, that the progressive duty on each 1,080 words be 2s. 6d., instead of 35s.
The ATTORNEY GENERALopposed the Amendment, on the ground that it would entail a considerable loss of revenue.
§ MR. MULLINGSbelieved, on the contrary, it would largely increase the revenue.
§ MR. GOULBURNsaid, he introduced an Amendment into the Stamp Act subjecting agreements to a stamp of 2s. 6d., and the consequence was a considerable increase of revenue. He could not say what the effect of this reduction might be; but by reducing the lower stamp to 2s. 6d., 334 there had been a very large increase of revenue.
§ MR. HUMEthought the Amendment a very proper one; it followed up the principle on which the Bill was framed, and did away with the extraordinary leap from 2s. 6d. to 35s. He did not think the revenue would suffer; and if it did, it would be much better to make the reduction proposed.
§ The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, it would be better if the hon. Member for Cirencester would allow his Amendment to stand over for the present, as no notice had been given of it. He would not estimate off-hand what loss of revenue it would occasion, but he was told it would be considerable. He thought it was not too much to ask that he should have time to examine what its effect would be.
§ MR. MULLINGSat the suggestion of Mr. Hume, withdrew his Amendment.
§ Schedule agreed to.