Commons Sitting of 14 August 1850

MINUTES.] PUBLIC BILL.—
1aa Poor Relief (Ireland).

POST OFFICE REGULATIONS.
MR. THORNELYwished to know whether the report of the Committee appointed to consider this subject had been completed, when it would be presented to the House, and whether and when any change back to the old practice would take place?
MR. LABOUCHERE, in reply, said, that the report had been already completed, and delivered in to the Treasury, by whom it had been laid upon the table of the House, where it now was. It was not in his power to say what steps the Treasury might take on the subject, and it would hardly be right for the Treasury to pledge themselves to any ulterior course until they had first duly considered the subject. The report was already printed, and any hon. Gentleman could refer to it.

NEW MODE OF REFINING SUGAR.
MR. THORNELYwished to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the attention of the Government had been called to the new mode of refining sugar? His object in
1070
asking the question was to ascertain whether any deleterious substances were introduced either into sugar or molasses.
The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERreplied, that it was quite true that the attention of the Government was some time ago called to this question, which was a matter in which the health of Her Mejesty's subjects was concerned. A new process was discovered some time ago, and there was reason to suppose that a certain quantity of lead might remain in the sugar, and cause deleterious effects. He thought it his duty to make inquiry some months ago, and a report was made by some experienced chemists. An analysis of the sugar refined by two refiners was made, and the report of the chemists was submitted to two medical gentlemen, who presented a report to the Board of Inland Revenue. It did not appear that any deleterious matter remained in the sugar, but there was reason to believe that a quantity of lead remained in the treacle to such an extent as if taken in great quantities would prove prejudicial. He thought it his duty to submit these reports to the party who had invented this mode of refining sugar, and he offered to abide by the best test that could be offered—namely, that he and his family would eat any quantity of the treacle. He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) thought it right that the public should be in possession of the reports on the one hand, and of this statement on the other. He held them in his hand, and perhaps the best way would be to move that they be laid on the table of the House, and then they would be printed, and the public would have the opportunity of forming its own opinion.

FOREIGN TARIFFS.
MR. NEWDEGATEsaid, in 1847 he moved for a return which was to explain to that House and the country the changes that were taking place in foreign tariffs, and this Session he moved for a continuance of that return, which he had now before him, but he found that it was extremely inaccurate. The information was supplied by the Consuls of this country abroad; and he had fancied that it would have filled up a great gap in the information which had been hitherto supplied to this House. Until he moved for the return in 1847, that House was entirely without information as to the duties levied by foreign countries, und the differential duties levied on the commodities of this

1071
country. But the return was very inaccurate. For instance, no notice whatever had been taken of important changes in the tariffs of Belgium, Denmark, and Russia. He wished to give the right hon. Gentleman at the head of the Board of Trade an opportunity for offering any explanations which he might have to lay before the House; and he would also ask him, whether the Government would consent to the production of copies of the tariffs of all foreign nations, they being documents which at present it was next to impossible to procure, and whether he would agree to a Motion that the tariffs should be printed?
MR. LABOUCHEREsaid, he entirely concurred in the object of the hon. Gentleman, namely, that it was most desirable this House and the country should have as complete and accurate information as possible on the subject of foreign tariffs, and the changes which from time to time were made in them. The return to which the hon. Member had referred was moved for early in the Session, and the Board of Trade immediately requested the Foreign Office to address a circular to British Ministers and Consuls abroad, asking them to obtain such information as was necessary to complete the return. He (Mr. Labouchere) had laid upon the table as it arrived the information which had been transmitted to the Board of Trade. The board could be responsible for the accuracy of that information only to this extent, that it was derived from the best sources to which they had access—through the medium of British Ministers and Consuls abroad. He was, of course, unable to compare the documents transmitted to him with the existing foreign tariffs; and therefore he could not say that inaccuracies might not have occurred in the return. The Board of Trade had, however, done more than this; for, in the course of the Session, the Foreign Secretary had, at their request, written to British Ministers and Consuls abroad, directing them to obtain copies of all existing foreign tariffs, and to communicate to Her Majesty's Government all alterations that might at any time be made in those tariffs. The Colonial Secretary had also undertaken to obtain similar information with regard to the tariffs of our own colonies. The hon. Gentleman had asked whether he (Mr. Labouchere) would consent to a Motion that the foreign tariffs, AS they were received by the Government, should at once be printed and submitted
1072
to the House. He must request the hon. Gentleman not to make a Motion of that kind at present, but to leave the matter in his hands, and he could assure the hon. Member he would not lose sight of it. He (Mr. Labouchere) was not quite sure that it would be desirable to lay the tariffs themselves upon the table. Many of them were very bulky documents. The tariffs of France and Spain, for instance, formed large volumes, and their printing would be attended with considerable expense. He would, however, consider what was the most convenient form in which the information could be presented to the House.
MR. NEWDEGATEwas obliged to the right hon. Gentleman for having so far acceded to his request as to obtain copies of foreign tariffs. He did not wish to have those documents translated, but he hoped free access would be allowed to them.
Subject dropped.
The House adjourned at half-after Three o'clock.