§ MR. MILNER GIBSONsaid, that communications had been made to him from his constituents, complaining of the interruptions caused to the tea trade pending the decision of the House on the scheme of the Chancellor of the Exchequer; and he therefore wished to know whether it was not possible to take the tea duties first in the Committee of Ways and Means, so that the earliest possible decision might be taken on that subject, and the trade relieved from its present embarrassment?
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, he believed that, in point of order, it was not competent for him to adopt that course. The first Resolution, relating to the income tax, had been read in Committee and progress reported, and he apprehended that that matter must be disposed of first of all.
MR. GLADSTONEsaid, that with reference to the question raised by his right hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, he desired to state the course he intended to take. He had given notice of a Resolution on the Motion that the Speaker do 1391 leave the chair, to the effect that the House retain the present duties on tea and sugar. His object was to induce the House not to permit any increase of the duties on tea and sugar before they went to the question of the remission of the war duties on incomes. But having considered the matter in reference to the rules of the House, he thought that would be an inconvenient mode of discussing the subject. He should therefore make no preliminary Motion, but move, in Committee of Ways and Means, a Resolution to the effect that the tea duty, from and after the 5th of April next, should be 1s. 3d. in the pound, as provided by the present law. If the Chancellor of the Exchequer was right in supposing that the Resolution on the tea duties could not be taken first, he (Mr. Gladstone) would take the sense of the House to-morrow upon the proposition of which he had given notice, and the future course with regard to the Budget would depend upon the disposition which might be manifested by the Government with regard to the tea duty.