§ MR. W. EWARTsaid, he desired to ask the secretary to the Treasury whether the Treasury has considered the propriety of extending to school books generally the exemption from the Paper Duty which is 1272 now allowed on books in the Latin, Greek, Oriental, and Northern languages, printed by the Universities. Also, what books are considered to be free from duty under the description of "books in the Northern languages,"
§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEsaid, that such an exemption as that referred to by the hon. Member would scarcely be possible. In the first place it would be difficult to say what were really school books even amongst the lower classes of school books. In the higher classes it would be altogether impossible. Were an exemption given to all books printed by a University, it would establish a monopoly for Universities. The books considered to be free from duty under the description of books in the Northern languages were those printed in the Russian, Scandinavian, Danish, Dutch, and German languages.