DUTY ON RUM.—COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 21 July 1863)

MR. PEEL
said, he had to move that Mr. Speaker leave the Chair, with a view to leave being given to bring in a Bill with regard to the duty on Rum in a Committee of the Whole House.

§ MR. HENNESSY
said, he was surprised at the course taken by the Government in the matter. The journals of the House showed that their proposal in regard to it was negatived the previous night, and they sought to renew it. Some explanation ought to be afforded of the objects of the Bill.

MR. PEEL
said, the American war had had the effect of greatly increasing the price of spirits of turpentine which were used in the preparation of paint; and that greatly enhanced price—from 3s. to 10s. per gallon—had caused considerable distress among the smaller class of painters, as well as considerable inconvenience to their customers. Now it had been found that rum was an article that could be used as a substitute for spirits of turpentine in the preparation of paint. It so 1203 happened that concurrently with the great rise in the price of spirits of turpentine there had been a considerable fall in the price of rum; and parties interested in the West Indies had applied to the Government to allow rum to be used for that purpose without paying the duty. The Government were desirous of faciliating that object. No loss would be occasioned to the revenue by the measure, because spirits of turpentine paid no duty. Of course precaution would be taken to secure that the rum thus admitted should be unfit for ordinary purposes.

§ MR. HENNESSY
said, he had been told by no mean authorities that Irish whisky would answer all the purposes contemplated by the Bill. Why, then, should the duty on Irish whisky not be reduced instead of the duty on rum? Surely the interests of Ireland should be considered as well as those of the West Indies.

§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER
said, it had been represented to the Government that there was a peculiar suitableness in rum for the purpose. But the measure was not intended to give a preference to rum over whisky; and if either Irish or Scotch whisky would really answer in the preparation of good paint, by all means he should say let it be so used on an equal footing with rum.