§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ MR. LYGONsaid, he hoped the Chancellor of the Exchequer would explain the nature of the Bill. The right hon. Gentleman had given notice of a Bill regarding British and foreign spirits, but had thought fit not to give any explanation concerning its objects, when he obtained leave to bring it in. As he obtained that leave, or rather he was under the order of the House to bring in a Bill relating to the warehousing of British and foreign spirits, more reason ought to be given why an important part of it was to be omitted. Much inconvenience was caused to hon. Members and the country from the manner in which the right hon. Gentleman thought right to introduce such Bills. It was true that they were not of first-class importance, but they were of such importance to those whose trade might be affected by them, that some explanation was due. The manner in which the Chancellor of the Exchequer acted was manifested in the Tobacco Duties Bill and the Inland Revenue Bill of last year. In neither case did he give any information when he obtained leave in a Committee of the Whole House to bring them in. The Tobacco Duties Bill was introduced without explanation on the 16th of February, 1023 was read a third time on the 23rd of February, and the first explanation was given at about the same time of the night as the present. The Bill was committed on the 2nd of March. But on the 9th of March, in consequence of the want of information in its early stages, the Bill was re-committed, and the Report was agreed to on the 23rd of March. It would have been more satisfactory if an early explanation had been given. It was the same case with the Inland Revenue Bill. The Bill was re-committed with reference to railway passengers and spirit licences. There was a Standing Order that no Bill affecting trade should be brought into the House, except in a Committee of the Whole House. The object of that rule was, that hon. Members might have a full explanation of the objects of the measure; but that object was set at nought by the right hon. Gentleman. It was a matter of serious importance to his (Mr. Lygon's) constituents; one of them had written to him that he had paid £1,000 for duty within the last few months on English, Irish, and Scotch spirits, and he was anxious to know whether the right hon. Gentleman intended to introduce, in any part of the Bill, words affecting foreign spirits.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, he had followed the uniform practice, and the hon. Member, notwithstanding his great experience, had entirely misunderstood the purport of preliminary Resolutions for Bills relating to trade. The doctrine, that in proposing such preliminary Resolutions the subject should receive in all its parts a searching examination was absurd, and would in effect be taking the Committee on a Bill before its introduction. The common practice in Bills of trade was to cover all the matters affected by a general Resolution. His practice had been agreeable in every instance with fixed tradition. The complaint was that he did not introduce Bills in the final shape in which they were passed by the House. He confessed he was not as the hon. Gentleman seemed to be—in a position to bring in Bills in such a shape—and being liable to the infirmities of human nature, and not possessing the perfect apprehension of the hon. Gentleman, he was willing and glad to accept suggestions and improvements which came to him during the progress of his Bills. With regard to measures on which there was any reason to expect a difference of opinion, he always endeavoured to give every explanation in 1024 his power; but when it was a subject on which there was no difference of opinion on the principle, he generally trusted to private communications and the correspondence between Members and their constituents for any modifications which might be desirable. He had followed that course with respect to the present Bill; and, notwithstanding what the hon. Gentleman had said, he had in no way deviated from the Orders of the House. He might, however, mention, that the object of the present Bill was to allow the British trader to take spirits for home consumption or exportation out of the bonded vaults of the excise without compelling him to go to both, through the customs and excise departments. When the Bill passed, it would only be necessary to pass the spirits through the customs department. There were also some provisions in favour of the British distiller in regard to measurement.
§ Bill read 2°, and committed for Monday next.