HC Deb 07 April 1865 vol 178 cc891-2
MR. HENRY SEYMOUR

said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, Whether he has received any information to the effect that an Export Duty had been placed upon Jute, Coffee, and various other articles in India, and that the Income Tax had been continued in that country?

SIR CHARLES WOOD

Sir, one of the inconveniences attending the use of the telegraph is the imperfect information it oftentimes affords us. I must, therefore, say that I am not at all certain of the answer which I have to give to the question of the hon. Gentleman. It is true that I have received a telegram, but I do not know from whom it has come.

MR. HENRY SEYMOUR

said, he wished to explain. The statement to which he referred had not reached England by telegraph, but had appeared in the letter of The Times' correspondent.

SIR CHARLES WOOD

It is perfectly impossible that any information can have reached England by letter from Calcutta giving an account of what was said or done on the 31st of March last, at which date the financial arrangements for the year had been determined upon. Whatever may have appeared in the newspapers or elsewhere, must, therefore, have been sent by telegraph. I received a telegram on the 3rd of April, stating that the income tax had not been renewed, but that export duties had been placed upon certain articles of produce in India. I can hardly doubt the correctness of the telegram, but it is so totally opposed to everything I had reason to expect, that I scarcely know whether to believe it or not.

SIR JAMES ELPHINSTONE

said, he wished to know, whether the principles upon which taxation proceeds in India are supposed to be in harmony with the principles of taxation in this country, and whether the Government in India is empowered to act independently of any principles laid down in this country?

SIR CHARLES WOOD

I think that is, with all deference to the hon. and gallant Gentleman, not a question which I ought to answer.