§ MR. POLLARD-URQUHARTsaid, he rose to move for a Select Committee to inquire into the operation of the augmented Spirit Duties in Ireland. He had said he had been a great admirer of the financial abilities of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and he hoped the right hon. Gentleman would gladly assent to the appointment of this Committee, as it would enable him to give his reasons for pursuing an exactly contrary financial policy in Ireland to that which he had pursued in England. The whole merit of his policy in England had been to diminish and repeal every duty which in any way restricted the consumption of the people, which restrained production, or diminished employment. In Ireland he had adopted an exactly contrary policy. He had augmented a tax which had had the effect of restricting the consumption and enjoyment of the people, and thrown many people out of employment. Ample evidence to that effect had been elicited before the Committee on Irish Taxation. One witness stated that the consumption of spirits had declined from 8,000,000 gallons in 1852 to 5,000,000 gallons in 1862; another, that the number of distillers had declined from 75 to 19; another, that the increased tax on Irish spirit had acted prejudicially upon agriculture generally, that the farmer and the 1219 labourer alike had suffered. Colonel Knox Gore stated that the effect of the increased duty was to limit the extent of cultivation; and the late Mr. Senior had declared that two-thirds of the Irish distilling trade had been ruined by recent legislation. The morals of the people had not improved, and illicit distillation had increased. And it should be borne in mind that all this took place at a time when Ireland was suffering from the effects of a series of bad harvests—a time when the circumstances of the country called for a reduction, not for an increase of taxation. Crowds of people were thrown out of employment, the labour market had been overcharged, and wages proportionately reduced. The right hon. Gentleman could not therefore be surprised that a bitter feeling was evolved by the increase of direct and indirect taxation in Ireland—
§ Notice taken, that 40 Members were not present; House counted, and 40 Members not being present,
§ House adjourned at half after Seven o'clock, till Monday next.