§ MR. TREFUSISsaid, he would beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether Contracts for the maintenance and repair of Highways are liable to the Stamp Duty of one pound fifteen shillings; and, if so, whether, considering the heavy additional expense thereby entailed upon Highway Boards, he will consider the advisability of reducing the amount of Duty payable upon such Contracts?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, he believed there was some doubt as to the actual state of the law, but the practice had been to assume that these contracts were not liable to a stamp duty of thirty-five shillings. There was no great reason why they should be so liable, and if they were liable the liability arose entirely out of technical considerations. In order that they might be put upon a more favourable footing, he intended, on bringing up the Report of the Inland Revenue Bill, to move the insertion of a clause providing that the stamp duty should not exceed sixpence.