§ MR. ALDERMAN LAWRENCEasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been directed to the Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue for the year ended the 31st day of March 1866, in which they state their opinion of the condition of the Metropolitan cabs and also the peculiar nature of the hackney carriage trade in the metropolis; and also to the evidence of Sir Richard Mayne before a Committee of the House of Commons as to the inability of the police, under the present regulations, to prevent the licensing of cabs unfit for public use; and also to the evidence of Sir John Thwaites and others, before a Committee of the House of Commons, as to the very unsatisfactory condition of the hackney carriages of the metropolis as compared with those of other cities and towns in the kingdom, and with those of other cities in Europe; and, whether he will be prepared to introduce a measure during the present Session to consolidate the various Acts relating to metropolitan hackney carriages; to revise the tariff with a view of enabling the public to have the option of obtaining a superior class of hackney carriage at an increased fare; and to take away the power at present possessed by the cab-owners of imprisoning their drivers in White Cross Street Prison in the event of their failing to pay the doily hiring?
§ MR. WALPOLEstated that his atten- 281 tion had been directed to the Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue for the year ended the 31st of March, 1866, in which they expressed their opinion of the condition of the metropolitan cabs, and also of the peculiar nature of the hackney carriage trade in the metropolis; and also to the evidence of Sir Richard Mayne before a Committee of the House of Commons as to the inability of the police, under the present regulations, to prevent the licensing of cabs unfit for public use; and also to the evidence of Sir John Thwaites and others, before a Committee of the House of Commons, as to the very unsatisfactory condition of the hackney carriages of the metropolis as compared with those of other cities and towns in the kingdom, and with those of other cities in Europe. He believed all those statements to be substantially correct; but the Government were not prepared to introduce a general measure during the present Session to consolidate the various Acts relating to metropolitan hackney carriages. As to the tariff of fares, he wished to inform the House that his noble Friend the Under Secretary for the Home Department in the other House had brought in a Bill relating to the street traffic in the metropolis, and in that Bill would be introduced clauses which it was hoped would have the effect of providing an improved class of hackney carriages. With respect to the third question, he was not prepared at present to say whether there ought to be any alteration of the law in that respect.
§ MR. ALDERMAN LAWRENCEthen asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether his attention has been directed to the Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue for the year ended the 31st day of March, 1866, in which they state—
It must be admitted that our four-wheeled cabs are a disgrace to the Metropolis of a great Empire; that the Duty is very heavy; that capital is repelled from embarking in the hackney carriage trade: and that the number of needy men who set up a single cab and drive it themselves is increasing every year, while that of the large proprietors is diminishing:and, whether he will be prepared to introduce a measure during the present Session for the equalization of the Duties on Metropolitan and Provincial hackney carriages, the Duty at present levied upon Metropolitan cabs being about three times that charged upon similar vehicles in any other part of the Kingdom?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, he had read the Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue with great interest, not merely with regard to the point mentioned by the worthy Alderman, but also with regard to several other matters. The worthy Alderman he was sure would not deem him guilty of any disrespect if on the present occasion be declined to give any information as to whether he was going to propose any remission or considerable alteration of the public taxes. He was sure the worthy Alderman would allow him when he had any alteration or remission to propose on such a subject to announce it himself to the House, and that he should not be asked to answer questions which, under the circumstances, would expose him to great misapprehension and lead to great inconveniences.