§ SIR JOSEPH PEASEasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether it is his intention to persevere in his proposal to allow silver goods to be warehoused, so that the payment of Duty might be postponed until sale?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. CHILDERS)Sir, in reply to my hon. Friend, I have to say that I proposed the plan of the optional warehousing of silver, in show-rooms under the Queen's lock, with a view to duty being paid when the articles were sold, under the impression that that arrangement would be considered as a boon by the trade, who are subject to unequal treatment compared with other manufacturers of dutiable articles upon which duty is not required until they go into consumption. I find, however, that the plan is not considered a boon; and I have, therefore, no wish to press it further. As regards the repeal of the duty, seeing that it involves a demand 315 on the part of the trade for drawback to an extent which it would be quite out of my power to admit, I have come to the conclusion that it will be to their advantage that I should positively say that I do not propose to touch the duty at all.