§ MR. WATT (Glasgow, Camlachie)asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether, considering that the revenue obtained from Stamp Duties during the last five weeks has exceeded by over £250,000 the Returns for the same period of last year, he will reconsider the question of a reduction in the new duties levied under his Budget arrangement for the present year?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN) (St. George's, Hanover Square)I must confess myself quite unable to verify the hon. Member's figures. According to the latest information in my possession, the revenue derived from stamps during the last five weeks exceeds that for the corresponding period of last year by about £55,000 only, or £15,000 above my Estimate. But, even if the hon. Member's figures were unimpeachable, I could not consent to change my financial arrangements with every variation which a calculation based on the results of a few weeks may show. What would he think of a merchant who, having one day made £100 by a good stroke of business, promptly began to live at the rate of £30,000 a-year?