WAYS AND MEANS.—COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 11 June 1888)

§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN) (St. George's, Hanover Square)
Sir, I would make an appeal to hon. Members to take the Resolution on the Paper this evening upon the understanding that there will be opportunity for discussion on the Motion for the second reading of the Bill which will be introduced to give effect to the Resolution. I may point out that it is highly desirable in the interests of the trade that the question should be disposed of, and I venture to hope that the House will agree to the course I have suggested, by which the Business will be expedited.

§ MR. ILLINGWORTH (Bradford, W.)
said, he confessed that, for his part, he had no great anxiety that the House should arrive at the details of the Bill. The Government had deliberately determined to place a duty on a single class of wines, and now appealed to the House to pass a Resolution without discussion which would work a great injustice on a particular trade. But, surely, merely because a wine was expensive, the House of Commons were not to be asked to place upon it a special tax. He pointed out that German wines were largely imported in bottle, and people were to be told that if they drank still hock they were not to pay a higher price than before—that was to say, the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer came down and told the House that it was not worth while to preserve the existing agreement between Great Britain and France.

§ MR. CHILDERS (Edinburgh, S.)
said, there was one point in connection with the proposal upon which there ought to be an understanding. His right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed that this should be taken as a formal stage, and that the discussion should take place on the second reading. But if that were agreed to, then the Government should make this the first Order of the Day when it was set down. If the right hon. Gentleman would consent to that, then it was to be hoped there would be no objection raised now.

§ MR. GOSCHEN
said, there would be considerable difficulty in complying with that suggestion, because it would be remembered that the great pressure in regard to the Local Government Bill 1803 necessitated that measure being taken de die in diem. It would be remembered that the present Bill was one on which discussion was not bound to stop at 12 o'clock, and perhaps it would be convenient to close the discussion on the Local Government Bill at a reasonable hour on Thursday or Monday, and then proceed with the present proposal, and continue the discussion, if necessary, beyond 12 o'clock. He thought that arrangement would save the time of the House better than the arrangement suggested by his right hon. Friend. Of course, the Government would allow fair time for discussion.

§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT (Derby)
said, it was because the Bill could be continued after midnight that they asked for an assurance as to the time when it would be taken. In the conversation that took place on the reservation of time on private Members' days, the right hon. Gentleman the First Lord of the Treasury (Mr. W. H. Smith) specially referred to this measure and to the Committee of Supply as the only Business likely to interrupt daily progress with the Local Government Bill. It was a reasonable request that this should be the first Order of the Day. It was really an important question, and though it would not, he hoped, take a very long time, it should not be pushed forward late in a Sitting.

§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)
said, he would give an undertaking that it should be the first Order of the Day, and in all probability it would be set down for Thursday.

§ MR. GOSCHEN
said, to make this possible it would be necessary to take the Report to-morrow as a formal stage, and he hoped hon. Members would assist him, so that the Report might be taken, and the Bill circulated on Wednesday morning. (1.) Resolved, That instead of the Duties on Wine imposed by "The Customs and Inland Revenue Act, 1888," there shall on Wine imported in bottle be charged and paid, from and after the date of the passing of an Act embodying this Resolution, the Duty following, that is to say:—

Sparkling Wine imported in bottle, the gallon s. d.

2 6

This Duty is to be paid in addition to the Duty in respect of alcoholic strength under "The Customs Amendment Act, 1886. 1804 (2.)Resolved, That it is expedient to make provisions for levying Customs' Duties on Wine in bottle.