§ COLONEL DUNCAN (Finsbury, Holborn)asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether hackney carriages in London, which have to pay an annual police licence of £2, may be considered trade vehicles, and pay a tax of 5s. instead of 15s?
§ THE CHANCELLOR or THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN) (St. George's, Hanover Square)The Question of the 1461 hon. and gallant Gentleman mixes up two different classes of vehicles—trade carts or vans, which are used to carry burdens, and hackney carriages, which are used to carry persons. The latter have for some time past been subject to duty as carriages; and the Customs and Inland Revenue Bill, which has just passed this House, deals with that duty. I see no reason, even if it were now practicable, for classing them as carts and subjecting them as such to the new duty, which will be levied under the Bill now before the House, when it becomes law.