§ MR. FREDERICK WILSON (Norfolk, Mid)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if his attention has been called to a statement issued by the London Road Car Company, showing that the tax on corn will cost the company £83 15s. per week, equal to a tax of £9 11s. per annum on each of the 456 omnibuses run by the company; and whether, seeing the additional cost the tax will impose on horse-owners, and 436 the effect it will have on horse-breeding in England, he can gee his way to let in maize and oats free.
§ SIR M. HICKS BEACHMy attention has been called to the statement in the first paragraph of the Question: but it is clear from a letter I received from the company that their alarm is rather due to the recent exceptionally high price of maize, as compared with its price three or four years ago, and to their fear that this may continue, than to any actual effect of the duty. I do not think it will have the effect on horse-owners or horse-breeding generally that the hon. Member seems to anticipate but, in any case, I could not except maize and oats from the duty.