§ I should like to say one word before I leave here about the effect of the extra 3s. 9d. duty. Supposing the old duty had been retained, what would have happened in the ordinary course to the revenue? I think, making the ordinary allowance of 3 or 4 per cent. for a reduction due to bad 1863 trade, 2 per cent. for moderate trade, and the 1½ per cent. which we make this year, we would have found the quantity this year would have been 35,660,000 gallons, and the revenue we would have received would have been £19,600,000 upon the old basis. What is the actual fact? Instead of the quantity being 35,660,000 gallons this year it will be 29,040,000 gallons; but, instead of a revenue of £19,600,000, we shall have a revenue of £21,400,000. There will, therefore, be a decrease in the quantity of spirits consumed by the country of 6,600,000 gallons, with an increase in the revenue of £1,800,000. That is the only item of revenue, except the Liquor Licences, upon which I propose to comment. £21,400,000 for spirits. £12,662,000 for beer. I have estimated there for a slight reduction. Wine, £1,100,000. There, again, there is a slight reduction due very largely to events in France. Tea, £6,300,000.
§ I am estimating for an increase in the Tea Duty of £371,000. Cocoa, chicory, and coffee, £585,000. Sugar, £3,446,000; I am estimating there for an increase of £420,000, because I believe the harvest is promising. Fruit, £500,000. Tobacco, £17,350,000 — an increase of £273,000. Motor spirit, £510,000—an increase of £70,000. Other articles of Customs, £25,000. Liquor Licences I put at £4,200,000; monopoly values at £10,000; other licences at £850,000. The Railway Duty at £315,000. Patent medicines, etc., £347,000— a decrease of £2,000. The total Customs and Excise Estimate is £69,600,000—a decrease of £333,000. The only observation I make about the Liquor Licences is that in the Revenue Bill, which was passed in my absence, there were very substantial concessions made to the licensees. It is very difficult to estimate what they will cost the revenue, because it depends very largely upon valuation, but our view is they will cost something like £500,000 a year.