Lord Ellenborough,in presenting, according to notice, the Petition of the Merchants and Shipowners of London, interested in the prosperity of the Cape of Good Hope, against the proposed alteration in the Duties upon Wine, was happy to find, that it was not necessary to occupy much of their Lordships' time upon the subject of this petition, as he understood his Majesty's Government had withdrawn the most objectionable part of their proposed measure. He was aware that the wine imported from the Cape of Good Hope would scarcely bear the duty of 2s. 9d. per gallon, which his Majesty's Ministers still intended to impose. But the apprehensions of the petitioners had been chiefly excited by the intention entertained by his Majesty's Ministers, to obtain a pledge from Parliament, that in the year 1833 the duty upon Cape wine should be raised to an equality with that upon the wines of France. As this intention had been very prudently abandoned, he felt that it was unnecessary for him to trespass upon their Lordships with any further observations.
§ Viscount Goderichadmitted that an 1023 Act had been introduced in the other House of Parliament for the purpose of equalizing the duties upon all wines imported after the year 1833. This was certainly the intention which his Majesty's Government had entertained, and if the measure had ever come into discussion in that House he should have been prepared to defend it; but at the same time, his Majesty's Ministers had thought it right to listen to the representations of the persons most immediately interested. It was now proposed that the duly upon Cape wines should be raised from 2s. 5d. to 2s. 9d., and he hoped this very moderate augmentation of duty would not produce any injury to the colony. At the same time, he felt it his duty to relieve the colonists as much as possible from every other tax or restriction which pressed upon them, and impeded their prosperity. This they had a right to expect. He felt assured that the small duty now to be imposed could not have the effect of restricting cultivation; while he also felt it his duty to himself and his colleagues to say, that the proposition first introduced was not at all liable to the objections which had been urged against it, however natural it might be for the persons interested to advance them.
Lord Ellenboroughsuggested, that the noble Lord, before he recommended any alterations, ought to extend his inquiries into all the details and regulations of the trade of the Cape of Good Hope. It was worthy of attention, that ships of the United States engaged in the trade to India and China, and were allowed to call at the Cape for refreshment, but not for the purposes of commerce.
Lord Caledonsuggested, that the noble Lord ought to attend to the exclusive interests of the Cape itself, as well as to its interests taken in connection with those of this country. The Cape petitioners would not be satisfied without having the duties imposed at a rate ad valorem.
§ Viscount Goderichobserved, that it had been his endeavour to attend to, and promote the interests of the colony.
§ Petition laid on the Table.