The Marquess of Londonderryrose to move for certain returns, to the production of which he believed there would be no opposition. By the Act of the 10th of George 4th, cap. 136, it was provided, that an account should be annually laid before Parliament of the receipt and expenditure of monies derived from a tax on coals, levied to defray the expense of forming approaches to the new London-bridge. That work had been completed; but he understood that it was intended, by a Bill introduced elsewhere, to continue the tax, for the purpose of enabling the Corporation of London to 604 repair and widen Brackfriars-bridge. In order to enable their Lordships to judge of the enormous amount of money which under the Act he had alluded to was taken out of the pockets of the consumers of this most necessary article, he should merely state, that in the year 1835 the city of London received from the tax of 8d. per ton no less than a sum of 76,753l. In addition to that, there was 4d. per ton metage, and 1d. per ton commuted market due, amounting to 48,000l., and making a gross total of 124,753l. Now, if this tax were to be continued for the repairing of Black friars-bridge, it might, when that work was finished, be still further continued to defray the expense of some other improvement in the city, and it was for their Lordships to consider whether it was proper that such an impost should be levied for an indefinite period. As an individual, he had nothing to say to the arrangement; but it was right that the public should be aware of the cause of the high price of coals, which was so much complained of. There was, in fact, an increase of nearly 180,000l. between the charge made by the proprietors of this commodity and that which was paid by the consumers. The noble Marquess concluded by moving for the returns.
§ Motion agreed to.