The EARL of EGLINTOUNpresented a petition from the Scotch distillers, praying to be heard before a Committee, against the reduction of the duties on rum. They wished for a countervailing duty that would prevent colonial spirits from having an advantage over our spirits. As it was impossible that alterations could be made 1005 in the Bill now before the other House, when it came to their Lordships' House, he trusted that the noble Lord opposite would endeavour to make such a change as would make it more palatable to the distillers.
§ The EARL of CLARENDONsaid, that if the noble Lord had given notice of his intention to enter into a discussion of this Bill, he should have been prepared to go more fully into it. There had not been the least wish or intention to bear hardly on the Scotch distillers. He had seen the gentlemen from whom the noble Lord had presented the petition, and they had also had an interview with his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer; and they were both of opinion that the Scotch distillers had no real cause of grievance, and that the 6d. protection, which would be afforded to them as well as to the English distillers, was what they were fairly entitled to, and no more.
§ LORD MONTEAGLEsaid, that he had a petition from the Irish distillers to the same effect as that presented by the noble Earl. Their case was harder than that of the Scotch distillers, because they had no drawback.
§ EARL GREYsaid, that the existence of the malt duty payable by Scotch distillers had not been overlooked. The Board of Excise had taken pains to calculate what, considering the amount of duty on malt and the restriction, was the burden that fell on Scotch distillers; and having made that calculation to the best of their power, they stated what they considered ought to be a corresponding duty to be imposed on colonial spirits.
§ Petitions to lie on the Table.
§ House adjourned.