§ THE EARL OF ROMNEYpresented a petition from fishermen of Queenborough, 418 Sheerness, Milton, Leigh, and towns adjacent to the mouth of the Thames, praying that certain Acts of Parliament whereby a tax of 2s. a voyage was levied upon fishermen adjacent to the mouth of the Thames might be repealed. The noble Earl observed, that the petition was signed by 300 persons, who were extremely poor, and not well able to pay the tax in question, which was, he believed, given in support of a charity, but the fishermen themselves were ignorant to whom it was paid. It was levied on boats with fish passing the Nore; and although it did not signify much to smackowners, who went out and remained till they got a large supply of fish, yet it proved a great hardship to the poorer fishermen, who went out in single boats, and passed more frequently. The petitioners begged to be relieved from the operation of the Acts of Parliament referred to; and as this was a case of considerable hardship, he hoped Her Majesty's Government would be induced to inquire into it, and, if the complaint were founded in justice, take measures to relieve the petitioners.
§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEYsaid, there could be no doubt that the case of the petitioners was one of considerable hardship. He had made some inquiries upon the subject since the noble Earl spoke to him about it a few days ago; and there was a Commission in existence which he thought was a very proper one to he intrusted with the matter, and to which he proposed that it should be referred. The Commission to which he alluded was appointed last year, for the purpose of inquiring into the question of passing tolls and other dues charged upon the merchant shipping of the country; and the tax levied upon the fishermen, in this instance, was, he thought, a subject to which the attention of the Commissioners might also be directed. The best course, therefore, would be to refer the petition to the Commissioners, with a request that they would inquire into the subject-matter of its allegations and prayer. It was certainly rather hard that fishermen alone, of all persons engaged in maritime pursuits, should be thus taxed for the purpose of contributing to a charitable institution, which of itself was undoubtedly very meritorious, but from which they did not derive any benefit beyond other portions of the seafaring community.
Petition to lie on the table.
House adjourned to Thursday next.