Sitting of 15 January 1807

MINUTES.
On taking the chair, the speaker acquainted the house, that he had received a letter from the right hon. W. Wickham, which stated, that having been returned for the borough of Midhurst, and the borough of Callington, he had made his election to serve for the borough of Callington. It also stated, that illness was the cause of his not having made this intimation within the time specified in the orders of the house.—A new writ was ordered for the borough of Blechingley, in the room of J. Dupre Porcher, esq. who, since his election, had accepted the Chiltern Hundreds.—The Malt Duty bill was read a third time, and passed.—Mr. Vansittart presented the Barrack Estimates and gave notice, that on Wednesday next he would move them in the committee of supply.—A message from the lords announced their lordships' assent to the Exchequer Bills bill.—Mr. Perceval gave notice, that he would to-morrow move for an humble address to be presented to his majesty, praying that he would be graciously pleased to cause a copy of the order of council of the 7th of January relative to Neutrals, to be laid on the table of the

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house.—Mr. Biddulph gave notice, that on Tuesday next, he would propose to the house to come to a resolution, that the extent of the supplies, during the war, having caused great burthens to be imposed upon the people, a committee should be appointed to enquire into the practicability of a reduction of those burthens, by the abolition of sinecure offices, places, pensions, &c. and also by the reduction of exorbitant fees.—On the motion of sir J. Newport, the report of the commissioners of enquiry in Ireland, was entered as read. He then observed, that it appeared by that report that many offices in the customs of Ireland had become useless, and that others had been converted to sinecures, in consequence of the subsequent establishment of other offices, by which their business was transacted. The commissioners recommended, that 38 offices should be entirely abolished, and that 26 should be either abolished by being consolidated with other offices, or so regulated as to become beneficial to the public service. In the 38th of his present majesty, a similar report had been made, in consequence of which a reform, such as that which he meant to propose, had taken place. Without further preface, therefore, he should move, that leave be given to bring in a bill to abolish certain offices, and to regulate certain other offices in the customs of Ireland. Leave granted.—The 46th of the king, commonly called the Corn Intercourse act, having been entered as read, sir J. Newport, intimating that considerable doubts had arisen in some quarters as to the operation of the act, and an interpretation having been given to it which was by no means intended, gave notice, that he would to-morrow move that the act should be taken into consideration by a committee of the whole house. His object was, that the sense of the act should be declared, and that it should be shewn that it applied to the gross produce and manufacture of Great Britain and Ireland alone, and not to those of foreign countries.