§ Mr. KILBRIDEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the Excise Duty on whisky produced from an acre of barley (I. P. M.), assuming 16 barrels to the acre, at the proposed rate of 14s. 9d. per proof gallon would amount to £131 5s. 6d.; whether he is aware that the Land Commission when fixing judicial rents, or the Estates Commissioners when sanctioning sales of land on which the rent paying crop produced is barley, never contemplated this burden; and, whether, in view of the depreciated security for advances under the Land Purchase Acts caused by an increased duty of 3s. 9d. per proof gallon, he can see his way to relieve agricultural land of this burden?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEThe subjects raised by the hon. Member can hardly be adequately dealt with in the form of a reply to a question, and I am not quite clear as to the precise nature of his proposal. But if the suggestion is that whisky distilled from malt grown in Ireland is to be exempted from the proposed increase in the tax, I am afraid I cannot meet his wishes.
§ Mr. KILBRIDEasked the quantities of foreign-grown corn, barley, rye, oats, and Indian corn imported into Dublin, Belfast, Cork, and Londonderry, and used in these towns for the manufacture of patent-still and pot-still whisky respectively?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEI regret to say that I have no means of giving the information asked for.