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ftitution of fome other in its place. A difficulty in form, however, had fuggefted itfelf to the immediate developement of his whole plan, and all he could do, at prefent, confiftent with the rules of the Houfe, was to propofe the repeal of this tax, after which the Chairman might report progrefs, and afk leave to fit again on Friday, when he would bring forward fome propofitions more in detail. However, to prevent any mistake or mifconftruction, he thought it neceffary to ftate, that the duty intended to be repealed was confined to the duty imposed upon perfons ufing clocks and watches, and was totally unconnected and had nothing to do with the affeffment in aid of the fupplies for the prefent year, of which it had been made. among other particulars the criterion.

The refolution then that the duties on clocks, watches, and time-keepers be repealed, was unanimously agreed to. Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Thursday, March 15.

Mr. Hobart brought up the Report of the Refolution of the Committee of the whole Houfe on the expediency of repealing the Clock and Watch duties, which was agreed to.

HOLIDAY BILL.

The Houfe in a Committee on the Holiday Bill, feveral Refolutions were propofed, purporting that from the 5th of July, 1798, all days proclaimed as general fafts fhould be regarded as holidays, in addition to thofe already fpecified; that the Commiffioners of the Cuftoms fhall have the power of regulating the hours of attendance, and of making compenfation to Officers for their additional trouble, or any lofs sustained in confequence of fuch regulations; but that the provifions of the act were not to extend to the compelling of the perfonal attendance of fuch perfons as are now authorised to execute the duties of their officers by deputy; all which Refolutions were agreed to, and the Report ordered to be received next day.

The Bill for incrcafing the rates of fubfiftence allowed to Innkeepers and others for quartering foldiers, was committed, feveral Refolutions agreed to, and the Report ordered to be brought up next day. Adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.
Friday, March 16.

The Duke of Bedford rofe for the purpofe of expreffing his thanks to the Houfe for the indulgence fhewn him, in allowing him on a former day to put off his intended motion for the difmifial to his Majefty's Ministers. It now ftood for Monday the 19th inftant, and at that time he should have been

prepared

prepared to have brought it forward, but he had received an intimation from the Secretary of Sate, that it would be inconvenient to his Majesty's Minifters to attend to the motion on that day; they rather wifhed it might be poftponed till Turfday or Friday. He was for himfelf perfectly ready to acquiefce in the wishes of his Majesty's Minifters, but there were certain of his friends with whom he had advised as to the bringing forward the fubject, and it was neceffary he should have an opportunity of consulting them; if they approve of either of the days mentioned, he could have no objection. He would therefore move to poftpone his motion till Thurfday the 22d, trufting if that day fhould be inconvenient to his friends, the Houfe would permit him to appoint fome other. If it was neceffary to put the motion off beyond Thurfday, he would mention it to the Houfe on Tuesday.

Thurfday was therefore appointed.
Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Friday, March 16.

The Bill for increafing the rates to Innkeepers upon whom foldiers may be quartered, was reported.

Sir C. Bunbury gave notice, that on Tuesday or Wednesday next he should make the motion of which he had given notice fome time ago refpecting the 35th of the King, for impofing a dury upon carts.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer declared himself under the neceflity of deferring till Monday the 19th inftant the detail of the refolutions which it was his intention to fubmit in a Committec in lieu of the Watch and Clock Act. These refolutions were as numerous as thofe of the laft Window Duties; and as they were to be upon the fame fcale, were complicated and progreffive, according to the amount of windows, therefore further time was requifite to prepare them. Alluding to the notice given by Sir Charles Bunbury, he expreffed a confident hope that the Honourable Baronet, after he had heard his propofition in lieu of the Watch and Clock Act, would think fuch a motion unneceffary. If, however, any specific plan was meant to be brought forward, he would with to hear the outline ftated now.

Sir Charles Bunbury declared that he should not think it neceffary to propofe any measure, if the Right Honourable Gentleman would bring in a Bill to amend the Act in question.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, that he thought the Honourable Baronet was acquainted with his intention of making fome alterations in the Act alluded to. If he fhould not be fatisfied with thofe alterations, he could take the fenfe of the

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the Houfe. He hoped, however, that upon a fubject of this fort, relating to revenue, Gentlemen would not deem him captious if he afferted that it ought not to be decided merely upon local confiderations.

HOLIDAY BILL.

The Report of the Holiday Reduction Bill was brought up and read. Upon the q eftion for the Bill being engroffed,

Sir John Sinclair wifhed the further confideration of the Bill to be delayed, for the purpofe of allowing time to propofe fome amendments.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer wifhed the Honourable Baronet to state what amendments or alterations he wished to propofe.

Sir John Sinclair ftated, that they related to points implicating in them the accommodation of the merchants. He had no doubts with refpcct to the propriety of leaving a power of increafing the fees to the Commiffioners of the treasury. The Committee of Finance had propofed the reduction of the number of holidays, which he did not think were diminished by the prefent Bill. For thefe reafons he wifhed the further confideration to be deferred.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer conceived the grounds fuggefted by the Honourable Baronet for poftponing the Bill to be very extraordinary. The Committee upon the Bill had been delayed from time to time. A confiderable period had been allowed. The Bill came now to be reported. The Honourable Gentleman had fuffered it to be gone through, and then he difcovers, that if further delay fhould be granted, he may have time to fuggeft fome amendments. Now with refpect to the statements made by the Honourable Gentleman, the Lords of the Treasury had no power by the Bill to increase fees; but they had a power, purfuant to the ideas of the Committee of Finance, to grant compenfation, in confequence of fuch extraordinary attendance as might be given for the accommodation of the merchants. The next object to which the Baronet had alluded, was, that the number of Hollidays was not reduced. He believed the contrary to be the cafe; but whether it was or not, furely the Honourable Gentleman had had sufficient time to inquire. Yet that, fuppofing it to be a difficulty, was not fuch a one as not to be guarded against upon the third reading of the Bill. But where the party, from whom the application for delay proceeded, had had fuch opportunites of stating his fentiments before, and had made fo little ufe of thofe opportunities, he could not help thinking that much advantage was not to be expected from that party even if the defired delay fhould be granted. He begged the Honour

able

able Baronet to believe, that he meant no perfonal incivility to him, and indeed he should have felt very little inclination to object to delay, if the Honourable Baronet had not given his reasons for afking for it.

Sir John Sinclair replied, that the Bill had been so often delayed that he did not think it would be brought forward that day. He ftill conceived that fome limits fhould be placed to the power of granting extraordinary allowances.

The question was put, that the motion for engroffing the Bill be withdrawn. It was negatived, and the Bill was ordered to be engroffed and read a third time on Tuesday, May 23d.

Mr Speers prefented the Difpofition Paper up to the 16th of March, 1798. Upon the motion of Colonel Porter, it was orders to be printed.

Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Monday, March 19.

The Report of the Committee to which was referred a Petition from the City of London against frauds and abuses in the ad neafurement of coals, was brought up, and leave given to bring in a Bill accordingly.

Leave was given to bring in a Bill, to amend and explain the laws for the recovery of small debts within the City of London.

TAXES.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, that he had already ftated to the Houfe the general nature of the plan which he meant to submit, in lieu of the Watch and Clock Act. It confifted of a confolidation of the different rates, and most particularly of a confolidation and augmentation of the rates upon inhabited houfes upon the fcale of the number of windows. It was propofed to put all thefe into one Table, and to increase most of the articles, in order to make the general scale more regular, to avoid fractions, to prevent any fudden rife, and the ftopping up of too great a number of windows. The prefent amount of the duties was 1,259000l. The increase would amount to 186,000l. It was alfo propofed to confolidate other duties upon housekeepers, in the articles of fervants, horfes, dogs, and carriages. He did not mean to do any thing more with refpect to thefe than to avoid fractions. The addition

that would be made by this confolidation, added to the fum of 186,000l. would produce a total of about 205,000l. Gentlemen would be aware, that there must be very detailed refolutions propofed in the Committee of Ways and Means. The moft defirable mode would be to move thofe refolutions that

day.

day. He held in his hand a Table of the prefent rates, and of the future rates to be propofed. He fhould wish that this Table fhould be printed, in order that it might be delivered, with the votes, before the confideration took place. It would, he conceived, be more fatisfactory to difcufs them in that way, than at the present moment, and upon a mere verbal statement. Suppoling that the substitute which he meant to propose would be deemed a proper one, he fhould now move, that the Speaker do leave the Chair.

The Speaker left the Chair, and the House refolved itself into a Committee of Ways and Means.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved his firft refolution, that it is the opinion of this Committee, that the duties upon inhabited houses impofed by the 19th of the present King do ceafe and determine.-Agreed to.

The heads of the other refolutions moved by the Chancellor of the Exchequer were read.

Sir Matthew Ridley enforced the propriety of forming a plan to make the collection of the taxes lefs vexatious, particularly with respect to one clafs of men---the farmers. Under his own cognizance he had known one hundred farmers dragged from their homes in the midst of winter, upon the supposition of a furcharge which was fupported by no evidence. This circumftance caufed fuch difcontent and murmurs, that he did hope it would be remedied. He threw out these observations for the confideration of Government.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, that no addition was meant to be propofed in this tax to the duties upon horses used in agriculture. With refpect to what had fallen from the Honourable Baronet, it was impoffible to prevent furcharges without deftroying the whole principle upon which the taxes were collected. He was not aware that any legal provifion could be fuggested; but if the Honourable Baronet would state what officers had furcharged in a vexatious manner, he could affure him that the moft impartial inquiries would be fet on foot with refpect to them.

Sir Matthew Ridley did not ftate any particular instances; but he alledged the great difficulty to be, that the officer received half the furcharge, and no damages could be adjudged against him, if he did not fucceed in fubftantiating fuch furcharge. The collector goes into a town and leaves his furcharge; if the party has no recollection of a particular day, or has failed in giving due notice, he is forced to pay the furcharge; and he was frequently not called upon till eighteen months after the tranfaction. It did not become him to point out a mode; he merėly fubmitted thefe facts to Government.

The

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