TAXES ON KNOWLEDGE. [From the "Spectator, Feb. 16,"]

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 451, 10 August 1850, Page 3

TAXES ON KNOWLEDGE. [From the "Spectator, Feb. 16,"]

A deputation representing the papermakers, publishers, and punters in England and Scotland, had an interview with Lord John lluhsell, in Downing-street, in Tuesday afternoim. Mr. Hume, RI. P., Mr Charles Oman, M.P., Mr. Scbokfield, M.P , and Mr. Blair, M.l., weie present. Mr. Cowan having introduced the deputation, the Picmisr was tildrtssed by Mr. Cromjnton of tfarnworth in Lancashire, Mr, J,>nxct

Bait! wm of rSiwninghnm, Mr. Dur!',u,i of Edinnuigli 3 I\li. lloluut Chamber, "ml Mi. Charles Kni^hl. Mr. Cion.pton uiftrd ihe tv.w.iiriipss et iujrosing; on a raw material of thr tuo^r v..;f tbW'sg cliarac'T— -the very refuse nude fiom cotton and linen in the prorc^ of inanufdctuiing th"in into cloth— a duty nmonntinp; to 600 per rent, upon its cOl-I 5 rice when made i»tw paper; whilst cotton msmifdclure^ Lave obtained lii« removal of a tax of only fucpixlhp of a penny per pound — not more than 5 per ceil, on its value — on the cotton itself. He dfUi'cd vat iocs ( leeks on enterprise flowing flora the tncon&isncy . ml c pi!ciousnesB of the Excise. "Hcie," s.u'd f<lr. Csomplon, producing specimens of wi it nppeired to be paper, " aro specimens of numrnuis .•) tj'jjeo brought into the mrrket us substitutes for [U'jti, and in app-'arance so identicilly the fcnrae with tl' it nitic'c, that even T, my Lord, without niai'Kin-; them, couid not distinguish between the ?eal commodity fid its imitation, and I will defy any other man to select the one fiow tho other. Now, at the mere cap ice cf the officn of Excise, the real or the fictitious jaoduclion is pro uouncvd ti be paper. One hun<iied percent is arcoidingly loned upon the enst va'mip of t1,,« ore, win 1 ? the other goe3 free. By ,1 deci\,on oi the Bom.! of Excise, in order to constitute pape , (h<s cjuiciijl must have been pulveiized nnd worked i,i w,n<>r. It occurred to a manufacturer to take advan, ,?e of this official definition. He erected premises, and coustiucted machinery for Ihe purpose oi fabricating the \ciy sinic matu'inis in a dry state. He strcteded, ami challenged tin* Bomdof Excise to seize the f.co<3s, t.-!ii h, accoidiiii? to their authoritative description, cop d not be papu. A se zure was made; hut a cotnpiomLe trok pV,oe. The manufacturer was allowed to proceed for a given time, on the distinct understanding that after its expiration he should discontinue his process, 01 subject its product to Uie same duty with that paid upon raper manufactured in ihe usual way. I believe it was discontinued accordingly ; but it was subsequently revived, and ib at this mouituU earned on ; the goods being sold under the name of kit, intensively siibstitu'eU for paper, and distinguishable from the manufacture by no peiceptihle diffejonce except by being slightly ddiker in colour." " About two years ago, a general order was issued from the Boaid of Excise to the effect that paper to be made into papior nucho should be exempted fiom duty provided the paper were manufactured on the premises on wlreh the papier macho manufacture was earned on, lin not otherwise. Now, observe the operation of thu. I was under ths necessity of either allowing the pppier rnachc manufacturer to come to my premises or of erecting papeiinaking machinery on hs, or, finally, of allowing myself to be supei?eded in his supply, Finding myself thus situated, I memorialized the Board of Kxcise, as well as the LoiJs CmrmiJ :• ners of tie Pnvy Council for the Affdus of tiu Track-, as did also my customer, one of tho most lesp'-ctVile pnd cxtai iv'e manufacluiers of papier mnuliu \n the kingdom : hut neither of us could Miccee 1 m oblafoinjj pctmtssi'iti for me to send cut pa] er under penmt, giving notice to the officrr of Excise to that iflycf, so as to be allowed a drawback." Mr. Cromuton aUo otated that: the tax has a very demoralizing temU-ney : it i 9 encouraging (he most iniquitous practices, and gradually briaking down the piobity of the maivlactuies ; for you see daily in the market paper a^M at price 1 ! at which no honest trader could produce it, ti«tu>nelled as he is by this mo&t oppressive and obnoxious Lw. Mr. Robert Chambers iiluntratud the pressure of the paper-duties on the pubhea'ion of cheip periodical literature. There was one called a " Ri'iseellany of Tiacts," which his brother aisd he published. It met a large tale, and was in the way of do n^ some good arougst the humbler dasse*. It returned, however, so slight a profit- that tLry gave It up, \>hi.u earn? tu the extent of 8 I ,OOJ copi^-,, On the vliolo amount of this woik piiuted, the duty whb 1'G,220. Now, this would hivu been a very ample profit in ittclf, though a meie shade u,)on each copy. In a cheap pnblica'ion, the value of piper may be 6etd,'vtn at nculyonefouithof the selling price, andoi/.iJeiabiy above onethird of the pi ice to the retailer. Mr. Charles Knight developed the injurious tenancy of the tar on "cheap publications for which highpiiced BkiUed authorship is paid." He had been able to show that the duty h>id been a positive burden upon the Penny Cyclopaedia to the rxient of £10,500. Th.it work was undei taken under the auspices oi Lord John Rutsell himself, amongst other eminent persons ; but the cost hud been borne by Mr. Knight. It lm] never been remunerative; for the enst was largely increased by the mtural opoiat'nn of the t,ix upon the price of paper. This was a-i cvamp'e of the p^cuhaw burden of the tix upon the bighei kind of ht-iary labour, compelled to compete nth low 1 need ?u ho.--ship in the ra eof clKapniS" My. K'ii«;ht bclcivjd that the grcaf mass o( publi-atlo.T; tc^tl rg tv cheapness— ihe good us well a, the I al. He lieluveJ Lhat books for the kvv woie las. l r;ni . out of dpji wid ; nnd further. Hint tin nja'-y uouid nlUmalely \vy the proper lewirJs of good writ ra <n, will a\ )f notbette, than under the p.esc-ut s\stc,n ol a Km.lo ' <' >^nu. But, with the p,»Mci-dut\, the p rfi or a pu hsiicr employing the be-t fluthois to p odu:e cheap b-.ok'i weie so curia led b\ the bun! n of t'.e dx upon the 1 <r<;e amoujit of papti tucil JOl r.urh bjo^s, tl .ltshj higher class ot liter.'lUie was ekprued of i's pio-ocv eiicourd^cmeat. Mr Hntae wouiul up w"lh a g'neial rtriiv? of the questions involved ; and in tl jiutinon witUdicw — '■ having," accoidmt- to ihe njAsjupji irpo.t, " he 1 received with the givjteot couiicy by O,c noble Loid." lSutwhal besidis "couitesy" m,iy hue b3"n acM.l"d to the deputation by the noble Lo i 1i 1 — .« 1 at cptrnori the Fust Lord of thu Tieisuyp „n iiiiitd Ujj.ilhj case bubmiHed to him — is not !►■' <.ii'e '.