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Proceeds of the Grain Committee.

That the public should derive a Revenue by a profit on a Supply of the most important Article for the Food of Man seems to be extremely objectionable, as likely to give occasion for perpetual Dissatisfaction: The amount in 1808 appears to have been between 8 and 9 Thousand pounds. The Lords of the Committee cannot judge of the validity of the Reasons which induced the Government to provide Grain for the Inhabitants, but if such a Necessity really exists, Their Lordships are of Opinion that the Measure should not be made a Source of Revenue; as the people will always suppose, in such a Case, that they are made to pay a great deal more than they ought for their necessary Sustenance. They therefore recommend it to be referred to Lord Caledon to consider whether an Indemnification may not be provided for this and the preceding Revenue, amounting together to about £17,000 a Year, by a new Regulation for collecting the Custom Duties and some Additions to those.

On the PRINTING Office, POST Office, Fees received in the SECRETARY'S OFFICE and Fees from the Chamber for REGULATING INSOLVENT ESTATES, No observations of any Importance occur to the Lords of the Committee on these Points.

Licences for retailing Wine.

On the most attentive Consideration of this important Source of Revenue, the Lords of the Committee are decidedly of opinion that the mode at present in Use for raising it should be discontinued; admitting, as in justice to Lord Caledon they ought, that the Regulations framed by him for preventing Inconvenience and Irregularities are as well calculated for the purpose as the System will admit; But the incurable Mischiefs of it pointed out are of so very serious a Nature, and are likely to be attended with such consequence, as to induce Their Lordships to advise that it should be recommended to Lord Caledon either to adopt the substitution of Licenced Houses for selling Wine and Spirits, under such Regulations as his Lordship shall think expedient, or to lay a Duty on Wine and Spirits to be paid by the Consumer, continuing the Licence for selling them in retail not as a source of Revenue, but as a Regulation of police, which their Lordships

have the less hesitation in recommending, as his Lordship thinks the Revenue would under that change be equal in two or three years to its present produce; and as any temporary Loss for such a Period would be much more than compensated by the improved Discipline of the Troops, the satisfaction that would be afforded to the Soldiers and lower Class of Inhabitants, and by avoiding Disputes between the Commanding officers of Corps and the Farmers of the Licences.

On the STAMP DUTIES NO Observations occur.

Rent of a Mill.

The Lords of the Committee observe with Satisfaction that the Monopoly which prevailed under the Dutch Government, of grinding Grain, no longer exists. The Rent in kind of this last Mill had perhaps better be converted into a payment in Money.

Fines and Port Dues.

Their Lordships have no observations to make of any Importance; but it may possibly be desirable to sink the latter, which are of very little amount, into the Custom Duties.

Customs.

Refer the paper N° 22 to the Commissioners, and desire they will report whether they can suggest any alterations or Improvements therein for the better collection of that Revenue at the Cape, and whether they think in the case of ad valorem Duties it may be advisable to allow any other person than an Officer of the Customs to take the Goods of an Importer on paying him his estimated Value and adding 10 Per Cent to such Value.

Acquaint Lord Liverpool that the Lords of the Committee have made these References; and that on receiving the Report from the Board of Customs, Their Lordships will acquaint him with what may occur thereupon, but recommend it to his Lordship in the meantime to instruct Lord Caledon to direct the Duties ad valorem to be levied according to the value when landed at the Cape as prescribed by the Order in Council, under the Authority of which he has imposed the Duties. Their Lordships strongly feel the necessity for some Alteration, not only as the mode now proposed

is the only principle on which such an Imposition can be fairly levied, but because the allowing the Articles to be valued at the Export Prices in the Countries from whence they are imported is open to the grossest Frauds, nothing being more easy than for the Exporter to send one Invoice for the guidance of the Custom House and another for the Information of the Importing Merchant. Transmit also to Lord Liverpool a Copy of the Provision in the 49 Geo. 3 Ch 98 for ascertaining the value of Goods subject to ad valorem Duties in Great Britain as desirable to be adopted at the Cape; and request His Lordship to call upon Lord Caledon to give a further Explanation of the immense Increase of the Salaries of the Officers of the Customs from 1806 to 1808, such Salaries having in the latter Year increased in Amount nearly Six Times beyond that of the former Year, while the Receipt of the Duties was diminished in the same period more than one Half, observing to His Lordship that, Lord Caledon, to use His Lordship's Words, attributes the increased Expences of the Custom House Establishment to the Appointments made in England having been compleatly filled up; Whereas it appears by the Account N° 21, that the Salary of the Collector was increased from 1000 Rix Dollars in 1806 to 6205 in 1808, and that of the Comptroller in the same period from 600 Rix Dollars to 7756, and the other Officers and Clerks very largely; and by the Paper N° 23, that large Fees are also received by the Officers.

Acquaint Lord Liverpool likewise that the Lords of the Committee have a still further Inducement for advising the new mode of valuing the Goods on Importation, as it would tend to indemnify the Revenue for the Loss it may sustain by the Loss of the Tythes, and of the profits of the Grain Committee, if the Income arising from those should be given up, the remaining Deficiency might perhaps be made good by additions to the Tariff in the Paper No 23, Their Lordships being of Opinion that some Duty might be collected even on British Goods in British Ships to the Amount probably of 3, 4, or 5 Per Cent, but the Extent of that can best be judged of on the spot.

The Lords of the Committee finding that there is not in the Office of His Majesty's Secretary of State an Account of the Imports and Exports of the Colony, as directed to be kept by the 19th Article of the Collector's Instructions in N° 22 or any other Paper, to shew the Amount of the Imports and Exports in Foreign

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Ships, Their Lordships cannot express a distinct Opinion respecting the Duties on Foreign Ships in the Tariff, which excited very considerable Surprize.

Let a Letter therefore be written to Mr. Peel to request he will move Lord Liverpool to apply to Lord Caledon to Transmit Copies of the said Accounts.

Of the Proposal of Lord Caledon to be allowed to increase the Paper Money, amounting already to 2,166,276 Rix Dollars to 3,000,000, Their Lordships are incompetent to form a Judgment which should form the Ground of any Instructions to be given to his Lordship. Till they arrive at the Conclusion of this Dispatch from his Lordship, it had indeed appeared to them that the present Issue was a large one, considering the Extent of the Commerce, Agriculture, and population of the Colony, but in this, as in some other Instances, those on the Spot can alone form a correct Opinion.

Their Lordships observe lastly that as it appears by the Account N° 24 that the Revenue of the Cape Amounted in 1808 to 640,842 Rix Dollars, exclusive of 107,123 the Produce of Prize, and of 3000 the Interest of a Loan, equal to about £130,000 Sterling, it is desirable that some Account should be given to the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury of the Applications thereof, if that has not already been done.

DOWNING STREET, 28th March 1811.

Permission for Monsieur Des Bassaynes to go to the Cape of Good Hope.

[Original.]

Letter from the HONOURABLE CHARLES B. AGAR

to ROBERT PEEL, ESQRE.

DOWNING STREET, March 30th 1811.

SIR, I transmit to you herewith a copy of a letter I have received from Mr. Bird dated Castle of Good Hope 20th November

* Stated in a Paper sent by Lord Caledon Inhabitants 27,956, Hottentots 16,700, slaves 29,768. Land in Occupancy, Morgens or 14,964 Acres of England, but his Lordship in his Dispatch says one fourth may be added he thinks to the population.

1810, together with copies of the enclosures therein referred to, being a plan and estimate for supplying Cape Town with water, furnished by Mr. Rennie, of Stamford Street, Blackfriars, and the reply directed to be given to Mr. Rennie by Lord Caledon. By which you will observe that the plan and estimate are both approved, and his Lordship is anxious to have the work carried into execution with as little loss of time as possible. His Lordship has also transmitted to me the Bills for £6,000 to be applied towards the payment of such expenses as may be incurred here in pursuance of this object, and informs me that a further remittance to the like amount will be made as soon as this has been acknowledged and that by that time the probable balance will be correctly ascertained and forwarded.

I find from a communication I have had with Mr. Rennie that he is ready to proceed in the business immediately, provided the plan has the approbation of Government and he can obtain his payments when required. May I therefore request you will have the goodness to lay these papers before Lord Liverpool and move his Lordship, in case it should be thought proper to carry the said plan into effect, to give me the necessary authority for issuing to Mr. Rennie from time to time, out of the monies remitted to me by Lord Caledon for the above mentioned purpose, such sums as he may call upon me for upon his giving a proper receipt for the same. In this event I would further beg leave to call Lord Liverpool's attention to Lord Caledon's suggestion in regard to the Pipes being sent out on board such Transport Vessels as are occasionally proceeding from this country to the Cape, which he states would be a most desirable relief to the funds of the Colony. The articles I understand would probably be ready in about nine months, and the amount of tonnage required as far as can at present be ascertained about 1000 tons. I have &c.

(Signed) C. B. AGAR,

Colonial Agent to the Cape of Good Hope.

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