A meeting of the merchants and others connected with the
importa- tion of tea from Chita was held on Monday, at the City of London Tavern, for the purpose of receiving a report from those members of the , East India and China Association who have had interviews with Government for the purpose of obtaining, if possible, an extension of the period fixed for the payment of the present duty upon bohea teas. Mr. G. G. H. de Larpent took the chair. The report detailed the substance of conversations between the Deputation and the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the President of the Board of Trade. The Deputation stated, that if the holders of the tea were compelled to pay the duty on the 1st of July, it would take 1,000,000/. sterling out of active circulation. They stated, that orders for the purchase of the teas bad been sent out before the alteration in the duties was known ; that the importation had been greater than anticipated; and that by the 1st of July next the importation of all descriptions would amount to 13,500.000/. If the duty were enforced, it would have the effect of forcing sales of tea, and greatly depreciate the market. It was therefore proposed to extend the period of paying the Is. 6d. per pound duty until .June 1838. The Chancellor of the Exchequer and the President of the Board of Trade admitted, in reply, that. had a later period been named at first, it would have been acceded to ; but the law as it now stood ought riot to be changed, especially as the parties who had entered into contracts for future imports of tea would complain of the altera- tion in the law. The question, however, would be tUrther considered. The Chairman then read an extract from a letter he had received from Mr. P. Thomson. After stating that he had seen the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Thomson proceeded to observe, " We do not feel justi- fied in bringing in a bill to extend the time for paying the duty of Wheal teas beyond that now allowed by law." The Chairman suggested that a Committee should be appointed of their own body, o ho should have power to take such steps as might be necessary under all the circum- stances ; and that they should be empowered to apply to Parliament for a Committee, and to whom the whole question might be referred. Mr. II. Palmer moved the appointment of a Committee, consisting of twelve gentlemen, for the purpose of considering the best means of bringing the whole question before a Committee of the House of Commons. Mr. Bates seconded the resolution ; which was carried unanimously. The Committee was nominated ; and thanks having been returned to the Chairman, the meeting adjourned.
The Central Agricultural Association held a meeting yesterday, at the Crown and Anchor ; and, after a desultory and rather stormy de- bate, (in the course of which Lord Stanhope spoke warmly against the new Poor-law,) it was resolved to hold no further public meeting until the Agricultural Committees of both Houses of Parliament had made their report.
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