the duty is levied under the present system of a
sliding scale. In the first place, a table of duties is
laid down as follows : —
DUTIES PAYABLE ON WHEAT IF IMPORTED FROM ANY FOREIGN
COUNTRY NOT BEING A BRITISH POSSESSION.
8.
59 and under
60
61
29
iB]
ee
Average Price.
c
6»
66
ory
aR
69
70)
73 and upwar-
TI EIIEEIM
“tess nnd enennn
sessss secs
re ARE TRESS
aca
sesnen be
Sse sssas.0srsssnns
100009 rss cusses ans esnatnststs
sescsesssesecsanenne
Vesast ane csesseansassnintsnate
resasssssarsessarnsannie
Sceecrsssesase
resesennn
Scots asssssasessenve
sesesnsessnaise
Sess esuessesencsntsnen
“i esanne
Duty.
5. 3d.
D7. 8
26 €
25
3
~0
1
)
)
On looking over this table, it will be seen that
when the average price of British wheat falls below
60s. per quarter, (that being taken to be the lowest
remunerating average to the British farmer,) the
duty is 27s. 8d. per quarter; being, in fact, a total
prohibition ; and as the averages advance above that
price the duty falls 1s. for each advance of ls.
per quarter, till the average rises to 67s., and the
duty falls to 20s. 8d.; the duty then falls 2s.
for each advance of 1s. on the price till it falls
to 16s. 8d., when it falls 3s. for every advance
of ls. till it reaches 10s. 84.; it then falls 4s. for
each advance of Is. till it reaches 2s. 8d.; and,
finally, on an average of 73s. being attained, to
Is. only. Now, as to whether the averages at
which the duty falls, are fixed too high, or too low, it
is not my position to prove. 1 only wish to show
that a shding scale, or a fluctuating duty, however
well it may appear in theory or on paper, ‘cannot be
carried out in practice.