274 THE MALT TAX 



the charge on beer brewed from malt and hops only to that 

 charged before the abolition of the Malt Tax. The increase 

 was, however, insisted upon and given effect to in the Customs 

 and Inland Revenue Act by reduction of the standard gravity 

 from 1057 degrees to 1055 degrees. This raised the sum of 

 about 300,000. 



In 1890, by the Customs and Inland Revenue Act, another 

 threepence per barrel was put on beer and devoted to the 

 I^Dcal Taxation Account (see page 108). At the same time 

 the extra duty imposed in 1889 was remitted. 



This same year the Government appointed a Select 

 Committee to inquire into the conditions of the hop 

 industry. 



In 18923-4 Colonel Brookfield introduced a Hop Sub- 

 stitutes Bill, which the Council approved of. The Beer Duty 

 was further increased sixpence per barrel by the Finance Act 

 of 1894. In March of this year the Council resolved that 

 brewers should be compelled to declare the constituents of 

 their beer. 



In 1895 the Chamber's Parliamentary Programme included 

 amongst its items : 



" That the Beer Duty be readjusted by a reduction in the duty 

 charged on beer brewed only from barley malt and hops ; and 

 a like amount to be added to beer containing any substitute for 

 barley-malt and hops. That brewers and publicans be com- 

 pelled to declare the ingredients of their beer." 



By the Finance Act of this year the Beer Duty was increased 

 by a further sixpence per barrel, and in May of this year the 

 Council expressed their disapproval of the fact that the only 

 additional burden of the fiscal year was thrown upon British 

 barley growers. 



1896. 



Mr. Quilter was lucky enough to get a good place in the 

 ballot, and his Pure Beer Bill came on for second reading on 

 25th March. During the debate Sir Wm. Harcourt said that 

 the country should be protected against that monopoly over 

 wide districts which enabled brewers to force upon the inhabi- 



