A very large deputation from the hop-planters of Sussex, Kent,
Wor- cestershire, and Herefordshire, waited upon the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer in Downing Street yesterday, to urge on Government "the imme- diate, pressing, and absolute necessity of further postponing the collection of the 1848 hop-duty, payable in October and November next." The de- putation was headed by Mr. Law Hodges, M.P.; it comprised Earl De- lawarr, the Earl of Waldegrave, and five other Members of Parliament, a body of magistrates, clergymen, bankers, land. agents, &c. Altogether, up- wards of 250 persons were present, and it is said that some 2,000 persons have been brought to London by the importance of the question.
Mr. Hodges stated that the hop-growers wished that the hop-duty of 1948 should be postponed; and then, that Government should be content with one moiety, as in 1822, when Mr. Robinson and Lord Liverpool re- mitted a moiety, though the distress was as nothing to that now prevailing. The Chancellor took some exceptions to the statement:Po-and intimated that he could not "forego " the 400,0001. to which he was. entitled: as to the "postponement" of the sum till the end of the financiaryear 1849 he pro—. -mised that he would give an answer today, after he litid'rEoniultfil kord John Russell.
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