THE "CAVE."

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 533, 19 June 1909, Page 5

THE "CAVE."

DEPUTATION AGAINST LAND.TAXES.

COYERNMENT FIRMCOUNTER MEMORIAL SIGNED. (By, Telegraph—Press Association.—Copyright,) (Rcc. Juno 18, D.35 p.m.) '! London, Juno 18. A dcoutation from tho Liberal "Cave," which lias declared against tho Government's land taxation proposals, waited on tlio; Prime Minister, Mr.. Asquith, and the Ciianoollor of tho, Exchequer,'Mr. Lloyd-George. ' Tho deputation included Sir J. Dickson-Poynder, Sir, E, P; ; Tonnant, .Mr. H. H. Rapiitiel, and Mr. Harold Cox. . Tho Prime Minister and the Chancellor informed- tho doputatiou that the Government' wore fully determined to 'persevere with their land taxation proposals,, but would favourably, consider, amendments, designed to meet special casos of. hardship. •'; , , \

Numerous Liberal and Labour members ! of tho House of. Commons havo memorialised Mr. Asquith in favour of tho proposed land -taXOB.-- ~. .v' ' .- .V The "Gave" advocates a tax upon gotten instead of iingottcn minerals, and objects to .tho complicated and irritating system of taxing undeveloped land, claiming that tbore is no oountry in tho.world.where there is a land tax ou a-double and variable, assessment. . v Mr. Llo.yi]-George promised important concessions affecting the tax on tho increment of lands belonging' to universities and colleges. , ; ■ [Sir Jojin Poynder DioksonOPoynder, Liberal member for Chippenham division of Wiltshire, is a Wiltshire Sir Edward P. Tennnnt, ■whoso , Liberal : majority for Salisbury in . 100G 1 w.-ia only 41, owns about 52,000. acres. ' Mr. H. -H. Raphael stood unsuccessfully in the Liberal interest four .times before South Derbyshire; accepted him in 1900. Mr. Harold Cox is tho wellknown Free-trader and anti-Socialist.];

I CRITICISM BY ONE-OFvTHE ''CAVE/ UNGOTTEN MINERALS, I .Mr] Harold ono" ; of the ' Aduliatoites; ■ after-'condemning tho one-fifth tax on- the unearned increnient of land,, proceoJs to deal ad , .follows with the GfYerhmDntV. other land I taxes J— .• -•.> '. ; 'Equally objectionable is the proposal t6 put a special'tax on undeveloped land and ungotten minerals. AVho Is to ,decide whon land is unv developedP Builders every-day- buy land in» tending.-to oover.. it- with housoa, 1 but have, to j\nit 'to. build untjl thby soe.'a! chanco of the houses; being. ocoupied. Are men who thus risk their.capital in order to inorease the number of housos-In'the country to be taxed on-what; is virtually their raw raatorial? In tho same way,I landowner, will often, lay. out an estate witlr | roads at gi-eat'expense.in'tho.hope of. ; atttract' j ing priyato persons;or; speculative builderp. toi "houses,:;.ln aflenso the land 'is undo | veloped.- in another senso-it is.beink doveloped I as rapidly as'possible.: On whioh assumption i the tax-gatherer to piocoedf i "A similar difficulty arises wlth regard to'tho, | proposed tax on . 'he; value -of ungocton minI orals, - for tho; value of. /minerals >bolow ; the ground is a .mjlttor of-sheer 'guesswork,.: Apparcntly the objebt of the Government is \'to stimulate tlie'extriction of minerals from the earth.:;. Why this slxuld be' an object of" natinnal.policy is nof clear. AVe owe'some : duty to onr.; descendants'- as well as to ourselves,..and Ms - no. reason .whateyer. why., .we should : artificially inoreaSo; Ihe pace at which.-.tho mineral wealth: of. I ,our>, little island is' being ' exhausted.' It is moro than probable,.'however,, that the.'proposed tax .wonld have;the very/ op-, posite effect of that .dosircd by the Government, for men' who' suspected : tab' existence of mineral .'-wealth' below their land -would be inclined to postpone faking any steps to ascertain whether it oxisfed.or not until they could Ibo .sure of. avvery jsubstantial' ofFor fof thoir rights.: 1 . - -

'' rina l , T'L'K!fefi^ r & t p; tlie! in?-in of leases,'u is sliffifiiont.lb' ijijifitout that!! whona mnn-buys a-freehold .subject to:a long lease he! takes. into account, tlis prosncctive value that will accrue when;, tho lease falls in. i In fact, a deferred'fttiiinity. nnil if. is' 'difficult to;,See,-.why : hp ehonld 'be taxed ;to a' i ,nighpr.;rftte tlmh, a: person\'xrh'6 tiuys'an annuity in the Post-.Office or from- an-'insurance- conv 5 , pany."