BRITISH BUDGET.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 617, 21 September 1909, Page 5

BRITISH BUDGET.

MR. KEIB.. HARDiE ON MR. 'ASQOTtH. (By: Telegraph APrM» Aenoctatlna.—C6Drrltht.i '(Roc. September 20,11.40 pJn.) '-. London, September 20. ; Mr. .Keir Hardie, Labour M JP. for. Morthyr TydvU, speaking' at Birmingham, declared that Mr.. Asquith'a Budget speech, in reply to Lord Ro3ebory, "was /the'.kind.' a lawyer would make in defence of a criminal. It was difficult to imagine anything less calculated (jo arouse :enthusiasm/: '.■ ;■ '..''. MOTOR TAXES AND ROADS. ji THE MOTIVE;; A UNIONIST SUSPICION. ' - ■ . London, September 19.;: ,-":. The ! 'Spectator" : endeavours to furnish 1 , a reason for the proposed construction of motor roads under tho Development Bill by representing that Mr. Lloyd-George,,,Chan-cellor of tho Exchequer, desires to .nationalise the railways, and hojJes ultimately'to secure that: end by encouraging 'Snolor! Iraffio to compete, with: railways.' ■ > ■'> -■This, the "Spectator" 'suggests, would lessen the railways, and,thereby, induce the shareholders to sell at an easy : figure. '.-''■,■ '■''■' i : -< \ . .':•'' ; ',''\'" ! '... ; ;,

"MOTOR TAXES AND THEIR PURPOSE. . . Ho deep Socialistic design which "The, Spec tator has discovered behind the new,petrol and motpr-cor taxes" of Mr; Lloyd-George lias apparently escaped the observation of a special writer m "The.Timcs;" who remarks: "No one hk?3' paying taxes, but if the specific destinaof a tax.)6_approved then, opposition is much lessened.; There can be no question that the destination i of the. petrol and motor-ear taxes, which Mr. -Lloyd-George calculates will amount to .£<Soo,ooo'o year, js excellent. This sum will forth a fund out of whioh some central authority, probably a department of the Local Government Board, will assist local highv to carry out.road improvements of all kinds; such as widening, cutting off dangerous corners, alleviation of-unduly stoop gradients, and, it mayi.be presumed, also 1 the use of dustlcss as against dusty material for roadmaking. Such operations cannot : fail to bo of -benefit\to every member of tho road* using community; of which motorists form' a larse proportion. •> On the basis of a main road mileage of 28,000,' miles, the sum >would work out at rather over £21 'por mile. per animm. But it will, no doubt, be arranged that'other local authorities besides , those • who control main roads will receive a slinro of the grant also, and that, in course of time, a great improvement of roads in general will take place."