A MUCH-DISCUSSED PROBLEM.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 722, 22 January 1910, Page 14

A MUCH-DISCUSSED PROBLEM.

ENOEMOUS'TIELD OF DEATH .iUTIES. ' .

■') Dealing' with!., the much-discussed problem |of ■■'; tho : death ''■ duties;- the - '-'Daily 'Mails Toarißopk'/>.for'; 1910 "Tie dstato' duty JwasVfirst. imposed- in :whei: MrViGpschenrwasiChancellor of^ the 'Exchequer, as' a now. dirty, at :thq rate,of be'.charged !■ oh all - exceeding '!jfil0,000 ". each; -:and when^,in!;lß9l,'. : 'a' much-fuller .measnre.of graduation;. : together,. wiOi' brought!in by; Sir! Wiliam.Harcourt was '.under.:consideration;i Mr,- , Gbschen' men-' ■-tionedV.that',.'a;.Ech!eme ,"pf r thd been': ; in'vt|ie; pigeon-holes';pf-';the -Treasury for> many ■;Jears;";!: t .X:'!;;-;!> ■ > -^:!"^>:.;\ ; ;; , -. ■.'■"The ''Fiiiirice'iAct of iWßy among' otiier changes; incre^d ; ,the':;duiy on-estafespver ;a 'million-pounds"each:' from 8 "peT , cent: to-10:p^r ; cent,on',',the!first.mMpn, ; with' super r taxes on any amount .over e-!mil-;.uoii'> J up-'-tovjivnimmum/ot!lS.-:'perv : cei«fc-'on-v estates "over '•• three 1 ''■'millions ■'' each. The' Knanee 'Bill;. of-/;-1909 : keeps 11 .' the miximilm '• at ; 15- pe'r : .catit.,-.:but".: charges' 'a: mdllion'pounds} .-.each',', and- increases ! ,the : rates, of--charge considerably on' , all estates under, jjitmillicmi -.'-'■< ■' !-:. ; -*V'«. .■-,•-:'•■'• ■'.;■.-: -.''■.i-'-. ■;i [ ''Tlie'"Chancellor.''of'y tho '■': Exchequer estimates that-.tienuicreased estate will,",'yi9ld, tan :*,additiohal ,-revenue .""of i£%sKM)o#mSlSO^lOj,'land. 'ultimately.: of v : creased" ;"'ond ;i succession ■ duties - will " produce .iai'l9lo-11 v '•■'and'.lin course.^of'tnno'jS4se,ooo.''>>;;.'::.■: %" ■; ;.i;:715w.'.--"--''eettle?Mait'): : :e3tete;''iebity! : '-Vlie'' rectamon' - : i(K!7S;000 'i'bf;. e?tra'! 'rewmisVui' •lWlt''!;'aM-^toßi'V/to',, : ;(i«Teeti«i'7'6f;!!a', sinaU;anomaly in the'incidoncedf duty, an' additional, eum' of: in 1910-11 ? and future 'years.' ' : ;;S- : "•';;''..' , . ; -->' '•■■:.•/,:-.,, ■-:-.::i : r-'.. ;.;'Tf..the:C!hanceUor of ithe'Exehequer's; estiniate-proves ;tp:be;cprraci, the death duties:.altogether fwill ■= ultimately yield jC7,30p,000 'mere ■ thin;- at - and, the ■ incomeJfroin 'thia'-source.'of revemio'will; ieicee4\^Wio,ooo.-i"Vs''ir, ,v:,---:, .fpT.-ten.years L (the endinir"' ■■ ,;■■:.; ;.-!^..' S^-S!*:!i^'%-o^i-;Dntie3W- : Capitaly 189?-19M-V;..-''..67^t;,'18,4O9 ) :130.0-lm ; V'..'.:--64,i23V,V16J21,000-i-28i,5U,000. '■.190W902;v.-.': '63,140 ! -18^13,000:.'..' 288,860.000, 1902-1903'.:.:', 63,929 '.; 17,013,000 -270,473,000 1 1903-19 M' *.-i "63,457' *: -284,118,000 ■1994r1305:-:'.T:" : 63,918 .17,258,000;■ 265403,000 1903-X9o6i'::. -62,M&^ : a7 < a«J).00,i» , 272,172,000 :.l?0C-1907;::;; i -:66,082^il8;953;.0p0 i J> 298,460,000 1907-1908 ■.:: -67^33' .19,108,000 ; 282,294,000' 1908-1909: ... - 67,524 :i i1.18,310,000 "■;270,903,000

ftToial;"; ■.;:■ 650,189 .■ 179^860,000.'. 2,769,7U,000" ".'■jroin;.-. : -the ;niiuro oi ■their:;.incidence, it-uiparticolafly."desirable '.that death duties vshouldvbe.,seldbrnWialtered,'*;' and, .only; after -notice,' of :#hich 'isshprt:^'enough;.::Th'ev.:dea'thare'in most,cases.a;charge'on the residnaryj estate;:sE .-whiclt'they.jmay ab; sorb; in; soma'jiittstan'cesj* bnlyJa? imall. part; but.tin, others' so :large : ?a':proportion that a : cqrdparativ'ely-small iricrease' 'in i.the. ratei. of,y.duty:/"ivould: r ;leay9 ifv'any.thing;.','forV" the! residuai^.i-iegateb'-■ or legatees.';: iv'";:;; : y : : > ?,'■'■ '.'t v ''/'-;';.. \ : '<r? : .

' <■ "The Itotal;abolition, of.'the.ideath duKes 'iandV^'eub^foe'on^bJ'equiva'lent'higher .incom^tax./has'Tje'en:'advocated by' some -bankersi VinJ4Xotl»ra» ; '-tb'.;'' whom ■ .mcer^.'future':lialiaities , '| Ife.,bbiectjbn-; .'able ! ;:■ but, v the necessary'•-.inore3so- in the , cans' -hardly^,-.-teJSregaTd(!d''*s , o:at.,:j)resent .within; the-.rangeypfinfactical :financei 'i 1",;,;''Almost:every ; ,cpnn£ry".in : .Europe,all of our.'colonies ;,(exccpting>Natal),- • most .of •the 'i : :Sbuth: -Republics,;.»: ;the : .;]lJriite.d^Sta^ 1 'yiand ; 'if! , adopted,'death', 'duties: vin :iomo; form' or other.'a_s.:".a*:sburce.-bf.'- ; reyen'ue; 'and 'itis interesting J ,-to '.-notice-'.th'afci/.the.'. 1 > system , adopted. jn-France, 'although perhapsinore 'closely ; iand.- sciontifically;, graduated' than any; other,* in- some .respects,, peculiarly, inequitable''.in-its;.incidence.", .•;■•■"'.-■'.- , :. : :