BUDGET VOTE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 798, 22 April 1910, Page 7

BUDGET VOTE.

THE IRISH DIVIDED. MINISTRY'S MAJORITY 81. LIBERAL-UNIONIST COMPROMISE TALKED OF.

Ify TolocrnDli-Preai Ajsoclatlon-Oooyrlghl. London, April 20. Iα tho House of Commons, in. the division on the Budget resolutions, the Kedniondite Natiouaiisis ■ j-oted for the resolutions, and the O'Brienite Nationalists opposed thorn.

The resolutions were adopted by a majority of 81. '

[After the election, out of the 821 Irish Nationalists in the House, 71 were classified as Redmondite Nationalists and 11 as O'Brienite or Independent Nationalists. It was announced a day or two ago that, the Redmondites would support, and that .the O'Brienites would oppose, the Budget. Adding the 11 O'Brienites to the 273 Unionists, un anti-Budget vote of 284 results. On the other hand, adding Liberals (275), Labour (40), and Redmondites (71), the pro-Budget vote at its maximum should bo 386, giving a Budget majority of. 102. ; In thb division cabled today the majority is 81. . This is a perfectly safe working margin, but the 71 Redmonditos can make or unmake it, and the Government also.]

CHANGE OF A COMPROMISE. IF GOVERNMENT'S POSITION FURTHER WEAKENS. (Rec. April 21, 11.15 p.m.) ■ London, April 21. ; "The Times,", commenting on vague rumours of a possible compromise on the House of Lords question, says the temper of partiee is unfavourable to it, but if the Ministerial coalition suffers a further diminution of its majority without meeting with actual defeat, both sides may be- ready to come to terms, if a reasonable means is devised to secure more power to the House of Lords. . ■ ,

INCREMENT TAX.

WHAT IS AGRICULTURAL LAND? (Rec. April 21, 11.15 pim;) London, April 21.

The Budget debate in the House oi Commons was marked by a lively discussion on the subject of the land taxes.

Tho Opposition declared that the Government's new phraseology did not exempt, agricultural land from the tax on the unearned increment.

Lord-Helmsley (Unionist member for Thirsk and Malton, Yorkshire) moved an amendment specifically excluding all land used for agriculture,

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Lloyd-George, declared that the acceptance of the amendment would be equivalent to abandoning the tax, since land near towns would escape payment altogether. To call this . agricultural land was a mockery and a sham. . '■ The amendment was defeated, the voting being as under: — ' Against the amendment 344 For the amendment 248 Government majority .... 96 The financial resolutions were then automatically; passed, and the Budget was read a first time. .

PROSPECTIVE SURPLUS. London, April 20. " The Times " says: "Mr LloydGeorge estimates the loss on income taVat £350,000, and interest on ..borrowings at £350,000. ' The latter represents the price th? country pays for the Government's notions of dignity. It is .probable the surplus will really be only a quarter of a million, as Mr. Lloyd-George is not justified in counting in the £2,700,000 taken from the sinking fund." ' .. , -'.

At the last licensing session, the liquor ' trade paid in duties two million pounds. According to Mr. LloydGeorge; another £2,100,000 will be collectable in July*,, and four millions in October, but, according to the "trade," the total (including October, 1909, and October, 1910) will, be nine millions.

PROGRAMMEIN LORDS. BUDCET, THEN VETO. THREE WEEKS' RECESS BETWEEN THE TWO. London, April 20. In tho House of Lords, the Earl of Crewe (Secretary ,of State for the Colonies) said that he would, on' April 28, wove the second reading of the Finance Bill (Budget).. There would then be a three weeks' recess, and discussion on the Lords' veto resolutions would bo commenced on May 24, when tie text of the Veto Bill would be published. Lord Rosebery's resolutions dealing with the reform of the, House of Lords might be discussed before the recess. '■■ . ' ' ■

Subsequently, Lord Rosebery announced the postponement of his resolutions' until the first day' after the ■recess. •' •'': ■ ....

TO DROP THE TARIFF. POLICY OF CONCENTRATION ON LORDS. FAVOURABLE UNIONIST PEERS.

London, t April 20. Two leading Unionist Peers, Lord St. Aldwyn (who, as Sir Michael HicksBeach, was opposed ' to Mr. Chamberlain's fiscal proposals) and Lord Londonderry (a pillar of the Union), support -the suggestion of Lord Rosebery that the Unionists should drop the tariff, reform issue at the next election and should concentrate on the constitutional issue (the House of Lords).

[Recent cablegrams indicate that the Unionist Tariff Reformers are opposed to dropping the tariff, considering that bhe bulk of the Unionist gains at the last election were due to the tariffite policy.]