HOME RULE BILL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1608, 27 November 1912, Page 7

HOME RULE BILL.

POWERS OF TAXATION. By Telegraph.—Press Association—Copyriffht London, November 25. Tlio House of Commons engaged today in considering in Committee Clause 15 of tlie Home Rule Bill, dealing with the poirefs of taxation of the Irish Parliament. Mr. W. Hayes Fisher, Unionist member for Fulliam, moved) to remove the power from the Irish Parliament to vary any Imperial tax. Mr. John E-edmond, Leader of the Nationalist Party, said he had considered the 'first financial scheme a good one. The new proposals, if carried, would deprive Ireland of certain powers, but the Government had taken the wisest course, a course in which the Irish Party would acquiesce. Tho Independent Nationalist members (the O'Brienites) believe that the amendments to Clause 15 of .the Home Rule Bill, to be moved by Mr. Herbert Samuel, Postmaster-General, will destroy the last vestige of national self-government for Ireland, and have resolved to abstain from discussing the finanoial clauses of. the Bill. Mr. Samuel's amendment proposes to deprive the Irish Parliament of power to vary an Imperial tax except by way of increasing it.

LIBERAL DISSATISFACTION. (Rec. November 27, 0.25 a.m.) London, November 27. Mr. Samuel, in speaking on Clause 15 of the Home Rule Bill in the House of Commons, said the proposal to enable Ireland to reduce the Customs, duties was not vital, but as a large number of Liberals objected to . it, the Government thought fit to meet them. -Mr. Austen Chamberlain asked the Government to justify the principle which allowed tho Irish Parliament to vary the super-tax, and to alter conditions as to exemption and abatements of income tax, but prohibited the varying of the rates of the tax; ■ , . ' , Mr. Lough (Liberal) ■ and Murray MacDonald'(Liberal) also expressed dissatisfaction with tho Government's decision. Mr. Hayes Fisher's amendment was rejected by 284 votes to 167.