BRITISH FINANCE BILL

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1775, 13 June 1913, Page 5

BRITISH FINANCE BILL

DISCUSSION ON FOOD TAXES. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Reo. June'l2, 10.55 p.m.) London, June 12. Mr. Phillip Snowdon's (Socialist) amendment to the Finance Bill, condemning the Government's food taxes, and urgiog the raising of revenue by means of direct taxes upon unearned income and large estates, has been rejected by 256 votes to 38. Mr. A. Henderson (Labour) aTguod that the Liberal party was pledged to the abolition of the food taxes. The workers weTe exploited far too much. Mr. Asquith replied, dissociating himself from the policy of a free breakfast table, but remarking that the present Government had altered the proportion of direct and .indirect taxation. When the Government came into office dircct taxation was £1 9s. lOd. peT head; it was now JSt 19s. 3d. Indirect taxation had been reduced from jBI os. sd. to <£1 Bs. lOd. No doctrine was more fatal to the root principle of democratic government than the statement that tho constant amelioration of the social conditions of

the less favoured classes must be effected at the sole and exclusive expense of the other classes. Mr. Austen Chamberlain re-echoed the Premier's declaration that all classes must contribute proportionately to the national expenditure. The Finance Bill was then read a' second time by 268 votes to 174.