LIBERAL POLICY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1947, 2 January 1914, Page 5

LIBERAL POLICY.

REVIEWED BY MR. LLOYD-GEORGE. ■ PLEA. FOR REDUCTION OF. Y' ARMAMENTS. .->?■ ' : &ji&!s&/•'' ' ''..''Y'-^'iY-wJ'' ■ By. Telegraph—Press Association—OemfflvM (lire January 1, 11.15 p.m.) ■ . . ■■i London, January -1. f-The..- VDaily. Chronicle" (Liberal), under'permission, reports a conversation .which took place between Mr. Lloyd-George'",--(Chancellor of tho Exchequer) am! a' friend. Mr. Lloyd-George stated .that-, the lightening of tho .burden of : the rates should be the most essential part .of tho programme of both parties. Mo despised success unless it was real. .An effort should be made to reduce tho overwhelming extravagance of expenditure in'armaments; if a saving were effected it would be possible to sweep away .the taxes on tea, sugar, coffe, and cocoa.'- and rc-diico the iiieomo tas to !id. in the £. ■

' "llie present.' was a favourable time .to .'overhaul tho expenditure of arms■monts. 1 The strain had been relaxed owing, to Sir.Edward. Grey's diplomacy. The continental nations wore directing their enegrics towards tho strengthening' of their land forces. . "Germany,'' said Mr. Lloyd-George, "cannot take chances with Britain. Wo can afford xo quietly maintain our present superiority in tho Navy without making feverish efforts to increase it, until finally there would bo a revolt against armaments throughout western Europe. "Liberalism," he continued, "must act upon tho new temper of tho nation. Tho land campaign has trebled the attendance at many Liberal meotingß. and must inevitably dominate political thought until this question is settled. A new Second Chamber, and the problem of devolution—whereby the Imperial Parliament will be relieved of provincial affairs —reform of the education system, and tho prevention of poverty are other problems with which tho Government is pledged to deal."

. "CONTROVERSIAL METHODS." MR. LLOYD-GEORGE AND THE DUKE OP SUTHERLAND. {Rcc. January li 11.18 p.m.) London, January 1. Replying to tlio Duko of Sutherland on tile subject of this offer of His Grace to sell certain areas 011 liia dcor forest at £2 per acre, Mr. Lloyd-Georgo (Chancellor of tlio Exchequer) wroto that tlio sum of £479,633 asked for the land represent!! forty-two years' purchase Upon a rental value of 11,305 acres, whereas a recent preliminary valuation for tho purposes of death duties valued the whole of tlio Duko's Scotch proiKrty of 1,700,000 acres at £400,000.

The Dulco of Sutherland replied that he only owns 023,400 acres. "Even with tho knowledge which tho world possesses of your controversial methods," observes the Duke, "it is surprising that you should bo guilty of inaccuracy so gross. Tho sum of £11.385 is also much below tlio real rental.''

"Perhaps the Duko thinks," says Mr. Lloyd-George in his reply, "that the o?6vernment should pay the value of tho land when it is developed. A.rejsonablo price would be based on tho present value of tho pronerty; Tho development commissioners, liowevcr, afo at liberty to reconsider tho offer."