BUDGET DEBATE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2576, 25 September 1915, Page 5

BUDGET DEBATE

LABOUR'S VIEW

WAR PROFITS

AN ALLEGED BLOT

By Telegraph—Prc-63 Association—GopyrieW (Rec. September 4, 9.45 p.m.) • r ~ " London, September 24. i i L ,c h6 , 8 " l3 6 e t debate Mr. Barnes, on Deiialr of tho Labour . Party, approved Air. M Keunas proposals, in view of tlie special circumstances. He assumed 1 " le tax on imported goods was merely a fiuaneial expedient devoid of political significance. The Labour 1 arty was prepared to support the Government on any Budget helping to prosecute the war to a successful issue. It regretted the lower exemption limit on income tax. The increased revenue tnerefrom would not bo proportionate tli® hardship inflicted on earners of £200 yearly. Tho party, ho said, welcomed the taxation of war profits. The Government s lould have assumed control of some of tlieso industries long ago. It was now compounding a felony by "sharing the, swag. The Labour Party recommendeci as <in. alternative to appropriate 80 per cent, of ..war profits, aud protested against the additional taxation of sixteen inilliojis levied upon the very poor. J-ii© abolition of the halfpenny postago was, perhaps, the greatest blot in the Budget. -

-A; M.'Mond (Liberal) said that it was folly, to tell the House that/ the uovernnient was compelled to scrap tho existing fiscal system in order to develop e exports when a large amount of tho export trade had been lost through the unnecessary foolish restrictions and the delay in supplying licenses. The motorcar duty would mean a, loss of sixteen millions of capital, and thirty thousand workers would bo thrown out of employment. ' >•

Iho Chancellor • (Mr. M'Kenna) said tliat an overwhelmingly strong case had been made out for the sugar tax. The best test of the. question .was the greatly increased consumption of sweets. The tea tax was justified ou the principle ol obtaining money from as many contributors as possible. Mr. M'Kenna added that the taxation of . imports would not be compromised by a fiscal principle introduced avowedly - to raise the revenue and limit unnecessary luxur!f- tl The y were compelled to abandon the theory of special ivar circumstances, ile never knew a conntTy like Britain ior willingness to pay, and , did : not think there had been such a country in history. where a nation literally come forward and asked to bo taxed. Our willingness to bear burdens indicated a capacity to stay, and the nation which could last tlie longest must win.

LOBBY GOSSIP; (Rcc. September 24, ij.lo p.m.)" ti inv ,V 0 5. dO|l J September 23. ine limes Parliamentary correspondent says:—'.'The only, taxes . which wo exciting controversy, on questions or principle, are the new import, duties, iilany•members would have preferred a lo or 20 per cent, ad valorem duty on all imported goods, except, perhaps, on gram and meat. Some consistent treetraaersvaro ready to accept the ,new duties as an economic necessity of tho X ai \ ,- A frivolous, members called the duties Mr. M'Kenna's joke, and asked why so large a net was spread and so 4 tow fish caught. A group of determined free-traders are bent on (destroying, tho import duties if tlioy can by 'a revival of the free-trade union.: The only other, big items in the Budget to which there is serious objection are tho new; post office rates. There is much opposition to the abolition of the halfpenny, post-card. The "Times" correspondent at Paris says tliat tbo British. Budget , lias done more than anything to . impress the french- with tile resolution and resources of Britain. . Ono liowspaner heading: "It's "Worth a Battle Won " correctly translates popular feeling on the Budget., ' ; ...

PRESS COMMENT. PUBLIC SERVICE SHOULD 13E PRUNED. ( Times • and Sydney ''Sim".Services.) 'rm m. London, September 23. Ihe Times" considers that the Budget is an honest straightforward one. but points'out that it omits retrenchments m the Public Services, and adds: It is lamentable that the Government does not give a veal lead to the public in the matter.of;economy,.'' ' A modest instalment of tariff reform selects certain manufactured articles because they happen to be temporarily some of the ohief offenders in the excessive importations of the current year.

BEER AND SPIRITS. : (Rec. September 24, 8.5 p.m.)

_ London, September 23. The "Daily Telegraph" states that the omission from the Budget of an additional tax on beer and spirits .is due to tho fact that the Government does riot intend to deal comprehensively with the entire drink question later in tho session.

CIGARETTES AND TOBACCO. (Rec. September 24, 9.45 p.m.) ' ■ London, September 24. The tobacco-makers announce that a penny, packet of cigaretes will contain four cigarettes instead of five. . Tobacco intended 'for' the troops will not be taxed. Two shillings' worth for the troops will cost sixpence. It is expected that tho • Government >will abandon or modify the abolition of the halfpenny postage rate. . , At a meeting of Radicals it was resolved to urge the Government to tax land values.

IN THE ABSENCE OF RULES

sfi • CUSTOMS "ORDER THAT CHECKED CLEARANCES. (Rec. September 24, 8.5 p.m.) London, September 23. In reference to tie Ciistoms ordor tviiiph. was issued directing that' tea . wine, and spirit merchants should not be allowed to clear from bond moro than the daily average of tlis last thrco months—the clearance of tea. and tobacco liad previously been abnormal in anticipation of further taxation—tho Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. R ; M'Kenna), speaking in the House of Commons, admitted that ho liad no authority to interfere with the clearances but ho would shortly ask tho Hou6o to approve of the Customs order.

THE NATIONAL MINISTRY

PERSONNEL WILL NOT BE REDTJCED.

. London, September 28. In the House of Commotis, the Prime Minister (Mr. Asquith) in reply to Com. mandor Bollairs, said.it was not proposed to reduce the number of Cabinet Ministers.