HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 April 1923, Page 3

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CAULK ASSOCIATION. CHEAPER BEER WANTED IN BRITAIN. LONDON, April 21. In the House of Commons, Colonel Guest, in committee on the Budget, moved to reduce the Government’s contribution and to increase the brewers’ contribution towards the lowering of tho price of beer. Mr Muring, in seconding the amendment, said that if the brewers Imre the whole cost of the duty remitted, they still have profits totalling ll] per rent. Commander Bel lairs said he wanted to see the price of beer reduced by twopence per pint. High-priced beer produced discontent;. It should lie the Conservative Government’s first object to alter this.

Mr S. Baldwin (the Chancellor ot the Exchequer) in replying, justified his arrangements with the brewers, as the reimposition of the war-time system of control was the only other means of ensuring to the consumer the benefit of the tax reduction. The beer consumption was twenty-six million bulk barrels. This was much below the pre-war iigure. The -brewers contribution must come from the increased consumption that would result and the decreased overhead charges. Tiio present quality would bo maintained.

IN THE COMMONS. (lleeeived this dav id. 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 23. Mr Boyd Carpenter, replying to qestions in tlic Commons, said direct taxation under the new budget amounted to £lO 2s Id per capita and indirect taxation to £3 10s. The Commons by 170 votes to 137, rejected n motion to reduce the tea duty from eight-pence to live pence per pound. LONDON. April 23. The Commons by 218 to 100, defeated a motion to abolish the duty on dried fruits. LONDON, April 23 Mr Baldwin in reply to a question in the Commons said fees and stamp <1 iities ranging from £270 sterling in tlie case of n baronet to £7OO sterling in the case of a duke, were imposed on the creation of hereditary honours, lie would not consent to introduce a tax on title names, because it wotdd be insufficiently revenue producing.