IRISH AFFAIRS

Hokitika Guardian, 24 April 1925, Page 1

IRISH AFFAIRS

THE BUDGET. -HISTKAI.IAN ANI) N.Z. C.UII.E ASSOCIATION LONDON. April 22. I i the Hail Kireann, Mr Blylh. the .Minister of I'inanee. in his Budget speech, mentioned that the cost ot the Irish Army last year was three millions. compared with ten and a half millions lor the year 1023. lie anticipated that it would be only two millions next year. The .Minister declared llpil the result of last year's experiment in tariff protection was satisfactory, and notable so in the mailer of the boot tax - , winch bad yielded a quarter ol a million. and bad simulated the local hoot production remarkably: but. beyond ihe proposals already cabled, the I' ree Stale Government did not intend to increase it- tariffs before the next general elections. The Free State Budget increases the protection mi a number of mnnulactiii'es, notably by a -> per cent duty mi wearing apparel, blankets andwugs, ami a HU per cent, duty on bedsteads, and wooden furniture. The Budget provides for the reduction of the income lax to loiir shillings in the blit abolishes the duty on tea, cocoa, cotloo and chicory, and abolishes also the imperial preference on sugar. The various remissions ol the Irish Free State customs duties will become operative on the kill ol .May. Ihe sonar (lutyis being reduced to a lint rale of one ponnv per pound. The Finance Minister stated that the Government had accepted the propos.,|s of a Belgian group bv which the Free State Government will aid in the establishment of the beet sugar industry in Ireland. This means there will lie a remission of excise duties, or a subsidy, equal to Cl ,!WI.OOO for a decade. If the experiment failed, the loss would fall on the company which is putting up the capital. ______