THE GERMAN NAVY

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 1 September 1909, Page 19

THE GERMAN NAVY

' BERLIN, August 26. The Tageblatt, discussing the Naval estimates for 1910-1911, states that Germany, with the utmost difficulty, recently raised £25,000,000 ol new taxes. Commenting on. the prospective increase in the national l}urdiens, it says that it waa a grave blunder to reject England's outstretched hand i ' — _— Germany has goc the * much-ta'.ked-of £25,000,000 of new taxes neces3aa-y to meet the ever^growinig liabilities of the Empire. Prmce^r&Melow's ' impen-ding retirement b£<?ught^abou£ ,a "compromise" between the" rlmaHidef "of his' Government and the , >,r|kaipb«j)t gtotiservative-Catholic majority in the ' Reichstag, asa result of which fre-sh s?*ftniral .^revtrtie.- ■ tofcdlinjr £25,100,000 will be raised by' the following taxes: — On. transfers of real estate £2,009,000, incan<ras lamps £1,000,000, coffee aud 'tea £1,850,000. bills of exchange £100,000, beer £5.060,000, tobacco £2.150,000, spirits £4,000,000, ohampa«no £250,003,' receipts * for cheques £1,000,000. stamps on bonds and shares £1,125,000. share coupons £1,375,000, increase of contributions of tlu> Federal States £1,250,000, railway tickots > £1,000,000, matches £1,250,000, sugar £1,750,000. ' The majority to which the Government had to give way considered the taxes on realty transfers, cheques, shares, and coupon* and the increase of Federal contributions (totalling £6,750,000) as tHe taxes on " property " without which t»!i« Government " refused " to allow the Finance Reform Bill to become" law.