BRITISH POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 140, 4 June 1908, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

SMALL HOLDINGS BILL. London, June 2. In the House of Lord-* thu Agricultural Holdings Bill and the Small Holdings Allotment Hill were read a third time.' THE ARMY REFORM SCHEME, London, June 2. In the House of Lords, Lord Lucas, in reply to Lord llaghin, said the number of men required to complete the establishment 01 the territorial army was 103,790. OLD AGE PENSIONS BILL. Received 3rd, 11.2(1 p.m. London, June ;l. The text o: the Old Age Pensions Hill is criticised on the grounds of its introducing inquisitorial machinery and numerous restrictions. BUDGET DEBATE. THE GREAT FISCAL QUESTION. THE GOVERNMENT ATTACKED. VIGOROUS DEFENCE BY THE PREMIER.

Received 3rd, 10.24 p.m. London, June 3. In the House of Commons, Mr. Lawrence Hardy's amendment favoring the broadening of the basia of taxation wag rejected by 3U7 to 124. 'Continuing the debate on the Budget, Mr. Bonar Law said: "Nobody proposes prohibitive , duties on imported goods with a view to manufacturing everything ourselves,'whether we are able to compete with our rivals or not." He was not, he said, a protectionist in tlie crude sense of the Patents Act, which withdraws it patent unless the articles were made in Great Britain. He desired to give manufacturers and- workmen preference in the home market, enabling them to compote better with foreign rivals. He rebutted Mr. Lloyd George's criticism on German tinaucca. The fact was that unification and centralisation in Germany were not complete, and particular taxes were only possible with the consent of the different German States. "We should know what that meant if we had home rule all _ round," he said. . Mr, Law emphasised that Germany was spending borrowed money in naval construction. The Board of Trade figures showed the rise of wages in Germany for two decades preceding 1900 exceeded any other country's and that there had been a great fall in the cost of living. Mr. Winston Churchill, President of the Board.of Trade, replied that since a patent was a restriction on free trade, the Patents Act was a reversion to free trade. He contended that the taxation of food and manufactures went together. The Government protested againrt, the broadening of taxation and making it press more heavily on the threadbare shoulders of the poor. Received 3rd, 10.26 p.m. London, June 3.

Mr. Balfour expressed disappointment at the attitade of the JlinisterS. Even if lie did not believe in establishing. some bond with the colonies mid safeguarding British manufacturers against illegitimate firms in competition, he would still consider the broadening of the basis of taxation was necessary and inevitable. The situation, wherein tie country was faced by a vast expenditure for which no provision was foreshadowed, was unprecedented. Regarding food, if the country's financial necessities demanded, he would not shrink from re-imposing the corn duty, nut he would be no party to increasing tils working classes' proportionate burden. He added that if the Government in-

tended to use the income tax and death duties in the way their authors never intended, it would be inflicting a gross injustice on a few, and, what was more, an important'and serious injury to the. industrial interests of the many. The Prime Minister (Mr. Asquitll) said that while the amendment attacked the Budget, his two cardinal proposals, namely, the reduction of the sugar duties and the establishment of old-age pensisns, were not contested. What he asked, had become of colonial preference, the colonial Premiers having gone! Had the Oppositron so soon forgotten them J Nothing had been sa.d regarding the ax on wheat, meat or dairy produce. Ji the Government .foreshadowed its revenue plana for 1« 0 », their expectations Jgt be defeated by astute'antidpo! lions. He strenuously denied the charges 0 f recklessmWand impmvMence. Free trade finance had p?o^e d condition of stability whereo,/ the Go were entitled to pride then. * ves, enabling them to moZ h Jttt all the ccHHing charges. t'nS'r ri a Set '° nd tiR,K - Tiiree l nion >,t free-traders voted for th« amendment. ™,™ **e