THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 127, 26 June 1909, Page 2

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.

ITS POSITION MENACED. A BUDGET PROPAGANDA. London, June 24. ''Mr. Haldaue, Secretary of State for War, presided over a gathering of 200 uiemlbcrM of the House of Commons at which a schume wits submitted to hold meetings in favor of the .Budget iu every constituency. Mr. Winston Churchill was appointed chairman of the executive committee, I The Kight Hon. T. Lough moved and the Hon. Ivor Guest seconded an amendment to the effect that no meetings be beJd of constituents against the wishes of the sitting Liberal member*. This was withdrawn upon ..Mr. Jlnldane giving a satisfactory verbal assurance. ■Mr. Winston Churchill slated that a very critical period was approaching for the Government and a vigorous agitation was necessary as a safeguard against certain eventualities. The meeting is regarded as demonstrating that the Government.'!* belicl in the Budget is seriously menaced.

AN ENORMOUS MEETING. A PROTEST AGAINST THE BUDGET. WEIGHTY WORDS. London, June 24. An enormous city meeting was held to protest against the Budget. It was attended by scores of leading member* of the House of Commons, and by bonkers and investors of all creeds nnd parties. Great enthusiasm was Bhown throughout the proceedings. 'Lord {Rothschild, chairman, contradicted several of Mr. Lloyd-George's statements nlta-lin!; the methods of taxation in Germany and France and accused the Government of attempting to establish socialism and collectivism. Lord Avehury said that during sixty years lie had never known such a rcmarka'lile meeting. It was not the political liut the financial economies that were lieiug severely analysed. He gave detail: of the Budget and protested against raising a linger revenue than was' required. Sir Felix Schuster, he said, and many present could tell Mr. Asquith where UritUh capital was going in order to evade the new taxation. The speakers also included Mr. Lawrence Currie, president of the City of London Liberal Association. Many Other prominent Liberals were present.

A LIBERAL RALLY. THE PROPOSALS DEFENDED. MR. LLOYD-GEORGE'S THREAT. Received June 25, 11.5 p.m. London, June 25.

There was a representative gathering of Liberals at the Laud uiid Housing Reform Committee's luncheon at Hoiborn Restaurant. The Premier (Mr. H. 11. Asquith) stated that in June, VMS, the English and Welsh county councils had secured 2000 acres of small holdings. To-day they held 44,000. He quoteu Loru liuseuery a 15-year-old advocacy of taxation of ground values in connection with the London County Council. Mr. Asquith went on tu say that land taxes wen not taxes like those upon tea and spirits, but tuxes upon commercial value added to'the land by the exertions of tho State. The only arguments yet udvanc-1 ed against the tax were Mr. Balfour's argument that the unearned increment of all property should be taxed, and Ms suggestion that an owner ought to be compensated for a decrement The latter was a childish argument. Incometax payers were not compensated for losses. He believed in taking adequate steps to prevent an increment of duty applying to agricultural land. No duty, lie explained, was leviable on account of increment due to the effort and expenditure of landowners, Mr. Lloyd-George (Chancellor of the Exchequer) considered the speeches delivered at the City meeting only the old drivel about Socialism. '"We are having too much Rothschild," he proceeded. ''Some countries make it dear that they will not have the policy dictated by great financiers. If the present agitation continues, Britain will join the rest."

A HUGE CAMPAIGN*. A THOUSAND MEETINGS. Received June 25, 11.5 p.m. London, June 25. Sir Henry Norman, organising secretary of Mr. Hnldnnc's Budget League, says a thousand meetings are contemplated by Cabinet Ministers and other effective platform orators. Many Liberal pamphleteers are offering help.

Mr. Lloyd-George last month explained the Budget land tux proposals as follows:—"There are three tuxes proposed upon land, The first is an increment tax. All the land in the Kingdom will be valued at its present value, I'lmt is the first operation. If it increases in value subsequently, then, either on transfer or at death, the proposal is that the State should secure 20 per cent, upon that increment. The second is <i 10 per cent, tax on tho determination of a lease. When a lease falls in, not merely does the land revert to the landlord, but the house as well. Tho 10 .per cent, will bo charged on the difference between the interest which thu landlord had in the land before the date of the lease and that which fcu has acquired on the expiry of the lease, fn fact, he pays 10 per cent, on property which he has acquired without expenditure. The third is a tax of one halfpenny in the pound upon undeveloped hind. This is practically a tax upci vacant building sites which have acquired a special value owing tq their being near u town or village, and upon mineral rights. The first two are growing taxes. They will produce a minimum this year, but they will grow hcavilv. Our anticipation is that they will nssunie considerable dimensions, as we are basing our estimate on the prospect of laud appreciating in tliis country owing tu the growth of population and the i spread of wealth." Earlier in tho present mouth a league of protest was formed, to combat the inclusion in the Budget of Socialistic land legislation, which it is contended should properly form matter for a separate Bill. Mr. Long, who was president of the Local Government Board in the Balfour Cabinet, is president, and Captain Jesse], ex-M.P. for St. Pancras, chairman, of the league.