BRITISH POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 231, 4 November 1909, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

K.NULAND'S LAND I'ROBLEM. Jl) Cablc-l'ress As.ociatiou-Uopyrlght I Loudon, Noveuioer *• Mr. Balfour, in u preface to Sir Gilbert I'uikci•* uMupniet, "'l'he Laud iot the l'eopie,' remarks that more la required for the success of the small farmer than the magic of uwncr*iup, and that it may be utsuibed in Hie two words "credit' and 'cooperation. I Sir Gilbert l'arner, iu a lull" to the 1 Times, declares' that Mr. Uaiiour cm- ' bodied the Unionist spolicy of tiie small , ownership of land, and adds itial the Itadicul party committed itself irrevocably to perpetual tenancy. Tho Daily Mail declares that the Radicult, owing to Socialist opposition, dare not create a multitude of small land--1 owners. These, it sa.is, would be a , buttress against Socialism.

THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION'S. I \ London. N'ovemla-r 2. i The I'rogrn'slvcs won 111 seats in )( amberweir, 7 In Southwark and 17 in Hackney. Miinic'wiil Reformers gained in in llatterMiu, Mid now hold 42 out of ,-.! hi. Turnover, mis is largely due to Kwiiillsl candidates. The chief features ~( (lie London election was the success of the reformer* at llatuwa, where two I Progressive HorialixU were e]«sU-d. The 1t,., of Hi* UeUirmn' majority w»t at Mmithwark, and by Lord, Monkswell's de- . («» tit Chelsea. (Itmerally the Reform- , m maintain the advantage gained at the last election.

THE m;ixiet rv.uT. PLEA FOR TARIFF REFORM. AS OPPOSED ToTaN'D TAXATION. FPEECH BY MR. AUSTEN* CHAMBERLAIX. Received Nov. 3, 9.26 p.m. London, November 3. In Hie Homo of Commons, Mr. Auskn riiamberlnin, in moving the rejection of the Finance Bill, denounced the underlying principle of placing special burdCM (in special people. Incidentally he remarked thnt much of friendly *oeSeti»i moncv was invested in land, witicn •vniilci be subject to taxation when they turned it over and dealt with it. Ministerial cries: Why not! Mr. CUamberlain continued: "That It an admission whereof we have taken note." "One man," he said, "could ho'd up his liind for five years merely by lea* ing it to a cricket or football'club, whito .mother would be taxed for developing it The Budget had gravely injured building land, and the licensed and tobacco trades. These taxes might be uw<l it' a lust resource in a great emergency. They were grievous if necewary, anl criminal if unnecessary. Let the Gov I crnment seek to build up instead of

seeking to destroy, and ceaae the rah nf particular trades by imposing oa them burdens too heavy to bear. If it wire necessary to spread the not wider, let the vast mass of foreign imports competing with the products of our Industries pay some toll for the benefit of the market they enjoyed, Give security for industry and for employment, and the Treasury would share the prosperity, net of a class, but of the nation. Pat our people on an equality with others ( give them a fair start in the race, and I am not afraid of the result. Yon will open new sources of revenue and find .vork for the workless, bread for the hungry."

THE PROPOSALS DEFENDED. \ Received Nov. 3, 11.20 p.m. London, November 8. Sir William Robson, speaking to Mr. Chamberlain's motion, Justified the taxing of unearned increment, which often meant unexpected wealth. The Bill was !>d socialistic. Socialism aimed at Mb•titnting State action for individual enterprise, whereas the Bill protected individual enterprise where it was Imperilled. Doubtless this midget's object was something more than the financial object, and Mr. Chamberlain'* object would also lie more. He added: "I am ffhiil the Bill was not framed without "i 8 . 8 ? 1 ,0 ." le hi K h|,r Mnnidemtioni which put finance on a higher plane."