News From England

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1915, Page 5

News From England

ECONOMY URGED. HIGHER TAXATION" LIKELY. London, Jnlv 22. A deputation of bankers anil inerichants waited on -Messrs Asquith and Alelvenna on the subject of public economy. Lord St. Aldwyn said the Government had not, -since the commencement of the •war. enforced economy in matters under their own control. He urged that pri- . vate economy be enforced by an immediate increase in taxation. Mr. Asquith, in reply, said lie had endeavored to bring home to his fellow countrymen the importance and urgency ,of economy. They were faced with a large and growing increase in public and •private expenditure, also with the fact that tho war could not he prosecuted successfully without large economies, lie •agreed that they had not gone nearlyfar enough in providing for the war out of taxation. He had been a long time convinced that the income-tax ought to begin at a lower scale and that it basis ought to be broadened. The.- must -diminish the consumption of imports and I maintain exports on an increased scale. I The more they did this the more would ■ they contribute indirectly to the country's iv-onrces from which the nation -would defray the gigantic expenditure. He could not assent to the suggestion that they should proceed by way of a piece-meal budget, which would be dau- • gerous. He thought it more desirable that the question should be dealt with a; a whole. There would be no delay .in submitting concrete proposals to Parliament to complete, for the present .rear, the ilntv of obtaining from the taxpayer an adequate and equitable contribntioa to the abnormal expenses. He ►was not pessimistic as to the conduct of the war or the resources of the eountrv.

•. questions ix.Tiife tonus. London, July 22. In the House of Lords, Lord Kibblesdale asked the nature of the investigating scope of the Kctrenehments Committee. Ministers must face the question •of war expenditure irankly. i Lord Lansdowne said that the Retrenchment Committee was dealing with Government and civil expenditure. It Was impossible to impose u public inquiry upon the War Office and the Admiralty during the stress of a great war. Although the Admiralty and the War Office did not come within the' scope of investigation they intended to .keep within the strictest bounds. There was an immense war expenditure. Lord Kitchener was going into these matters personally with < Air.. McKenna. He had appointed a departmental committee at the War Office to deal with the whole subject. Lord Cromer cpmpared the public attitude towards expenditure to that of a gambler who had lost all sense of the value of nionev.

Lord Crewe said the Treasury had become the spending department, instead of controlling expenditure.

ROYAL CONGRATULATIONS. KING VISITS WOUNDED COLONIALS. Received July 23, 10.13 p.m. London. July 23. ■ The King visited the munition works at P.irmingham, and also the hospital. He spent a considerable time in the ward where were the Australians and New Zealanders, and expressed his appreciation of their line work at the llardanelles. DAYS OF PRAYER. POLK MX WAR SERVICES. ) Received July 23. o_3 p.m. London, July 22. July 2-"i lias been appointed a day of national prayer. Four thousand Territorials will a-ssemble in Trafalgar Square and march in procession, headed by the Bishop of London, to a public service. Upon the steps of St. Paul's Cathedral the service will he held. There will be a solemn war service, at the King's request, at St. Paul's Ca.thednil. on .August 4. Their Majesties, Dowager-Ojicen Alexandra, and the Lorf Mayor will attend, and the Anchoisho'p of Canterbury will preach. There will not be a state procession.