BRITAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1916, Page 5

BRITAIN.

SECRETARY FOR WAR,

■LLOYD GEORGE CERTAIN.

Received June 23, 10 p.m

London, June 23.

Tim Daily Chronicle states that it is nlmost certain (hat Mr. Lloyd George will accept the position of Secretary for War. but the oflicial announcement is not likely to be made until the Ministerial troubles in Ireland are settled. THE FINANCE BILL. INCOME-TAX ON DOMINIONS. Received June 23, 6.55 p.m. London. June 22.

In the House of Commons, Mr. Annan Bryce moved an amendment to the Finance Bill, providing that if income-tax has'been paid by any dominion for purposes of the war, the amount shall be deducted from that payable to Britain.

Hon. E. S. Montague said that the amendment asked the Government to lose a revenue of milfifdn. poinds and a prospective revenue of 18J millions. The matter must be submitted to the Colonial Conferorce. The Government's foncessicn meant a sacrifice of a million pounds, thu° doing something which the Dominions, with the same tax 1 , had not yet clone. Sir G. H. Re ; f' said that he was unable to Hipport the Government on this occasion. The war had made the matter urgent Australia had been sending, forces to partake in the war, at her own expense. The Federal Government had no income-tax before the war, and now had imposed a war tax. Therefore, people with investments in Australia were paying twice.

After several members of the House had supported the amendment, Mr. McKenna paid tint the Government proposed, under the Bill, that money remitted to Australia should not pay excess duty. British money to Australia would he remitted from hereunder the same concession", and the British Government would thus lose the whole of ihe income-tax over 3s fid.' The amendment wanted the Government to lose the whole income-tax up to ss. This was a matter for arrangement between the Government arid the Dominion Governments. Meanwhile, the concession 3ealt very fairly with the matter. The amendment was negatived by 128 votes to 32. THE VICTORIA LEAGUE. Received June 23. 5.5 p.m. London, June 22. One thousand people attended a meeting of the Victoria League at the Hotel Cecil, and presented the High Commissioner with an address paying tribute to the services of the Dominion's troops. Lady Jersey and other speakers eulogised the generosity of the League's branches, especially those in Australia and New Zealand. FOOD FROM HOLLAND. London, June 23. Hollar,d is resuming the shipment io Preat Biitain of considerable quantities of food, equal t.) about half the quantity which Germany has recently been taking. The shipments Include weekly 200 tons of butter, 5000. bales of bacon, and a quantity of cheese, eggs and fish. It is believed this is the result of a reciprocal arrangement between the Dutch .Mid British Governments, whereby we sent Holland coal and fodder.

THE FUTURE OF THE EMPIRE.

London, June 22

Sir T. Mackenzie, interviewed, said Hie Empire's permanency was contingent upon giving effect to wider Imperial Government. It was absurd to leave the whole foreign policy, possibly involving ivar and trade treaties, in the hands of the executive of a Parliament elected by one portion of the Empire. The dominions did not desire to make suggestions concerning Ireland, but he had always held that the solving of the Imperial conception ought to settle the Irish problem. If the great Imperial body was representative, as it should be, it would give. Ireland a proportionate voice, retaining for her as for the rest of the Empire, subject to.modification, the control of her own affairs. In any reconstruction of the Empire the oversea dominions would undoubtedly require a proportionate voice in foreign affairs. Sir T Mackenzie added that the Motherland would still dominate the situation. MANUFACTURE OF DYES. London, June 22. An Association, of British Chemical and Allied Manufacturers waß formed fo'-day to provide products of the dye industries. It !s pointed out that Switerland has been our salvation since the war, but has only been able to supply a smal! proportion. Many manufacturers ire ready to start new works if a guarantee is forthcoming. British Dyes, Ltd., is progressing at Huddersfield, Manchester, and Leeds.

"WITHER THEM."

THE FLEET THE GREAT STAND-BY.

Received June 23. 10.15 p.m.

London, June 23. Sir Edward Goschen, in a letter to an English journalist, written from Switzerland, referring to statements in the •Swiss / press that Germany has been victorious on land and sea and is ready to make peace, says:

"The German Chancellor has not formulated the terms upon which he is prepared to accept peace, and appears to think that the Entente Powers, having failed to conquer, are conquered. The an.-ivcr is lud'erously simple. The Entente Powers will not accept the view of being conquered. If, by some miracle, every Entente gun and every Entente soldier were swept out to-morrow, it would still be for the Entente fleets to determine whether a single German merchantman could issue from the Heligoland Bight. They could wither the whole growth of German oversea trade at its root. When these things are brought home to the Germans as they will be, they will perhaps be ready to suggest terms which the Entente Powers oan accept."

WORKERS AND DRINK.

DISCUSSED AT DIOCESAN CONFERENCE.

Received June 23, 10 p.m.

London, June 23. Addressing the Canterbury Diocesan Conference, the Primate declared that ho found, as yet, no basis to encourage or justify our approaching the belligerents with peace proposals. The Bishop of London stated that he had heard of hospital ships being held lip for twelve hours, with wounded men oil board because the firemen were drunk.

Mr. Tillett (Canninntown), said that the inference was that the workers were drunkards, and this was a cowardly 'ibel. The average bishop spent more en drink in a week than a working man did in six months.

MEAT TICKETS,

Time 3 and Sydney Sun Services.

London, Juno 22. In the House of Commons, Mr. Har- /;> urt, in reply to a question, said that ■ he Board of Trade did not think it advisable to confer with butchers regarding the marketing and prices of colonial meat. The board also thought it unnecessary to issue meat tickets.