MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 July 1917, Page 5

MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS.

GREECE AND MESOPOTAMIA. '" TAXATION PROPOSALS. 1_ Received July 3, 0.15 p.m. London, July 3. Tn the House of Commons, Mr. Balfour stated that the King of Greece had given assurances that lie would respect the Hellenic Constitution, and that his uncle. Andrev.- Nicholas, had already deft Greece. Mr. Balfour further stated that Lord Hardinge had not yet resigned from the Foreign Office, and would not he temporarily retired. Tt had never been the intention of tho Government to transfer Lord Hardinge to Paris or to any other diplomatic post. The Mesopotamian report could 'be debated next week. In committee, on the Finance Bill, Mr. Lough moved the reduction of the tea duty from one shilling to eightpence. Mr. Bonar Law regretted the necessity for increasing the 'burden, but said the revenue must be found. The 'lovernment was endeavoring to get revenue from those best able to contribute. This was shown by the excess of direct over indirect taxation. In 1913-14 indirect taxation amounted to G9 million, but in the present Budget it was estimated at 102 million. In 1013-14 the direct taxation was 93 million, but was now 406 million. INDIAN MILITARY "REFORMS. London t July 2. The Daily Telegraph says that, in consequence of the Mesopotamia report, the Government is preparing a scheme of administrative reform in India, especially in the military department. Important decisions aTe expected when Mr. Lloyd George returns from Scotland. GERMAN BLUSTER OVER PREMIER'S SPEiBUH. Amsterdam, July 2. The Kolni'fhe Voiles Zeitung dismisses Mr. Lloyd George's Glasgow speech with the remark: '■' Mr. Lloyd George knows that the Central Powers cannot accept his peace conditions without signing their death warrant. England is conducting the war to annihilate Germany, but England will bite granite, and the U-boats will finish her discomfiture." The Cologne Gazette says that Mr. Lloyd Gpo.jre has confessed for the first time that England is conducting a war or robbery and for the conquest of the world, to enable England to possess the Garden of Eden and the German colonies. The Germans are prepared to endure suffering and privation a little longer rather than agree to a premature peace. FOOD CONTROLLER'S EFFORTS. London, July 2. Lord Rhondda, in a speech at Cardiff, described his position as the guardian of the consumer, particularly the poor consumer. He was sanguine of securing a substantial reduction in the price of necessaries. He was going to shelve political economy for this purpose He hoped that lie, and IMr. Hoover in the United States, would be able to defeat the operations of the trusts.