IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2671, 12 June 1894, Page 3

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

London, June 8. In tho House of Commons, Sir William Vernon Harcourt said that the objections taken by tho colonies to tho estate duties wore founded on misapprehension. Ho declared that thoro was no intention to impose any tax on the colonies, and tho

only question was whether personal property in a colony, belonging to persons domiciled in England and subject to legacy and succession duties, should be subject also to estate duty. The views of the colonies on the matter would receive the careful consideration of the Government.

Sir G. Baden-Powell withdrew his amendment attacking the death duties pending the action of the colonies. Sir W. B. Perceval, Mr O’Connor, Sir R. Herbert, and Sir O. Tupper have been appointed a committee to draft a strong protest against the colonies having to pay estate duties twice. They will point out that the proposal is calculated to seriously interfere with the investment of British capital, and will also remind Sir W. Harcourt that Great Britain had not asked the colonies to share the expenses in connection with Imperial naval defence, although at the Conference in 1887 the colonies expressed themselves as willing to contribute.

Sir John Hall, of New Zealand, in addressing a meeting of the colonial party in the House of Commons said that he questioned whether it was advisable for New Zealand to establish a protectorate over Samoa. On the subject of the estate duties he thought that Sir W. V. Harcourt’s proposals would alienate the loyalty of the colonies. The Daily Telegraph advises Sir W. V. Harcourt to adopt a reciprocal course, and exempt those colonies which do not exact the equivalent duty on property in Great Britain. T

Foreign countries are protesting against the English estate duties. June 9.

Sir W. V. Harcourt said that if the Government distinguished between the colonies and foreign countries, the death duties would become a preferential tax. Owing to the proposals in the Budget a number of very large land-owners are considering the question of breaking up their estates. The Duke of Westminster is selling his Pimlico freeholds.