BRITISH POLITICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9105, 3 June 1908, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

«. THE LICENSING BILL. GOVERNMENT WILL CONSIDER BUSINESS-LIKE PROPOSALS. Received June 2, 85. a.m. LONDON, June 1. The Right Hon. L. Harcourt (First Commissioner of Works), speaking at Newcastle-on-Tyne, said, regarding the Licensing JBill, that the Government were prepared to consider any,business-like proposal on a financial basis.

DEBATE ON FINANCE BILL. CRITICISM OF THE BUDGET. "A mad gamble for votes." Received June 2, 9.55 p.m. LONDON, June 2. In the House of Commons, opening a two days' debate on the second reading of the Finance Bill, Mr Laurence Hardy, Conservative ALP. for the Ashford Division of Kent, moved "that in view of the growing - liabilities, and the need of further reducing the burdens cast upon ratepayers for national purposes, this House regrets that no attempt has been made to increase the revenue by broadening the basis of taxation." Mr Morrison, in seconding the motion, described the Budget as a mad gamble for votes. Mr S. Buxton, Liberal 'M.P. for Tower Hamlets, Poplar Division, asked how the authors ,of the amendment proposed to broaden taxation. Mr Austen Chamberlain, Liberal Unionist M.P. for Worcestershire East, asked how the Government intended to faco the ten mililcn increased expenditure in 1909. Mr Lioyd George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, replied that the real issue was being shirked, doubtless at the instance of Mr Balfour, a wily strategist, since it was so much better to leave the details of fiscal reform to a grarnaphone.

Received June 2, 11.45 p.m. LONDON, June 2. Mr Lloyd George, continuing:, said that he admitted that the question of local taxation for general purposes was a serious one and must be dealt with at the earliest opportunity, and the first step would be a proper land valuation. He quoted a resolution passed by the Radical group of the German Bloc, declaring that protection and prohibition rendered all conirnoditica dear. This resolution added that as long as such a policy was maintained it was impossible to improve the financial position of Germany, and the resolution demanded a far reaching scheme for the taxation of ihe monied class of Germany. Mr George proceeded to remark that Mr Asquith had been criticised for suggesting that in 1909, after paying fnrtv-one million of the debt, that the sinking fund might be raided to some extent; but in Germany the sinking fund was suspended and large sums borrowed to meet current expenditure. So much for the protectionist's finance. Regarding the amendment, a tax on manufactures would be unproductive for revenue purposes. "If you wish to increase the revenue by broadening the taxation," said Mr Lloyd George, "you must tax the commodities the people consume — namely, food. We say place a tax not on the poor but on those rich enough to bear it."