BRITISH POLITICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9569, 16 August 1909, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

THE FINANCE BILL; s FIGHT OVER THE LAND TAX. ' .TJni id Prens Association—By Electric Telegraph CopvriKut. LONDON, August 13. Tin committee in the House of Comrarionsiwi the Finance Bill, Mr W. .fßutkutfS&rd, Conservative member for -West Derby, moved an atnend*'merit,providing that a tenant under .taking to develop and should pay ,tiie duty until the owner recovered •possession. The Attorney-General, Sir W. G. , Kobson, said the owner had a remedy against a tenant failing to devtlop, and the amount of duty he paid •would be included in the damages awarded. The; Hon. Lyulph Stanley, Liberal member for Eddisbury, declared that the Government's course in dealing with amendments put a very severe strain upon his party's loyalty. Mr Balfour, who was much cheered, remarked thatjjecording to the Attorney-General an owner would be ■ compelled to pay the duty because a tenant did not fulfil his obligations, and he must launch a law suit to evict him. Thus, a landlord •■ was expected to enforce his rights to the uttermost farthing, ;and this, foorsooth, said Mr Balfour, was the advice of a Government whose members described landlords *as blackmailer*. Mr. Lloyd-George said cases such as had been mentioned would be rare. The amendment was negatived by 192 votes to 87. Clause 13 was canied by 179 to 61. Received August 15, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, August 14. '■■ In ' the f House of Commons the -Appropriation Bill was read a third time. Clause 14, relating to the total value and site value of land was ; adopted by 112 votes to 38. Mr Lloyd-George emphasised the fact that similar objections to those pressed against this clause was urged when like proposals were introduced • in New "Zealand. Nevertheless these proposals were working smoothly, and New Zealand offered a Dreadnought out of her own- taxes. He - predicted that the Opposition would some day congratulate themselves upon the resources placed at their ■ disposal by the present proposal.