THE FINANCE BILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9593, 13 September 1909, Page 5

THE FINANCE BILL.

A NEW PRINCIPLE.

LAND IN PAYMENT OF DUTY.

UNIONIST PREPARATIONS.

LONDON, September 10. The Opposition leaders have reached an agreement by which Lord Robert Cecil (East Marylebone), Mr G. S. Bowles (Norwood), Mr F. W. Lambton( South East Durham), and Mr Abel Smith (Hertford) will not be opposed at the next general election. The Unionist associations in the constituencies are now to be approached with a view lo obviating Tariff Reform opposition to sitting members belonging to the "free food" branch of the Unionist party. A number of liuvernment amendments in the Finance Bill have been introduced in committee. One of these permits the State to accept real property in payment of estate duty. The Opposition criticise this as the first step towards the principle of State ownership of land, which they declare ought to have been secured by legislation instead of by a Money Bill in the Commons. A deputation of cricket, football and golf clubs, headed by the Marylebone Cricket Club, the Rugby Union, and the Football Association, requested the Government to exempt land used for sporting and recreative purposes from the Fin* ance Bill. Mr C. F. Masterman, Under-Sec-retary for the Home Office, on behalf of Mr Lloyd-George, promised to exempt bona fide '.clubs from the increment tax. The Government proposes to exempt works of art bequeathed to the nation from succession equally with legacy and estate duties. ;>