THE BUDGET BATTLE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9618, 11 October 1909, Page 5

THE BUDGET BATTLE

" WE FEAR NO CONFLICT," MR CHURCHILL SPEAKS OUT. Press Association—By Eleotrlo Tclograp Copyright. Received October 10, 5 5 p.m. LONDON, October 9. "Speaking at a bwqiet tendered 'to Lord Lorcburn by the National Liberal Club, Mr Winston Churchill aaid that it would be a constitutional o Irage if the Lords rej?cted the P innce Bill. It was difficult to believe that responsible statesmen w:>ull pLngJ tlu country's finances int'i largely irremediable confusion. Moreover, the Opposition leaders were not anxious to fight a decisive battle upon an unfavourable issue. The control of finance by representative assembly is the keystone of the •constitutional fauric. After six hundred hours' discussion the Budget would, hj? affirmed, leave the House -of Commons in full form. Mr Churchill added: " We fear no conflict, shall make no overtures, and shall accept no compromise " Lord Loreburn declared that the •present Parliament had run over two-thirds of its statuary Hfe, and if the country disapprove of the taxes they can tie repaired. *'l -cannot believe," said Lord Loreburn, "that the Conservative leaders will take steps leading to a moat grave conflict and placing the business of the country in a state ot disaster. He repudiated the allegation that the Libieals' aims are Socialistic. The only really novel tax is the Land Tax. _> a barometer. VACANCY FOR BERMONDSEY. LONDON, October 8.

XJreat ir.tereat ia being taken in The by-eiection for Bermondsey, '«which is regarded aa a political barometer, indicating the feeling of the constituencies. The late member, Dr. G. J. Cooper, wha was a Government supporter, died suddenly on reaching home after a late sitting of the House. A SELF DENIAL WEEK. LONDON, October 8. Mr A. Dewar, Solicitor-General for Scotland, speaking at Maidstone, suggested that the landlords should ihave one self denial week a year, wjhich would enable them to pay the increased taxation imposed by the Budget tenfold. ! MR LLOYDG3ORGE AT NEWCASTLE. Received October 11, 1.5 a.m. ' LONDON, October 10. Four thousand persons were present at the Palace Theatre, New-■-castle, ta hear Mr D.Lloyd-George give a speech. An elaborate barricade was placed -■around the hall to keep the Suffragettes from forcing -an entrance. The audience was composed entirely of men. Nevertheless there were several interruptions and ejections rin the early part of the speech. Mr Lloyd-George had a great reception. "The Budget," he said, '"had emerged from being 40 days and nights in the wilderness much vatrengthenedand improved. We have •done our best to meet the hard cases, •and the Bill was now practically in the form in which it was going to 'become law. The only classes who .detest it are fool taxers, who know the Budget will but an end to their desires, and landlords who chiefly obiject to state valuation, which will put a perfectly impartial vacation upon land and form a standard for *the future buyer. The Government was going to have all paying taxes •or none. If the Budget was an attack on industry it was strange that trade was improving and industries which •were making a beginning made proijfita. The only slump has been in dukes. (Laughter.) A fully equipped duke costs as much to maintain as a couple of Dreadnoughts. He is as great a terror and lasts longer. The ~ ißudget simply knocked a little gilt •off the ducal stage coach."