IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2609, 17 September 1909, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

THE BUDGET.

A GOVERNMENT CONCESSION.

United I’uichb Assooution— Copyright, LONDON, Sept. 15.

The Housing and Town Planning Bill was read a second time in the House of Lords.

Clause 42 of the Finance Bill, increasing the legacy succession duties, was carried by 192 to 62. On clause 43, enacting death duties, gifts, and dispositions made inter vivos (during lifetime) unless made five years before a donor’s death, Mr Balfour remarked that if a donor within five years gave property to an institution for the preservation of cats the gift would be untaxed, but if he gave £SOOO to start a son in business the Exchequer would demand toll. Mr Lloyd-Gcorge, amid cheers, yielding to the criticisms of some Liberals, reduced the period to three years, and exempted all marriage settlements from the operation of the clause. Mr Balfour, commenting on Mr Lloyd-George’s refusal to treat husbands and wives as one person for the purposes of death duties, although treated as one for income tax purposes, remarked that having fined a husband and wife for living together the Government would fine them again because they did not die together. The "Daily Mail” sold one million and a quarter copies of the verbatim report of Lord Rosebery’s speech. Mr Balfour strongly protested against Mr Lloyd-George’s resolution enabling the standing committee on the Development Bill to sib simultaneously with the House. The resolution was adopted. Mr Asquith recently hinted that the Bill might be dropped if opposed. The present decision to force it through is interpreted as showing a prospect of a general election at an early date.

The Duke of Portland’s Bill to establish a Board of Agriculture in Scotland wa® read a first time. A meeting of Scottisli Liberal members of the House of Commons resolved that no money under the Development Bill should be applied exclusively to motor roads. Lord Rosebery has resigned the presidency of the Scottish Liberal Club. LIBERAL M.P.’S REFUSE TO TAKE LABOR PARTY’S PLEDGE. \ (Received September 16, 10.15 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 16. A correspondent at Sunderland states that regrets and surprise are expressed in trade unionist and labor circles in the North of England at Mr. T. L. Burt’s and Mr. C. Fenwick’s decision not to take the National Labor Party’s pledge as requested by the Miners’ Association. Some leading labor men declare, that there is no room in the Labor party for those more sympathetic with Liberalism than with Labor.

■ [Mr. Thos. Burt is Liberal, member for Morpeth, was secretary of the Northumberland Miners’ Union in 1865, president of the Trades Union Congress in 1891, and Parliamentary Secretary of the Board of Trade, 18925. Mr. C. Fenwick, is, Liberal and Labor member for the Wansbeck Division of Northumberland, and was Parliamentary Secretary of the Trades Union Congress, 1894-5.] THE POOR-LAW SYSTEM.

(Received September 16, 10.45 p.m.) The Primate called attention to the Poor Law Commission’s report, emphasised the grave defects in the system of relief, and urged the Government to seek an early remedy. Earl Crewe replied, thanking the Arohbishop, and stating that the whole subject would receive the Government’s most careful consideration. ■' 7 $ THE DEATH DUTIES PASSED. By exceeding 648 divisions, the House of Commons has made a-record of vote® for a single session. The whole of the death duties clauses of the Finance Bill were passed after a 14 hours’ sitting. The "Times,” commenting on the possibility of a dissolution of the Liberal League, states that some members are openly opposed to the land clauses, and hope that the House will eliminate them, considering that the reasons in favor of this course outweigh the constitutional aspect of the matter. A cave of Liberal® have consequently advanced to the opinion held by the Conservatives in July, while the Conservatives are generally now in favor of rejection pure and simple.

GENERAL ELECTION EXPECTED IN JANUARY. The "Daily Telegraph” states that a Cabinet .Minister yesterday expressed a personal opinion that there would be a general election in January, even if the Lords passed the Finance Bill. AN ARMY OF~oFfICE-SEEKERS.

There are 3000 applications for 200 posts under the Labor Exchanges Bill.