THE BRITISH BUDGET.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 160, 7 July 1909, Page 8

THE BRITISH BUDGET.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Your impartial leading article of June 26th dealing with the financial proposals now before the British Parliament, touches a matter which is of vital importance to the whole of the British Empire. That taxation must be largely increased is inevitable. Not only must the naval expenditure be much larger than hitherto, but also the amount required for old-age pensions (large as it is at present) must be greatly increased when the recipients receive payment at a younger &ge than the present one of 70 years. And such an alteration with regard to the starting age will surely come. In considering the ability of our Motherland to bear increased taxation it should be Temembered that there is no other equal area of the world's surface so richly endowed by nature as is that of the British Isles. And yet in spite of that fact there is no other civilised country in the world to-day where the disparity between affluent wealth and carking poverty is so striking. The opposition of the wealthier classes to Mr. Lloyd George's Budget proposals is a striking object lesson. Those people who form only a small percentage of the population, and own the most of the wealth, are determined, if they possibly can, to shirk the payment of their just contributions to their country's revenue, and would, if possible, shunt nearly the whole of the burden on to the shoulders of those least able to bear it, and millions of whom are always on the verge of absolute want. The aristocratic and upper classes of the British people are on the whole as fairminded and honourable as any body of wealthy people to be found in the world. Only compare their characteristic traits with, the corruption and vulgarity existing amongst the class of the American trust magnates, in comparison with whom they are immeasurably superior. But human selfishness, together with a long immunity from contributing a just share to the taxation necessary for their country's welfare, have produced in them a state of feeling that in the proposed taxation they are being unfairly dealt with. Their warning to the Government that capital will be driven out of England is somewhat amusing to those who remember that this is the same old cry aa we have so often heard in New Zealand. Yes, there is no doubt the Budget proposals are revolutionary, and not before they are wanted. The Trade seem, to have taken time by the forelock, and by increasing the price of beer 20 per cent, apparently meau to try and range the consumers of that article on their side. But the most important of all the Budget proposals is that relating to the iand. There i 3 little doubt that our Motherland has arrived at a critical stage in her history, and one when it will tax all the efforts of her statesmen to keep her in the front rank as the world's leading power; but all their efforts will be neutralised if the present land monopoly continues to exist. We know how New Zealand, with Rn area four-fifths that of the British Isles, and a population less than one-fortieth, was brought to the brink of ruin a few years since by land monopoly; and therefore can appreciate the danger connected with such a state of things as exist in the Homeland. That a country quite capable of growing all the wheat it requires, should have to import nearly four-fifths of that quantity is monstrous, and places our Motherland in a very dangerous position, as it 13 quite clear that if her commercial routes were obstructed or her ports blockaded only for a short time, her people would be starved into submission through want of bread; and the British Budget proposals should be an eye-opener to those amongst us who are opposed to our present liberal land legislation, and who would like to revert to the times when they had a free hand in land transactions. The proposal to secure to the

State a portion of the increment brought about by the State's exertions is legitimate, and will assuredly become law; and when such changes take place in a conservative country like our Motherland, it is easy to speculate what will happen in other less conservative countries.—l am, etc, WALTER CRISP. "Fencourt," June 3, 1909.