FISCAL REFORM.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 302, 18 December 1912, Page 5

FISCAL REFORM.

PRESS OPINIONS. SHIFTING THE ODIUM. TO THE DOMINIONS OVERSEAS. (Received 11.5 a.m.) LONDON. December 17. The "Times" says that the Unionist leaders must not attempt to shift the onus of food taxation to the conference of overseas Ministers. If taxation be not desirable as a purely domestic reform, then it is not desirable at all. The "Chronicle" says that Mr. Bonar Law's suggestion is a palpable attempt to shift the odium of food taxes from the shoulders of the Unionists to the Dominions. The "Manchester Guardian" says that Mr. Bonar Law's offer to Lancashire to refer British food taxes to the judgment of a body of strong overseas protectionists is a hollow mockery. The "Pali Mail Gazette" says that the speech means a reversal of the oanged, barred and bolted door policy. The Dominions will bp treated as members of the Imperial family. The "Star" says that Mr. Bonar Law is unwilling to allow the British to decide on the question of food taxes, and thccolonies alone are to settle Britain's fate.

THE UNIONIST POLICY.

QUESTION OF FOOD DUTIES. COLONIAL CONFERENCE TO DECIDE. THE FREE TRADE IDEAL. ißy Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON, December 17. In a speech at Ashton-under-Lyne (Lancashire) last night, Mr. Bouar Law (Leader of the Unionist party), said that the greatest problem ..ith which statesmen were faced was how to obtain a fairer method of distributing industrial wealth. He believed that the remedy lay in co-operation assisted by a fair liscal system. If the Unionists were entrusted with power, he said, it was not intended to impose food taxes without first convening ' a colonial conference to consider the whole question of preferential trade. OBJECTION TO REFERENDUM. The question of food duties would only arise after the deliberation of the conference. That was why he objected to submit the proposals to a referenoum. in dealing with food duties, Mr. Law said an essential condition would be that the burdens on the poorer classes should not be increased. The ideal policy was free trade within the Empire. It was impossible to get it now with the colonies, although a system of preference would tend that way and would ultimately end in that direction. They could, he said, have free trade with India to-morrow. India feared not competition with Britain but with Japan. The whole experience of the civilised world was hostile to the British fiscal system. Our colonies had abandoned it, and no serious politician in any country proposed to return to it. DUTIES AND MONOPOLIES. The Unionists, Mr. Lasv went on to say, did not intend to adopt a protective policy for the purpose of fostering unnatural industries. They would impose duties lower than those in any industrial country, and would not encourage the I building up of monopolies. It was merely intended to give our own workmen preference in our own market, where they were now unable to compete with trade rivals, and also to secure the largest preference possible in the overseas markets. Mr. Law promised that the proposed duties would be clearly defined before the general election. He hoped that it would be unnecessary*to Impose more than a duty on wheat. If, after the conference with the colonies, the duties were regarded as unnecessary they would not be imposed. EFFECT OF POSTPONEMENT. WOULD SPLIT THE PARTY. LONDON, December 17. In a speech at Carlisle last night Mr. Austen Chamberlain said that any suggestion of a postponement of tariff reform would split the Unionist party from top to bottom and would shake confidence in their honesty and good faith.

SHIFTING THE ODIUM. TO THE DOMINIONS OVERSEAS. (Received 11.5 a.m.) LONDON. December 17. The "Times" says that the Unionist leaders must not attempt to shift the onus of food taxation to the conference of overseas Ministers. If taxation be not desirable as a purely domestic reform, then it is not desirable at all. The "Chronicle" says that Mr. Bonar Law's suggestion is a palpable attempt to shift the odium of food taxes from the shoulders of the L'nionists to the Dominions. The "Manchester Guardian" says that Mr. Bonar Law's offer to Lancashire to refer British food taxes to the judgment of a body of strong overseas protectionists is a hollow mockery. The "Pall Mall Gazette" says that the speech means a reversal of the oanged, barred and bolted door policy. The Dominions will be treated as members of the Imperial family. The "Star" says that Mr. Bonar Lawis unwilling to allow the British to decide on the question of food taxes, and thceolonies alone are to settle Britain's fate.