BUDGET FIGHT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 635, 12 October 1909, Page 5

BUDGET FIGHT.

" ANCIENT MARINERS" IN THE LORDS. CAPTAIN'S ANXIETY, AMENDMENTS TO LAND TAX CLAUSES. (Rec. October 11, 6.40 p.m.) London, October 11. . One hundred and eighty-two Government amendments to Part 1 of the Financo Bill (land tuxes nnd valuation) have been tabled. WILL THEY SHOOT THE ALBATROSS? POVERTY AND LUXURY. London, October 10. Mr. Lloyd-George, in the course of his Newcastle speech, eaid: .-. "The more irresponsible ieatherheads among the Lords want to throw the Budget out. Poor Lord Lansdowne, who is in a creaking old ship with a mutinous old crew, has got to Bail through tho narrows with one eye on the wea-ther-glass and the other on the forecastle. . "The real sailing master is tho chief Tory Whip, who is now trying to decide whether it is safe to ehdot tho albatross. The Budget's fate, depends on the report from, the country.

"The Lords may decree a revolution, but the people will direct it. If the Constitution is torn to pieces issues.will be raised which tho Lords little dream of. " "Who made ten thousand people owners of the eoil? Who is. responsible for a scheme irhoreby one engage? in grinding labour eking out a precarious existence, while another is rolling in unearned luxury? . , ; "These aro the questions which will be asked,, and tho answer will be charged with peril for the order of things which the Peers represent.". >. ■ ■■ • Tho speech contained an attack similar to that, made by tho. speaker at Limehouse upon tho landlords. Mr. Lloyd-George instanced the largeness of tho profits upon land sold to railways and municipalities, end the large amounts drawn by'the landed aristocracy as coal royalties. . .-. , . ' ■. . . Addressing an overflow meeting numbering sixty thousand, the Chancellor said he was glad tho people were with the Government in the fight. He had feared at the start that they might not realise in time how deeply their interests were bound up in tho Budget.

• THE, ACRES OF THE DUKES. "G,," writing in a London paper/ publishes the appended tables of. the landed possessions of 27 dukes.. He'points out, however, that the figures as to annual value—the latest he -.can Ret—are for 1883, and a period of 25 years must necessarily involve great changes by sale and inheritance, and the last quarter of a centuTy has Been a sad decrease in tho value of agricultural land. In addition, most of the estates , nre encumbered by dowries, jointnrcs, and portions . for younger children, and, after deductions for necessary upkeep the free spendable net income,can in many, eases bear little .relation to.the grose figures which are all that can bs ascertained:— Acres. Annual Tal. . • . • :.-.■. £, Norfolk ...,.. ;.... 49,666 75,596 not Inclusive of . : the value of : ■ nines or of shoot- ■ . Ing - ' . . Somerset ............ 25,387 .37,577 'Richmond .286,411 79,683 . arafton 25,773 -. 19,254 ! Bbaufort ...........'. 51,085 . 60,225 .' . ' St. Albnns . 8,988 10,955Leeds ....; 24,237 33.381 '■'■■• Bedford ■;..; 86,300 142.0C0 Dovonsbire, .....198,672 180,750 llarlborough .... 23,511 36,557 Rutland ;. 70,137 97,636 ;Hamllton- .157,356... 73,636 i ; .: . 67,006 mineral rent Buccleuch 460.1C8 217.163 '.■■.'.-■■ 4,000 mineral ront ■' ■■■■■." '■ ■ ' • 10,000 Granton H'our ;Argyll , ....; .... 175.000 . 61.0C0 Atholl 202.C00 ■: . 42.000 ■ Montrose 103,447 £4,872 : . ' ■ ' Itoxburghe ~ 60,418, 60.917 - ' Portland 183,199 ... 88,350 . ■ •„■ , ■'■• ■' •■-• 19.570 minob' '" ." Manchester. 27,312 : 40,360 ■■ Newcastle-under-Lyme •;............. 35,547 74,541 v ■ : '. "■ -'■ Northumberland. 186,397, < 176.W8 ~■■■:,■ Inlnster .: 73.1C0 .55,877 WoUinßton 19,116 ! 22,162 Sathorlnad , ... 1>358.545 , 141667 Ahercorn :■. .78.662 ■ 53,«0 . '■ . ' Westminster ..,:.. 19,749 38,934 ' ' ' ••■'".■. ~ . This return does hot ■ ' ■■ innluds the Metro- .„., .-■■ '.'••' i politan area, . Fife .... — 249,200 .73.814 , . ~■■•■-■