A MISTAKE,

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 112, 13 May 1911, Page 5

A MISTAKE,

ONE THAT LED TO A WRONG. BRITISH INCOME TAX. DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. '' Br Telegraph.— Press- Assoclafciou,— Copyright. .(Received May 12, 9 a.m.) LONDON, 11th May. In. the House of Commons, in Committee of Supply on the Treasury Vole, Sir F. Banbury, Unionist member for the City of London, moved a reduction of tile salary of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Lloyd George, in order to give the committee an opportunity to diflcuss the question of delay with regard to the collection of the income tax. Ho alleged that tho Government was "robbing the Sinking Fund in order to avoid fresh taxation. Mr. Lloyd George replied that an official's mistake had led to a wrong, and that, to prevent a repetition of it, the railways _of England would hereafter be assimilated with those of Scotland and compelled to pay the tax from Ist January. Mr. Andrew Bonar Law, Unionist member for Beetle, declared that tho Government was punishing the railways for disclosing facts. Sir E. Cornwall, Liberal member for Bethnal Green (N.E.), commented on the seriousness to income tax payers of being under the rule of permanent officials. The latter, he said, were apparently assuming control of the administration. Nevertheless, in hie opinion, the Unionist attack on the Goi vernsment had failed completely. Sir F. Banbnry's amendment wa» t»jected, the voting being:— For the amendment , >..,, 49 Against tho amendment ... 214 Majority against ... 165 [Laet month Mr. C. E. Hobhouse, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, was heckled in Parliament an connection with the failure of the Treasury to issue income tax demands in time to enable many large firms to pa-y before tho end of the financial year. It had been alleged that this was done to prevent the money from going automatically into old sinking funds. Mr. Hobhouee stated that the chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue gave instructions to & eubordi* nate, who made a mistake in the course of executing them. The Minister admitted that the . responsibility must real as a last resort upon himself, but added that no orders delaying, the collection had been given by tao Tireaß-ury.]