TAX OX SERVANTS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 31, 6 August 1934, Page 4

TAX OX SERVANTS

ANNOYANCE IN BRITAIN

Considerable dissatisfaction, "was expressed by Conservative''members of the House of Commons at the absences of any apparent prospect of the abolition of the tax on male servants until after the next General Election, says the "Morning Post." The Chancellor o£ tlie Exchequer, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, declined, in reply to a question, to take any step to abolish the tax—which is collected by local authorities—until the time came for u revision of tjie block grants in 1037. Difficulty arose, he said, in finding uny other way of compensating local authorities' for the loss of revenue they would suffer. . The contention of members.who urged the abolition/of the tax was that the necessity of paying 15s yearly in respect of each manservant, prevented a large number of people from giving employment to men. It was further submitted that Ihc tax—first imposed with the object of preventing the growth of private armies of :etainers—was a survival of times and conditions which no longer existed. • Mr. Chamberlain proved to be in agreement with the "general argument advanced against the tax, though he would not adroit that its abolition would have any great effect on employment. It is now strongly held that tho repeal of the tax should be carried out by the present Government. Tho next General Election, it is pointed out, must take place in 193G at the latest, and no adequate roason is soon for postponing the repeal. The difficulties in. the way of'concluding a satisfactoiy arrangement with the local authoiities, it is urged, cannot be insuperable.

The number of lieonces issued 'in Great Britain for male servants is under 200,000, and it is estimated that the revenue amounts to about .6140,000 a year.