NARROW MAJORITIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14158, 6 September 1909, Page 5

NARROW MAJORITIES.

THE LIQUOR DUTIES. GOVERNMENT WHIPS BUSY. SAVED BY NATIONALISTS. COMPENSATION QUESTION. By Telegraph.— Association.— CopyriEtit. (Received September 5, 5 p.m.) London, September 4. During an animated debate on the new scale of liquor duties several London Liberal members vainly urged bettor treatment of the liquor trade, emphasising the point that under the old duties the County of ' London pays £190,000, while under the new duties this would be increased to £800,000. In the Budget debate in the early hours of this morning the Ministry escaped defeat on several divisions only by the abstention of the Nationalists, whose attitude had been more than critical. The Government's majority on one division was as low as 49. Yesterday the smallest majority was 78. Before one important division yesterday the chief Liberal Whip crossed, the floor of the House and conferred with Mr. John Redmond, Leader of the Nationalist party. To this incident Mr. Balfour referred yesterday afternoon, taunting tho Nationalists with selling themselves too cheaply. Many Liberals arc away on holiday, and urgent messages have been despatched to a number of them, with the view of securing a better attendance next week. Opposition members stated in the course of the debate that Mr. LloydGeorge hoped by the new scheme to extinguish a number of licenses. They also contended that the fact that no licenseholders are to be compensated is a penalty for their refusal to accept the Licensing Bill of 1903. Sir Edward Carson (Dublin University), with the approval of the whole of the Unionist party, intends to move an amendment to provide compensation upon the discontinuance of any licensed business by reason of an increase of duties.