THE BUDGET BATTLE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7021, 8 January 1910, Page 7

THE BUDGET BATTLE

(To the Editor " N.Z. Timea") Sir, —A friend lias sent mo a “I>ady Telegraph” number—a London xory newspaper. Xam always pleased to receive a Homo paper, and it is■ interesting to see «what the Opposition have got to say for themselves. i cannot thank my friend, not knowing his name and address, but trust ho will 'accept my thanks through your paper, also, a few brief comments on a number of points marked out for my notice, from a lengthy report in the Daily Telegraph” on-Mr Balfour’s Dinning' ham speech. . _ ... , Mr Da If our describes the British Budget us a ‘''Socialistic Danger,” a ’“Penal Budget,” 'a “Pernicious and Unjust Confiscation.” Now, these are each untrue cliaraoteristics of the Budget. From a cablegram the other day ‘Mr Lloyd George truthfully stated “it was not a Socialistic Budget.” The ’truth is it demands a reasonable share of taxation for the upkeep of the nation from thie wealthy classes. Hitherto tho wealthy classes have not "been paying their reasonable share of taxation. Mr Winston. Churchill at Abemethy quoted Sir Robert in reply to the cry that wealth was being too heavily burdened and capital was being driven out of the country. Acbording to that financial authority, the 'capital of Britain increased between 200 and 300 millions a year. During the past ton yfeans the income assessable for income tax (had increased twelve or twenty times more than wages. Again, ’he said “it is not Socialism to attempt to cure the ills of the present social 'condition of the -masses of the people. 'lt is oammen-sense, and a Christian duty.”

Mr Balfour then asks his audience 'to choose between Socialism and Tariff ■Reform, i.e., tho Budget and Tariff 'Reform downhill with Socialism, or uphill with Tariff Reform. Tliis means the imposition of heavy duties on the common necessaries of life for forty millions of people in order to enrich a few thousands of tho well-to-do class) Ait the bottom it is a deliberate attempt of certain. propertied classes to transfer their hur'dens to the masses, and to gain greater profits for capital by Charging higher prices. In Mr COfamberlaWs letter to Mr Balfour ho says “Tariff Reform will assist trade,” increase employment, “and make the foreigner pay.” ■ There 'are hundreds of small industries in England which are dependent on foreign imports. Tariff Reform would mean ruination to them. As for increasing employment, where and how has it . ever yet found increased employment, except in the sense in which, in Germany and other protected, countries, whdre in the iron trade the labourer has to work twelve hours a day, and gets four or six shillings a week less wage than the English labourer gets for working eight hours a day at the same trade, and the German has to pay more for ’his daily bread. As for the theory that the foreigner will .pay, it is perfectly absurd. A sciemtddio study of the case will prove that the foreigner does mot pay, and the Tariff Reformers must 'know this. Shut they are trying to delude tho people by falsehoods. Again, 'Mr Balfour made a statement in effect that wre were only a third-class trading nation.” Jji the year 1907 Britain did in a single month as much trade as was done in a year under Protection : in this year British 'exports reached £518,000,000, of which £426.000,000 worth consisted of British produce and manufactures. Xo other country in the world can show such Wonderful trade records. The above are figures from the Board of Trade. Can Mr Balfour produce authentic figures to support his statements ? He has not yet done so. True it is Wo have had a rime of 'depression all the world over since 1907, hut if the British Liberal party fire returned to Parliament we shall 'again very soon see wonderful trade records, hut if the Tariff Reformers are returned to power it will be a very serious calamity to Great Britain, especially to _ the middle and lower classes; it will he a calamity to the colonies and to the world, a calamity next to a civil war.-—I am, etc., R. BTJRGON. Okaianva, Taranaki, January sth.