LAND VALUES

Southland Times, Issue 21430, 26 June 1931, Page 7

LAND VALUES

TAXATION IN BRITAIN LABOUR CONCESSION TO LIBERALS NEW CLAUSE ADOPTED (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) (Rec. 8.20 p.m.) London, June 24. In the House of Commons, Mr Philip Snowden moved a new clause to carry out the arrangements with the Liberals. He explained that the Liberal programme for 40 years included the taxation of land values, always envisaging a uniform national land tax. Under the new clause all land except agricultural land would be subject to a national tax after reductions of the amount of the initial tax. Mr Lloyd George said Mr Snowden had made the concession as offensively and disagreeably as it was possible to do. Neither the Labourites nor the Liberals had got their own way, which was the essence of all compromises. The new clause was carried by 286 votes to 237. A message published last week stated: The anticipated political crisis which was due to arrive to-night when the House of Commons vote was taken on the Liberals’ land tax amendment to the clause in the Finance Bill, came to an unexpected end this afternoon when the House, having gone into committee, reached clause 20 and a Liberal member rose to move the muchdiscussed amendment. The deputy chair man, Mr Dunnico, ruled it out of order and said it should have been put forward on an earlier clause which had already been dealt with. This development came as a complete surprise to qll members, who after some discussion passed on to other business, the Liberals intimating that they would introduce an amendment later as a new clause, a procedure which the chairman intimated he would consider in order, although there is a possibility that the Parliamentary . guillotine will fall before it is ever reached. In any case a settlement on the point at issue was reached shortly before the House met in a further conference between the Liberal leaders and the members of the Government. The Prime Minister a little later informed members of the Parliamentary Labour Party the Liberals had redrafted their amendment in a form which, subject to reconsideration in certain details, the Government could accept.