BRITISH POLITICS.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13106, 15 May 1911, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

INCOME TAX DELAYS. ABORTIVE UNIONIST ATTACK. [Pbebs Association —Copyright.] London, May 12. In tho House of Commons Sir P. Banbury, in committee of supply on the Treasury vote, moved the reductillon of Mr' Lloyd George's salary as Chancelloi' Of the Exchequer, to discuss the delay in tha collection of ihe income tax. He alleged that the Government was robbing the sinking fund ill order to avoid fresh taxation. Mr Lloyd -George replied that an official (mistake had led to the wrong, and to prevent a repetition of the error the railways of England hereafter would bo assimilated to those of Scotland, and be compelled to pay the tax from January Ist. Mr Bonar Law declared that the Govornment was punishing the railways for disclosing facts. Sir E. Cornwall commented on tho seriousness of income tax payers being under the rule of permanent officials. The latter apparently were assuming th<S control of the administration. The Unionist attack on tho Government failed completely, and Sir F. Banbury's amendment was rejected by 214 to 149. The Standing Committee of tho House of Commons has introduced, despite Mr Churchill's opposition, an amendment to the Shops Bill permitting of additional overtime in return for. holidays exceeding a week, but under a fortnight. Lord Carrington's Bill to enable tho Board of Agriculture tinder the Animals Diseases Act to protect poultry from unnecessary suffering was read a second time in the House of Lords, The "Chronicle" supports the memorial of 55 Liberals asking Mr Asqtiith to grant a day to discuss the preponderance of Tories on the rural benches of magistrates in order to emphasise the widespread dissatisfaction. Mr Lloyd George informed a deputation that the sugar tax was a burden on the poor and interfered with a valuable industry, but he was unable to abolish the tax as it yielded over £3,000,000. Ho was convinced that such taxes should bo avoided if revenue could be extracted from other sources.