MOMENTOUS ISSUES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXII, Issue 9701, 4 November 1909, Page 5

MOMENTOUS ISSUES.

MOTION FOR REJECTION OF

FINANCE BILL,

THE CASE FOR UNIONISM

Press Association —Electric Telegraph—-Copyright, {Received Last Night, at. n.'Ji p.m.)

LONDON, Yesterday

Iv the House of Commons. Mr Austen Chamberlain (Liberal Unionist M.P. for Worcestershire East), in moving the rejection of the Fiuanee Bill, denounced the underlying priuciple of placing special burdens ou special people. He iucidoutally remarked that much of the Friendly Societies' money was invested in laud which would ba subject to tax when thoy turned it over aud dealt with it.

Miuisterial cries: "Why not?"

Mr Chamberlain (coutiuuiug): "That is an admission whereof we have takou note. One man could hold up his laud for five years merely by leasiug it to a cricket club or football club, while another would be taxed for developing it. The Budget had gravely injured building laud aud the the licensed aud tobacco trades. These taxes might be used as a last resource

in a great emergency. They were grievous if necessary, aud criiuiunl if unnecessary. Let the Government seek to build up instead of seeking to destroy, aud cease to ruin particular trades, by burdens too heavy to bear. If ueces-ary spread the net wider aud let the vast mass of foreign imports competing with the product of our industries pay some toll ro beuefit the market they eujoy. Put our people ou an eauality witli others and give them a fair start in the race, and I am not afraid of the result. You will open up uew sources of reveuue and find vrork for the woikless aud bread for the hungry.''