Further concessions were made by Mr. Lloyd George on Tuesday.
The first of these was the Resolution providing for a new Customs-duty on foreign boar at the rate of 3d. a barrel. This was the direct result of Mr. Balfour's criticism last week, but it did not save the Government from being charged with fresh fiscal inconsistency by him. Li the course of the debate on this Resolution Mr. Lloyd George promised to meet the brewers on the point raised by Mr. Younger, and to base the new brewers' duties on the standard barrel rather than the bulk barrel. In dealing with the duty on clubs he showed himself equally accommodating. There being a consensus of opinion that the proposed duty of 3d. in the pound was inadequate, Mr. Lloyd George suggested that the Resolution should be amended so as to require an annual statement to be made both of receipts from sales and the purchase of intoxicating liquors, and providing for a charge of 3d. in the pound on receipts, or an alternative of 6c1. in the pound on the amount of purchases, leaving the choice to the Committee when the Finance Bill was considered. Mr. Samuel, after explaining that sergeants' messes would be exempted under the Act of 1902, justified the Government for dealing in different ways with• public-houses, hotels, and clubs, on the ground that they differed inter se. The amended Resolution having been adopted, the Committee turned to the Land Values Tax, which was dissected with great ability by Mr. Pretyman.
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