Schedule B2 contains a portentous list of the prices beyond
which innumerable articles and services become liable. The limit for a woman's coat and skirt is £7 7s. ; gloves, 8s. ; a man's suit, £8 83. ; boots, £2; any suite of furniture, £50, and a wardrobe, £25— which does not leave much margin for the rest of the " suite " ; carpets, £1 per square yard ; bedstead, £10; umbrella, £1; dog, £5; horse, £150; fountain-pen, 103. 6d. ; tobacco, ls. per oun-.,* ; suit-case, £3; French brandy, 14s. ; fishing-rod, 103.; hairdressing, women and men, 4s. and 2s. We have tried to indicate the general scope of the proposals, which include a number of reasonable exemptions. If these duties can be collected economically, they should give a substantial yield. The Committee found great diffi- culty in its task—two ladies resigned from the Sub-Committee on furniture and household articles because the difficulty of classifica- tion was insuperable. The parent Committee is almost equally divided on the question whether, for example, an £80 suite of furniture should pay tax on £80 or on £30. In our view, the fair way, and the most profitable way for revenue, would be to tax only the " luxury " surplus price. Provision must be made also for advance in prices. But obviously the scheme as a whole is cumbrous and complicated. As we pointed out last week, a small duty on all retail purchases, except food, would be a simpler and sounder expedient.
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