• Insuring Against Death Duties Sir Edward Mountain has done
well to raise once more the question of insuring against death duties. At present if the owner of an estate worth £100,000 took out a policy for £100,000 to cover it, the only effect Would be that his estate would pay duties on £200,000. COnsequentlYinsurance against death duties is not done ; though On a great many economic and social grounds it is very desirable that it should be. This is especially obvious with agricultural estates, where the fatal damage wrought by death duties.as at present levied is familiar to every' agricultural expert: It would cost the Treasury nothing to exempt a properly ear-marked insurance -fund ; there might_ even be gain, since current forms of evasion such as transfer, inter tiros would be less resorted to. The Treasury as a department has always been blindly in- . tlifferent.tO the economic or social effects of taxes, provided they brought in the requisite• money. But Mr. Neville Chamberlain, who now sits at its head, might be credited • With a wider vision.
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