He digressed at this point to remark that the famous
Land Values Duties of 1909-10 had proved unworkable, as most intelligent people predicted at the time. Mr. Lloyd George, their author, now agreed that the duties must be amended or repealed, and that the costly valuation which had been made was useless. A Select Committee would be appointed to inquire into the matter. The duties served Mr. Asquith and Mr. Lloyd George well enough in a political sense when they were put forward. Now that they have proved to be unjust and imprac- ticable they will presumably be abandoned. Away with that wonderful new Domesday Book! Mr. Chamberlain also an- nounced the abolition of the Excise duty on benzol, in the interests of a new and large industry, and the cessation of the vexatious Motor Spirit Licence Duty, which yielded little or nothing.
