In the Commons on Monday, on the Motion for the
second reading of the Finance Bill, Mr. Laurence Hardy moved an In the Commons on Monday, on the Motion for the second reading of the Finance Bill, Mr. Laurence Hardy moved an amendment to the effect-
" That, in view of the growing liabilities of the nation for naval and military defence, old-age pensions, and education, and of the necessity for giving additional relief to ratepayers from the increasing charge for national services now thrown upon the rates, this House regrets that no attempt is made to increase the resources of the Exchequer by broadening the basis of taxation."
Though the Motion was in the abstract harmless enough, the final phrase, "broadening the basis of taxation," was generally taken to mean Tariff Reform, and the debate practically turned into a discussion on Protection. Mr. Sydney Buxton, speaking for the Government, declared that the old-age pensions scheme would be to a certain extent a relief of the burden of the Poor Law ; and as regarded education, if the present Bill were allowed to go through, that would be a very substantial contribution from the national Exchequer to the relief of the local rates. Surely that is a very dangerous argument. If the rates are going to be relieved by old-age pensions, a great deal more than seven millions a year will be required; and again, if the local rates are to be helped by the Education Bill, we shall have to increase still further the tremendous load which the Government are heaping up on the Imperial taxpayer. When you have to raise vast sums of money it does not much matter whether you call it broadening the basis, or broadening the burden, of taxation.
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