§ MR. BRIGHTasked whether property in the possession of corporate bodies was to be subject to the duty on successions?
§ The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, the hon. Gentleman would see that his Resolution in Committee of Ways and Means referred simply to certain duties to be granted to Her Majesty on successions to property in consequence of the death of any person, and that the terms, 682 therefore, did not apply to corporate property. It would, however, be for the Government to submit to the House a proposal with regard to corporate property; but as regarded the details of that measure, he anticipated that the hon. Gentleman would not press for them now.
§ MR. BRIGHTsaid, he was perfectly satisfied with that answer, as it promised due consideration of the subject; and would proceed to repeat a recent question as to the wages of manufacturing operatives, namely, whether there would be included in the aggregate subject to income tax, the wages of the wife and family, as well as of the husband and father?
§ The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, he was quite aware that there must be considerable anxiety on these subjects; but hoped that any answer he might make previously to the introduction of his Bill—which, of course, would be the final and authoritative exposition of the Government views—would be received with a certain indulgence. With regard to the question whether the earnings of an entire family would be added together, and so subjected to income tax, he replied that as man and wife were one in law, that principle would be considered to hold with regard to the income tax; but it was not the intention of the Government to propose that the earnings of the children should constitute any part of the sum taxed.