§ Section two, Sub-section three of the Finance Act, 1894, shall be read and have effect as if the words "more than twelve months before his death" were omitted therefrom.
§ The object of the clause, he explained, was to abolish the charge on property passing by disposition made within 12 months of death. If the Chancellor of the Exchequer was not prepared to accept the clause, perhaps he might be willing to reduce the period from 12 months to three months.
§ *THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid he voted against a similar proposal last year when in Opposition, and he was afraid he could not accept it now. If adopted it would open a very wide door to evasion.
*MR. GIBSON BOWLESsaid the proposed clause would put this matter on a proper footing. The question was whether a man should be considered dead 12 months before he died. It was quite manifest that it was improper to make an assumption in favour of the State. The true test was the test of facts, as in the case of domicil and legacy duty, and it was monstrous to oust the facts by a presumption in most cases false.
§ Clause, by leave, withdrawn.
§ *MR. J. G. BUTCHER (York) moved the following new clause:—