§ I have now got rid of £740,000, and I am left, after allowing a margin, with a 299 little less than £2,000,000, which can be properly applied towards the relief of taxation. Now I think that it will be generally agreed that the most urgent case either for reduction or repeal is to be found amongst those taxes which wore increased in amount or for the first time imposed during the period of the war. I will revert for a moment to my comparison between 1896 and 1906. I find that additional taxation has in the interval been imposed to the annual amount of about £23,000,000. The income-tax has been raised from 8d. to 1s., the beer and spirits duties have been raised respectively by 1s. a barrel and 6d. a gallon, tea from 4d. to 6d. per lb., unmanufactured tobacco from 2s. 8d. to 3s. as regards the raw leaf, and to 3s. 3d. as regards strips, while new duties which were not in existence before the war have been imposed on exported coal at 1s. a ton and on imported sugar at 4s. 2d. a cwt. These appear to have claims to the first consideration. But it is obvious that with the funds at my disposal they cannot all receive immediate or equal relief, and I am therefore driven to the difficult and invidious task of selection. Let me pass them in review.