1. Customs 2,866,000 1. Civil Government
2. Excise (_ex._ licence Charges 6,952,000
duties) 2,952,000 2. Constabulary (2/3rds
3. Stamps 333,000 of £1,464,000) 976,000
4. Death duties 914,000 3. Estimated deficit on
5. Licence duties 284,000 Postal Services 249,000
6. Income Tax 1,307,000
7. Crown Lands, etc. 25,000
---------
8,681,000
---------
8. 2/3rds of £8,965,000 5,757,000
9. Miscellaneous Receipts
115,000
---------
5,902,000
Deficit 2,275,000
--------- ---------
Total 8,177,000 Total 8,177,000
--------- ---------
The main Irish objection to a scheme of this description is that,
whatever tax be imposed, the amount taken from the Irish taxpayer would
be 50 per cent. greater than the amount going into the Irish Exchequer.
It is easy to foresee that such an arrangement would have led to much
friction and difficulty, and that it could not have lasted even the six
years for which it was provisionally fixed. If applied to the present
situation Ireland would have been contributing less than £3,000,000 for
Imperial services, although a very moderate estimate of what her
contribution should be would require her to pay at least £5,000,000. In
spite of this modest payment, however, this scheme would have confronted
the Irish Chancellor of the Exchequer with a deficit of more than
£2,250,000 rising at once to £2,700,000 in consequence of the Insurance
Act.
In reviewing the three financial schemes which have previously seen the
light, the following facts stand out clearly:--
1. Some contribution was expected from Ireland for Imperial services in
each scheme.
2. The rates of customs, excise, and postage were in all cases to be
controlled by the Imperial Parliament.
3. The customs were in every case to be collected by officers of the
Imperial Exchequer.
4. In the two schemes of 1893 "true" revenue and not "collected" revenue
was the basis of the financial arrangement.
5. Each of these schemes would involve the Irish Parliament from the
outset in a huge deficit.
In view of these facts it is certain that any arrangement which
pretended to give a Budget surplus to the Irish Parliament would
involve, overtly or covertly, the payment of a large subsidy to Ireland
out of the Imperial Exchequer. Such a contingency is not likely to make
Home Rule more acceptable, or the path of any Bill through Parliament
more easy.