Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/347

 1899.] Denmark. — The Budget Squabbles. [339

with the exception of a sum of 200,000 kr. to be contributed towards the Municipal Old Age Pension Fund. The First Chamber commenced its first reading two or three days later (March 17), and the Premier then qualified his position with regard to the above-mentioned sum of 200,000 kr. by saying he was willing to accept certain alterations in the bill, which were subsequently agreed to. In the Landsthing's report upon the Budget (March 23), there were three points of difference with the Folkething. The Upper House having endorsed the amend- ment made by their committee, the Budget was sent back to the Folkething, where a compromise was speedily arrived at by mutual concession, the Folkething giving way on two items, whilst they maintained the third. On the following day the Folkething adopted this framing of the Budget, in which the Landsthing acquiesced, and the Budget was finally passed just before the expiration of the financial year.

The item in dispute between the Government and the Lower Chamber, viz., 520,000 kr., applied to extraordinary measures of defence — for the purchase of shells — was not included in the Ways and Means Bill, but embodied in a supplementary bill, laid before the Folkething (Jan. 9). This item was removed from the bill by the Folkething, and the Premier subsequently stated in the Upper House that he would not propose its reintro- duction, but that it would be included in the ordinary accounts. The Premier further stated that he and the War Minister did not wish the matter to be brought before the Landsthing, in order to avoid objection being raised against any of the judges, should the Folkething decide to take action against the Minis- ters before the Constitutional Court (the Bigsret). The Lands- thing, acting in accordance with the Premier's wishes, did not include this item in the supplementary bill.

One of the most important measures which had for some time been before the Legislature, and had engaged its attention in more than one session, was now successfully passed, this was the School Bill, improving the pay of teachers and raising the standard of instruction. Before being again laid before the Bigsdag — October 26, 1898 — the bill had been modified so as to improve its chances of passing, and both Houses now showed a desire to promote it. The Landsthing having referred it to a committee of eleven members, the second and third reading were both got through before the end of January. The Folke- thing then took it up and referred it to a committee, finishing the discussion on it in the beginning of March. The amended bill having been again brought before both Houses was referred to a joint committee and finally passed by the Folkething (March 22) and by the Landsthing the following day, a result which was received with universal satisfaction.

Another bill, which had been the subject of somewhat diver- gent opinions, was one providing small holdings of land for rural workmen. This bill, introduced in the Folkething in the earlier

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