Taxation Anomalies

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22506, 14 September 1938, Page 10

Taxation Anomalies

The present Government has broken its preelection and post-election promises in respect of taxation. Taxation is heavier in volume, by a staggering amount; and even the Minister for Finance is constrained to admit, in his speech on the Land and Income Tax (Annual) Bill, that £1 in £7 of the increased yield in income tax alone is due to increased rates. He said nothing about the fextent to which the increased rates press upon that section of taxpayers which, though most responsive to fiscal demand, has least been benefited by the national recovery. . In the circumstances, few electors will be impressed by the Minister’s promise to carry out next year the review of the tax system which was promised for the life of the present Parliament and to consolidate the legislation on the Statute Book. The sincerity of the Government’s purpose in this matter and the view it takes of existing tax anomalies and injustices may be judged as well from the remarks of the Minister for Lands as from anything Mr Nash has said and from everything he has done or left undone. “ There is no person in New Zea- “ land to-day,” said the Minister for Lands, the Hon. F. Langstone—“ there is no person in New “ Zealand to-day who is paying more than his “ fair share of income tax or land tax.” A MinisteT lot Lands wtvo makes such, a statement either does not know the facts about the operation of the present land and income tax system or else does not care about them. Those whom the facts oppress know how to estimate them and will know how to estimate the Minister, his colleague’s promises, and the Government behind them.