RELIEF FROM TAXES

Chronicle (Levin), 1 June 1946, Page 7

RELIEF FROM TAXES

A reduction of taxation as a vitai factor in post-war recovery, was re- ■ afiinned. The saies tax, income tax ana special war taxes are among the headings under which the Party undertakes to give relief to taxpayers. Mr. Hoiland said Caucus had gone into the country's finances as thoroughly as possible without having available the results for the financial year which endeu March 31 last, these figures not having been released yet although two months had elapsed since the accounts closed. The conclusion reached was that in the combined Consolidated Fund, socxai security fund and war expenses account, there would he a huge surplus due to over-taxation for war purposes after the war ended. The National Party was determined to pursue its campaign for a reduction of taxation as being indispensable to the lowering of living costs and production costs. He and his colleagues had recognised that high taxation was inevitable throughout th6 war period, hut now the war was over, the crushing hurden on the taxpayer must he eased. This particularly applied to taxes which raised living costs and militated against full employment. | The giving' of this relief would be one 1 of the National Party 's ways of reducing living costs without reducing wages. The cost of house buildings and house iiirnji shings, ( said Mr. Holland, had im-. j posed a severe handicap on many i people, especially upon ex-servicemen j who had not enjoyed 'the high wages i prevailing while they were absent over1 seas hut now found themselves obliged ! to buy at peak prices. The Nationai Party was determined to get these costs down. In addition to building materials, the saies tax would he removea from a wide variety of goods so as to increase the purchasrng power of the workers' wages and enable the housewives to buy more goods at lower prices.