Mr. Nash Said To Be World's Hungriest Tax Gatherer

Chronicle (Levin), 15 November 1949, Page 5

Mr. Nash Said To Be World's Hungriest Tax Gatherer

CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 15. "Mr. Nash is the greediest and hungriest tax-gatherer in the world," said Mr. K. J. Holyoake, Deputy Leader of the National Party, at an election meeting last night in discussLig taxation which, he said, represented £70 a head for every man, woman and child m the community. Canada had reduced taxation T>y £64,500,000, said Mr. Holyoake. Australia had reduced taxation by £36,000,000, but New Zealand, with Mr. Nash in control, proposed to make an increase next year of £2,000,000. The Government Statistician had shown the real surplus in Mr. Nash's Budget to be more than £14,000,000, "but Mr. Nash showed it as £20,000,000 Why?" asked Mr. Holyoake. "Because he knew that if he showed the real position there would be one big howl from North Cape to the Bluff for reduced taxation." The National Party promised to reduce taxation, but it could not be specific since the figures in the Budget had been so presented that it was impossible to find the true position. He added that every penny of the £130,000,000 New Zealanders paid in taxation last year had found its way into the cost of living.