GROWING TAXATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 575, 2 August 1909, Page 6

GROWING TAXATION.

MRaASSETSyiEWS.

REPIY TO THE ATTORMEY-CENEIUtU

."ENTERPRISE NOT WANTED." Mr. W. P. Massey, M.P., Leader of the Opposition,' when interviewed by a Dominion representative on Saturday, gave a reply to the speech , on taxation delivered at Timaru by the Hon. Dr. Findlay. "I hav« not' bad tune to fully analyse tho speech," he Baid, "as I am leaving by this monnngis train for Auckland, but the impression I have received is that the speech was an attempt to prepare the way for an <i increase of taxation nest eesson. The jouraaksiio mouthpiece of the Government says; 'However ranch people may object to paying taxation they i are face to face with the , fact that they have to do it, and as timo goes on increasing expenditure has to be faced.' Thou Dr. Findlay says: 'It may be esked why the expenditiire> of the Government has increased so as to require an increased revenue from taxation.' He says th,at increased revonue is required, and then goes on to tell the poople that one reason why it IB required is that during the last ten years an increased amount lias been transferred from revenue to the Public Works Fund. What nonsense 1 I venture to say that there will be no transfer of, revenue to the Public Works Fund during "the current t year, and yet it is now, when no such transfer is taking place, that the increase oL taxation is proposed. Increased Taxation and the Cause. » "If an increaso of taxation is necessary, I have no hesitation in saying that it is , owing to the wanton waste and extravagance on the part of the Government that has been ' going on for years past I venture to assert that instances of such waste are known to i every individual in the community who takes I any interest in what is going on around him."

■■;'; :^ > .-:".'Dealing! with; the of'taxation, Mr. .■■•;■•. Massey,-said :■ "Dx..:- Findlayvtried, to:- show ~' 'that.'vthe.^taxation' 1 upon;the/great--iriass of ■/; ; /our 'people..hasibeieri'i^^reduced,,by'25 r t0.;25-'p'er, 7"' cent,;' and i that . '-"-; -.: taxation'.hab iricreased-.generallyothe burdens .•':.'•:. of the.; people, during .'the years/ the jciresent ;:KGovernment; has :# been'"in.'.,ofEce,.'..\;Btew- in- /' cbrrect 'this;:state'ment. is/can easily-I>9 seen /■^.'l>y j refqrenbie;,to'-the;.Year'ißo6k ; ,"'.prepared'I'''as1 '''as I/, its: title :page says,: under' instructions from / :: i;the,;Eight;Hon;. SirJJ. G.?Ward.r,lt ; cpntains ; : ''.a., table-showing the- total taxation.'.collected 1 V per head of the population from 1891' to 1908. ';eln/1891-it was £395.-;2d.,; arid uv>l9oß it ■y : ;;;waJ5/ £5 ps,;; id. ■ .■;•. These,; are; official /figures' ://suppliedLby,'^^ ; ; ' 'and/eaßiiotsbe 'twisted-.to suppori/the .infer■//.enees/which: the Attorney-General wishes the r ;i:'./pjblj(j.-.jlio.- i dr.aw. ■-.;;.:■.. ; //, / : : : \7- ■':/''■: yi ;'" v ';>&■■s& Effeotstbf vinjustloerv'/'",;;";"'

; ; ;; '"ffii .Dr. ■ Findlay; paid a' little ■' mpre ; atten-. /'.' tipn. to./.the 'principle's,, laid!,-down "■• by/■ Adam ; . ■ Smith,;iwhorii.,he ;rather;/slightiDg]y,. referred. ■;v tb,vhe - ;would -kriow- that' one-: section of the' ,: commiinity/cannot ."to.'• pay -niorej .;:>th'aiivlts:share;of.ta'xatipn.'.withdut the whole' wvcommunity.vbeirig" affected:/,' If / f^^arniei^/i-'ajid-' 1 i'to'Vcori'■::.trilmie'nwre than,their proper -proportion of' ■v. the: co'st,.6f .government;' , (and", th'at .is'., the V : .case'!alreaay):,;it:fbllowstKat. the.wages'funds: is affectca, as these' people have .less, ; : '.devolopirig ■'. their. :■ properties.-I';'lf .jtoo -.inu'eh' /njbney' is ..withdrawn from ordinary circulation by "the , , fax ;■■■-;. ;:-."Theh/agairij;'.the '-Attofney-General :>■; and.'.r. eupppse/fnis. colleagues 'appear'',!».■•. he. •, .of ■ the .same opinion—that* they can .restore ■',-'■ pro'spertty : .'to' the.;countr'y''"by.'i increasing:'the '' : i'.*^*'■ is' v .'i?}et:jwhere '■ they,.'. are : making : ;•; vniistake: ;:;<Ariother "turn:■ of/ih'e. .:;(.screw-will ■ mean mproi.uneniployedy : v more :■. People, leaving the ; ;country, 1 "atal,;..therefore, •:;;heavier;bii'i - dens'7o'r.;.lh;e^rrnaneiit-settlers, /;. whether/in;; TO^.'pr'cototry. , ':;■/.' "?;•• : -■'-.'■;/''■ ■ rf, '

-t:- : • -#"Among ttieireasone given'; by;DivFindiay ,;-:: lOT'lnqieaiingi.taxation/JrJcontinuea the Op- ' ■'position Ijeaderi "he mentions that the Main 1 1 y\ ■ T " n ?!?; r ft llw >y; V», not; yet paying. I • think / ,;:th.at*is;;a ,;, ]somewhat unfortunate reference, K,as\ anyone who ■travels' by ■ that'lirie.must' see : tt" : ."■;time,; has: been";sbmbtli ing. phenomenal,'and .;':,» long way. aboveVthe>average pf : other lines. .; ■■.. ■-,;■■ •"Tlie .Attoj-ney-G,eAeral; adds' fchat 'if is'due .;■. .to; the , - strenuous policy. of deyelopmont of Viy-the"'^^^/^^^;^"'-^^:,^^^:^^!!*' , o . ernment;:that ;tho:-need for , 'a?.growing ex-' :..;' penditure ;h.as. l a,Tiseii ) \ Vut .the.reverie iis a'ctu- ;: ■ >'»lly the , case, -vif .'the- Government,* instead .; 'i;-- of keeping , huge Area's of : Crown arid Native . , lonufl'-loiikc.d ,up, ,had\gone'. m for,, a proper v ■■■'sPWo7. pf>:aevelopment;-aiid 'settlement, more >:.'■ people• w^u'ldShave.'been' - ,.'employed; bur es-■^/--.prts i iT|'6^<j;^lMYeVmqrMsed, ; ,and.."N«w';Zeii- ■;'.' ■have ; '.b'een' l as 'prosperous to-day ... ; aa Australia , ; ; -But'; the 'Government''in'the :; V'vpast-'has not encouraged the enterprise and ; ;••;■; energy<pf our;, people. ■■■ <;,On.;,the'.;.cohtrary,. ;,v; Ko . 3 *.'°';.Ptir...settlers.in-their enterprises (and =■ '■•.' i■_ useAtce .term;;:generally)'; Hive been . made ':.;. tho ;Victims; of :p,in-pricks' and.Vpetty 'annoy- • ..:■: arices; 'and 'increasing"'taxation, • until they : •■ 'feel'thati industrious''and' ■enter- :. .; prising, people■■ are:not wanted here;-v.Herice .;..;::our ;present. .difficulties,-ianil the : sooner tho ; : ,GovOTdmont.ailinii,t!iat : .'fact/and admit ..the ; : ..: mistakes : that{have..been: view ■••;.■ ';to. avoiding them :in ,-the'VfutuTe, : the better : will-.'.b.e.-.fqr.'all: concerned, .arid the sooner ~ : inll restored.'' •'■■ ..■.' ./:: '■ ':■