NOVEL SUGGESTION FOR WAR TAXATION.
Sir,—An export tax is too. drastic a measure; it is like a boomerang. Why not to community taxj where everyone will know to a penny what their equal share actually bears? Call on every adult regardless of sex, religion, or nationality, £1 each, a supertax: — - All bachelors of every class, including clergy, £5 each. _ Widowers without dependents, . All childless marriages, £5 to £10 per marriage. All enemies' subjects, £5 each. These last-named people arrive m this country reaping full benefits of our laws.'and even at this time of trouble hundreds are going about, free (provided they: report themselves fortnightly) without contributing <tne penny poll tax while John Chinaman nas to pay £100 before landing. All naturalised Germans and Austrians should give £5 each', to be set aside towards the upkeep of their 'fellow countrymen on Somes Island. What is there to prevent a : naturalised subject slipping to their own country and taking up arms against us?' Mftnv are now hoping and praying that Germany may win! y -All-'picture shows, one penny por ticket'/ ' ;i '' ' , ' Opera'houses and such kind, 6d.pe-r ticket; ,r " v ' . Public'-sports and horse racing, la. ticket gate money each, with a proviso against raising admission. ; All 'clubs';.' charter,. sporting, horse- | rabingj '£5 each. ' , . ■ ~ | All motor-cars, British £5 each, forI eign £6 each. Motor-cars destroy ' tho roads.and rob the railway revenue. .
Street orators, £20 per meeting or address'.'" 5 ' Paid agitators. £20 each. All unions, industrial and employers, £s'per union,' with a proviso against raising fees'.' • In this land of good things, a direct tax, is the fairest means, where everyone can give their equal share. Some people may object that "cost of living," "etc:,; btit.;,there are only a few who, under any; ' circumstances, would grumble. . In after years these people will be proud to' relate to their grandchildren of "how they contributed to the war' tax;" ,: "h'ow hard it seemed at first to collect, the £1 each, but managed by putting pennies aside until the amount was collected, and how proud they were .ofi'their/itax receipt." • Ask any early settlers about food-stuffs,'-when the Maori wars were on, wHen 'butter was '6s.- per lb., bread 2s. per. loaf, and other needfuls at like price:U v . .... For a married couple with a family, it amounts to less than 9}d. per week. Surely.a mite for keeping the enemy without, ;and such a lot is at stake. Bachelor tax should cease when enlisted. There are hundreds of robust age shirking the call to arms. ( These should give in money to help their worthier brethren, to defend the Empire. ■ I am, etc., _ BACHELOR TAX.
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Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2441, 21 April 1915, Page 4
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435NOVEL SUGGESTION FOR WAR TAXATION. Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2441, 21 April 1915, Page 4
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