STATE AS PURVEYOR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 75, 23 December 1918, Page 4

STATE AS PURVEYOR

HON. G. W. RUSSEU/S IDEA. By Telegraph—Press Association Christchurch, December 22. t Speaking at Aranui School yesterday, tho Hon. G. W. Ruaeell said that there lay before the statesmen of New Zealand the problem: How to pay the cost of the wan- and still keep the country prosperous. "Our object must be to endeavour to create sources of income for the State other than from taxation,' he said. "It seems to me that articles like tobacco, petrol, and things of that kind are goods the State 'night easily declared a monopoly over and make a profit from their sale and still roll the articles at a lower price than the publio is paying for them now. When we were paying 3s. 6d. per gallon for petrol the same quality petrol'was selling retail in the United States at lOd. per gallon. If the Government is prepared to adopt a bold course and take tho monopoly over' of various articles there should ba a material increase in the income of the State, thus lessening the need for taxation." , ... "Some people think tins war is going to end war," Mr. Russell remarked. 1 wish r could think so, but I am sorry to say I cannot see any indication ot it. What are we to think when we see responsible statesmen of the Lnited States declaring that they must have a navy second to none in the world? To my mind this is tho most saddening and ominous thing I have ever heard. Many, of us thought that this race |ov armaments and this building of Dreadnoughts and battleships would cease. I look upon the American declaration with K rief and sorrow. I hope the great nations will set about disarming rather than burdening themselves, with colossal fleets and armies."