NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 207, 27 May 1919, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY

The uncertainty which prevails regarding the return home of the men composing tho New Zealand forces in Egypt is naturally causing a good: deal of anxiety to relatives and friends. The native disturbances in Egypt no doubt interfered with the arrangements originally made not only for the transport of the New Zealand troops, but those also from other parts of the Empire, who have been serving in Egypt and Palestine. This no doubt was unavoidable, but it affords no excuse for the inability of the Government to obtain any definite information as to the position regarding our troops there to-day. If the Government is unable to secure the information direct from Egypt, then plainly it is its duty to communicate with Me. Massev in London and' urge upon him tho necessity of clearing up the situation.

Some of our correspondents lately have been discussing the unfairness of tho incidence of the income tax in its bearing on the married man with a family to support and educate. It is an old grievance and a very real one. The whole attitude of the State towards tin; ma,ried man and woman in New 'Zealand is unsound. It is recognised that the future of this Dominion is mainly dependent on the birth-rate and tho rearing of a healthy, .vigorous, well-educated race of young New_ Zealanders. There is plenty of lip-scrvicc on the subject from politicians and others, but what does the State do to encourage the man with a family ? The relief ho receives from the taxing Department is too trivial to be taken seriously. It is, as described by somo of our correspondents, farcical. Instead of being encouraged and assisted, he finds himself in these days of high prices handicapped in all directions. It is a slrnngo thing, also that the claim of the mother to consideration at the hands of the State has never prompted any practical measure of relief in a country 'which has for so long prided itself on its social and 1 humanitarian legislation. If the mother who rears a healthy family renders a service to the State—and no one is likely these days' to dispute the value of this servicc—surely it is the business of the State to sec that the mothov is not penalised by reason of hor motherhood. Yet what consideration does, she receive today? What privilege does she enjoy so far as the community is concerned 'I

So far as the question of taxation is conecrnod, the bettering of the' position of the man with a family can and should be Ken to during the coming session oi Parliament.' It has always, been unjust and inequitable and opposed lo sound national policy that no distinction should be made between the man with a family to support and the man without, but the injustice is accentuated to-day by reason of the high scale of taxation and the high cost of living. Our income tax law, as we have_ pointed out on previous occasions, is inequitable in a number of other directions, notably in the basis af taxation of joint stock companies, and badly needs' revision.

People nl) over the Empire will rejoice to hear that Mr. Hawkkj: ••md his companion, Lieut.-Coji-MAXDEit Giubve, aw safe, the mora so since the good news follows: hard upon an announcement that hope of their rescue had; boon abandoned. Apart from the fact that the intrepid airmen were picked up by a Danish steamer and have since been transferred to a British destroyer, there are no details at time of writing, but it is fairly evident that they must have escaped death by a very narrow margin. Their experience. is likely to raise the question whether any further attempt to fly the. Atlantic under Hie same conditions—that is to say, without naval

Co-operation—ought to bo permitted. A continuous flight over the nineteen hundred miles of ocean between Newfoundland and Ireland would be a wonderful feat, but it would have little bearing on the practical development- of aviation in the immediate future. Airmen, no doubt, will be as eager as ever to attempt the crossing, but it does not seem right that gallant lives should be staked on such an enterprise. Probably before long will be built of a range and capacity that will enable them to undertake the Atlantic crossing at a minimum risk, but it is evident that for the time being success in this enterprise demands not only extreme daring but exceptional good fortune in regard to weather and other factors.