EXPORT TAX

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 32, 8 February 1933, Page 6

EXPORT TAX

(To the Editor.)

-~Sir£~"l n tlle "Evening Posit" to-night Mr. Coates states: "What is the use of taxing exports, thus diminishing the revenue of producers, and ii refunding the proceeds of the tax to those whose income is thereby diminished. This is at best a shallow pretence of relief.". The taxing of exports is a means to an end, the object being' the relief of farmers in distress as against Mr. Coates's scheme of taxing the poor to provide surplus money for farmers not . requiring assistance. If the pool woe established for export tax and in the meantime a small farmer had to pay in a few pounds to obtain later perhaps ten times the amount by dividing the pool amongst those-in need, surely it does hot require much vision to see- that the farmers in, distress will _ receive relief while those not reqmnng it will not get it. As for an organisation, every .export has to be covered by bill of lading and perhaps a .draft, and surely the Customs could collect the tax to be paid into a special account. The whole thing is that Mr. Coates prefers to inflict further hardships upon the long-suffering, public. If not, why did the Government not make arrangements to exempt the farmers and exporters in good positions from getting the big share of the increased exchange, seeing the whole scheme was arranged to help -the farmers who were in need of assistance?—l am, etc., EQUITY. 6th February.