TAXPAYER DISILLUSIONED

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 33, 9 February 1933, Page 12

TAXPAYER DISILLUSIONED

- ... (By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post. . DUNEDIN, This Day. "The Otago Daily Times" says:— "The taxpayer was encouraged by the Prime Minister to believe that at least he would be spared any fresh taxes during the present financial year. He has suffered disillusionment in the first place through, interference with the exchange,_ since this has the virtual effect of increasing the tariff on imported articles, and he is now being further disillusioned by the.imposition of taxes estimated to yield £2,540,000 in the course of a complete year. It is impossible to affect pleasure or satisfaction over ; the - knowledge that the community, which is already taxed almost to the limit of its capacity, should be required first of all to submit to increased charges on all imported goods—charges virtually amounting to increased taxation—as the result of inflation of exchange, and on top of that to provide two and a half millions in the course of a year in fresh in-j direct taxation, partly to meet the extra burden thrown on the Treasury through the operation •of an artificial exchange. Private economies must be practised much more rigidly than in I the past. In these circumstances, however, it is. reasonable to demand that' the expenditure of public' moneys shall be so closely- supervised as to stop all extravagance."