THE TAX BURDEN

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 26, 31 July 1939, Page 5

THE TAX BURDEN

STATE EXPENDITURE

REVIEW OF THE POSITION

"With the Budget for 1939-40 about i |to be brought down in the House of \ J Representatives, a review of State taxa- j Jtion and expenditure is appropriate ati j this stage," says the Associated Cham-; ! bers of Commerce of New Zealand in a j statement issued, last night. ' j "The ' epntinu_lly-increa_.ing level of j | Government expenditure is maintain-1 ing and adding to the burden of taxa- j tion, which presses with particular j severity on business, to the detriment; of enterprise and production," the statement says. "One of the best con-; tributions lo national well-being which j the Government could make under the j forthcoming Budget would be to reduce j its present extravagant expendi.ure. j thereby enabling taxation to be re- i duced.*' The following tables which, it is i stated, cover the main divisions of the 'subject, are given:— STATE EXPENDITURE. | (Consolidated and Employment Promotion ! Funds Only.) j \V:u\ 4> ' 1913-11 ll,s_T;,iioo Ji*_S--_Vi _1.177.iHm i!t:;.j.;;(i 3«.773,1100 I 1930-37 :;I,!H-1,1100 j 1937-38 .v.t.-iSN.oou i r.i;-;s-Kii -i_._k;,ihio I STATE TAXES COLLECTED. I i Year. ' -i; : 1913-11 .">,',US,mil) i 1928-29 17,832.mm ' i!':{-"l-;>'u _:,,-! 7ii. 000 ; I i!):io-:j7 :u.in i.omi j 1937-38 30,707.000 I 1938-39 37.707.0 D'.1 j STATE TAXES A HEAP. ! i United New ! Year. Australia. Kingdom. Zealand. | £ s ci. £. s. d. C s. d. i 1930-37 ... 3-1 I.S 4 .10 12 (i 19 11. Iv 1 1937-38 ... 17 6 I 17 M r. 21 1 ::' 1935-39 ... Not available IU 7. S 23 S 9 ! S.X. STATE TAXATION 0X FAMILY BASIS.; Average. i a family i i of four. ! & s. d. j liiia-u 2i os i 1929-so r»_ n :-; i935-3is or, :; i 1930-37 78 19 2 1937 38 92 5 II I 1938-3!) 93 15 0 j j STATE AM) LOCAL TAXATION IN ItLLATION ■ I TO NATIONAL PRODUCTION. j Taxes to I Taxes eaeli £ oi ; to national production . 1 i>rodnetion. vain-,:. per cent. s. d. | 1910-11 12 2 r, j 1918-19 19 vi 3 11 I I 1928-29 19 :•; <:>'_ ! 1935-3. 27% r. !>'■. j | 193G-37 27% ~> tl'i i I 1937 38 32V. «' r.:;i ! "The latest year to which any of the j above figures relate is tha. which j eneled on March 31, 1939," the statement says. "For the year 1939-40 now cur- j rent, there is already increased taxation in operation as represented by the J increased tax on individual incomes, j and the new shilling in the £ tax on } ' company incomes, for social security j purposes Notwithstanding, it appears j that still further increases in taxation j will be imposed under the forthcoming j' Budget." j