THE REVENUE QUESTION.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 787, 24 November 1922, Page 4

THE REVENUE QUESTION.

By .1. \V. Olpliort, M.A.. F.R.K.S.) . The revenue of any community depends on production. Production depends upon natural resources, labour, and capital according to the degree in which each is utilised. Any diminution of one of these elements adversely affects the other two, and consequently production. If an upheaval, of milm*c such as a hurricane or a volcanic eruption diminishes natural resources; if a disease decimates the population of those, who, in the nature. of tilings must labour; if a war destroys capital resources, then so far is the productive power of the community diminished. Furthermore, if in our social structure there is aught impairing the efficiency of labour, then our production and our revenue is so far diminished. New Zealand is passing through a period of financial stringency which logically means that we have not been employing our productive resources to the full, because, for Jive years, wo weor employed in the totally unproductive, wasteful indutsry of war. Now, Ido not say that national efficiency necessitates the elimination of all unproductive industry. Unproductive industries such as the fishing for pearls and the manufacture of fireworks are essenlial to 1 the fullest expression of human energy. But; the point to be considered is, can we afford it? Gan we afford to allow our productive powers to be expended upon the annual production of £12,000,000 (retail prices) worth of liquor lo rake into the coffers of the Slate £1,300,000 per annum? Can we afford to allow our land, labour and capital to be wasted upon an industry, the products. of which confer no real benefit upon the community? Gan we afford lo waste this sum in cash to impair the efficiency of our labour anduto rob the primary industries of the capita they so much require? No sane yfnan would dare to suggest that wyr should now set-up a fireworks industry and spend £12,000,000 that we might give the State £1,300,000 in revenue. Well, why tolerate this stupendous waste of money and productive power upon liquor? The only sure and certain remedy for financial stringency is a policy of production founded upon a policy of thrift, for without thrift there can be no capital, and without capital there can be no extension of cultivation, no extension of employment. no increase of production, no increase of reveupe.— (To be continued') .*