LAND AND INCOME TAX.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2209, 12 October 1907, Page 1

LAND AND INCOME TAX.

BILL DISCUSSED IN THE COUNCIL.

Press Association. WELLINGTON. Oct. 11. In tho Legislative Council this afternoon Mr. Jones continued tho debate on the second reading of the Land and Income Tax Bill. He was of opinion that much more stringent measures should have passed the Lower House. The Bill had been described as a Socialistic measure. _Tiie samo-liad been said of every other reform that had ever been brought forward. Ho would have preferred last year’s Bill with its limitation projiosals to that before tho Council. It was a scandal that a man holding largo areas of land should still be in a position to add to their already large holdings. One thing ho regretted about the measure was that it would cause partitioning of land , which would make matters more difficult for settlers than if tho land- had been resumed by tho Government. Ho would like to see the Government still continuing to purchase land under the Land for Settlements Act.

Mr. Smith said ho agreed with the Bill, but nothing was to be gained by hurling hard words at thoso opposed to it. So far as the Bill was concerned ho supported it. He believed that it was going in the right direction, but he questioned whether members of the Legislature fully realised what the increased taxation would mean in tlio case of estates of £150,000 in value. The tax had been doubled, and if the prices of produce went down tho turn of the screw might bo keenly felt. Like others, ho favored last year’s Bill with its limitation clause. A heavy graduated tax to him savored of an injustice. Ho did not like tho idea of being taxed out of the cstato which ho had legally acquired. He recognised that tho Bill was an honest attempt to deal with a very difficult subject. Mr. Anstey said that very few of thoso members who had spoken had had any practical experience in tho matter of paying land tax. Mr. Paul had said that the Farmers’ Union as a general body had no definite opinion on the question of limitation, but Mr. Paul, as a member of the Land Commission which had travelled all round tho colony, must know that that organisation and the moving spirits associated with it in no way represented tho farming classes of New Zealand. The main principles of tho Bill commended themselves to him, but ho contended that the land tax was an extra tax on tho farmer, who had to pay his fair share of all other taxation.' He approved the principle of limitation. As to taking land ho believed tho land tax sliouldjro levied in two ways. There shouklbo a land tax to be paid by tlio owner and a graduated tax to be paid by tho occupier. This would do away with many difficulties uiiuer the Bill. A man holding a large area should be exempted from heavy graduated tax if he cut up a certain percentage of his estate tho first year, and so on over a period of, say, five years. Ho characterised tho jumping nature of tho transaction as a disgrace. For instance, a man who owned £40,000 worth of land would have to pay £55 more in graduated tax than a man with £39,000 worth, and in general taxes lie would have to pay over £IOO more. This would not bo tolerated. Mr Loughnan congratulated tlio Government on its clear grasp of the position in regard to tlio land question. Mr. Wigram approved tho general principles of the Bill, but questioned whether it would be possible to carry out the provisions of the measure in regard to including in the amount or land subject to tax shareholders’ interest in land held by a company. Captain Tucker objected to what ho called the duplicity of the intention of tho Bill. If a man held a large area of land lie was called a social pest, and if he subdivided it the proceeding was called evasion. TIo objected to retrospective legislation, but approved the main principles of the Bill. At 4.55 p.m. the debate was adjourned on the motion of Mr. Macdonald, and tho Council rose.

Wesley Church, To-morrow.—Mor-ning. 11, Rev. C. Griffin. Subject, “A Runaway Missionary.” Evening, 7, Rev. C. Griffin. Subject, “God’s Great Missionary.” Collection for Mission Work. Afternoon, 2.45, United Bible Class. Ormond, 3, Rev. C. Griffin. Strangors cordially invited. Baptist Ghureli, Oct. 13th.—11, Subject, “A Personal Question,” Mr. C. Palk; evening, Mr. W. C'orrie Johnston. Whinray’s Hall. —Sunday Afternoon, at 3.30, Lectuio by W. Corrio Johnston, “Why is Jesus Christ Coming Again?” St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. —4l a.in. ; “A Strange Incident,” Rev. William Grant ; 7 p.m., “Confidence in the Day of Battle,”_ltev. William Grant; 2.30 p.m., Young Men’s Class (Whinray’s Hall); 3 I).in., Young Women’s Class (Towney’s Hall). Residents and visitors made heartily welcome to all these services.