Shannon Notes

Horowhenua Chronicle, 11 August 1915, Page 3

Shannon Notes

Lli> uUn ivi.oiUt)UD ltaprcauutam c.J

Tuosuuy nigm, the tinio lor mo usual meeting ot the Debating Society found rather a small muster of members in the Druids' Hall. The president (Mi* Heusman) tooK the chair, and after tno usual formal business a. discussion took place as to the incidence

oi nui uixuiioii. it was uecided on tno motien of Mr Clayton to nave no meeting next Tuesday on account ol Mr Wraggo's lecture, and on the Tuesday following the meeting will be a journal evening, every member contributing an item. Mr nensman opened the discussion by a lew preliminary remarks. -Mr Clayton doubled U sumcient war tax could be raised througu mo Customs. iie tnougnt that tiie Customs duties struck at the wrong class. The working class could not anord to pay more than liiey did. They should take stock ot all property in the Dominion and apportion the tax upon the property owners m the proportion of the value of their property on a sliding scale—the largest values ai the highest rate. Mr Sinclair tavourcd taxing through tne Customs on tobacco and spirits. Mr Exall relerred to Sir George Grey's contention that the taxation should fall on the shoulders of those best able to bear it. He favoured ail income tax as being the | fairest. Mr Trainer reviewed the suuject of war taxation in general and considered that the taxation should be based on a property and income oasis. Mr Hensman considered taxation through the Customs was unfair .as it took more money out ot the pockets of the man with a family and let the 6inglo man off. Mr Sinclair thougui that an income tax properly adjusted in the same way as the Graduated Land Tax would be the best. He thought that the death duties were also a tailtax and they could be increased and ti'i exemption limit reduced. M; lltnsnian ..concurred that there was a great deal to be said in tavour ol death taxation. He mentioned it had oeen proposed that the Government should take possession of all properties wine-1 retrained at the death ot the owner and apply the confiscated possessions to defray war expenses. Mr Exall thought that its bachelors were generally an unfortunate class, it would be unfair to add to their misportunes by taxing them. Mr Trainer thought bachelors would be caught by a lair system of taxation and the man witn a family should be exempt. Mr Trainer thought that those farmers who had made profits out of the war sliould pay the war tax. Mr Sinclair considered that the holding of stock and butter would tend to raise prices abnormally and the holders should be taxed. 'Mr Hensman spoke in favour of the State -taking the unearned increment on land by a war tax. Alter some further discussion the meeting terminated.