TELEGRAMS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 September 1921, Page 4

TELEGRAMS

|BY TUI.UGiIArIl —I’KR I'UIiSS ASSOCIATION] j PROPOSED SUIPIMNG BOARD. CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. H) On Saturday. Mr Poison (President of the New Zeeland l-'niusers’ Union) reeeived a telegram irons the Director of Agriculture permitting lmn to divulge :s selieinc over which, up to now, the Government had requested secrecv. Tlie scheme proposed Use estishlishineni of n Shipping Hoard comprising wnolgrowers, m<’ !| i IMO'l MO ' dileors. dairy factories ami nthcs brain-lies of rural industry, such Hoard to have legal powers to strike a sperm, rate over wool, meal, and dmr.v produce. such rate to be -uti'ldcniciited f for f subsidy by Government 'lhesr contributions Wniild he the :il id ■' Producers Shipping Cuinptiny. scrip 1o issued to the eonirilmtors. The scheme had to he subm. tied to f a.dm i. and Govern men t were not in any way committed. When Mr Massey returned the matter would i>«* cuns.derec! and farmers should let the Government It now that they expected a pniM teal result from the proposal. Amusement Tax. liK(,»l IiST KOI! ABOLITION. WELLINGTON. Sept. il ; . A large deputation representing the theatre, vaudeville, and moving-pic-tnre interests of the Dominion, rutervicov.sl Sir Enim-is Bell Hint the .'"Urn W. Nosworthv, to urge the leinovia of the amnsenient tax. The pulj.ie J greatly resented the tax. stated the I spokesman. During the war, simwrmti ; v.crc obliged l l" shoulder the tax, and : the disastrous result on receipts comi pelh'd many picture theatre companies to amalgamate and close certain thenI tres. One hundred per cent, ol Iho 1 public demanded the repeal ol the tax, which hit hardest the picture shows, the a,ma.“eliteat of the poor. Many amusements for which admission was charged did nut pay the tax. and there was the quaint situation that the palrm of a Ills seat at n boxing match, paid no lav. while the 9d patron of a mnving-piet are show ]mid tl per rent on bis ticket. Il was maintained it it v.as right not to lax these r.'nuso-

nirnts, lln'ntres, vaudeville shows, and moving pictures should also ho taxed. Sir Francis Hell, replying, said that while reserving the opportunity to consider the verbatim report of tlm representations made, lie wanted frankly to slate they had mil moved him. personally, from the -attil ude of the Gi n i"inieitl’s report on the subject. He spoke f,,r all the Government, except Air piasscv. in saying the Govermiieut ren'dcd him il as a proper tax, by no mentis a war tax. hut, a source r. iev..|iuo The Government so far from removing the tax. had boon in favour • i largely increasing it. lfe could md civ what the Government attitude would be after studying their argiii.icnls. but ii would, la' very unlair t< > ! , | !ii>m *o away thinking that tie Gevernnieiit had I a eensidering l-'e rcimnal of the tax. Mo agreed that I (lev should nil he on the same basis but bis point of view WII.H than all dinn! I cent ributo to the revenue. \i, ,|. K. |! ightoit. of Wellington, v.'I■ i; intnclnied the deputation, thanked the Minister for his candour. Me Imd not, given them very much hope, tint had given them something to think about.