INCOME TAX AND MACARONI

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1927, Page 3

INCOME TAX AND MACARONI

(Exchange). Unlike tlie manufacturer or the merchant, the consumer is unvocal, and wluit he thinks of the tariff it is impossible at tiiis stage to say. If, however, he is an income tax payer with a moderate salary it is possible that he is thinking a good deal, and that his thoughts are not very kind to the Government. AY lien his income tax was raised the other day he was promised relief through the tariff. Ife finds that this relief is not absolute, hut conditional, and that part of it cannot be obtained until ten months’ hence; in the meantime he will have to pay more indirect taxation. The position of the householder is neatly put by, the “Otago Daily Times” which i.s a Reform journal: Glancing down the schedule of amendments he will, however, not ho long in discovering that upon foreign lemons the duty is to he doubled. That is discouraging. But bard upon this, such is the reward of perseverance, follows the intimation that the 20 per cent, duty upon British macaroni and vermicelli is to be lifted altogether. This is cheering intelligence, indeed, and may speed tlie inquirer on his search with renewed rest. But lie will not discover much for liis pa ins. oven if ho ponder long and deeply over the prospective free admission of preparations from animal glands and tissues. Possibly the triumph of the expert in tariff construction consists in the employment of the delicate art of concealment. It is somewhat difficult, in truth, to see how a reduction in tlie cost ol living i.s to he an outcome of the tariff alterations unless vermicelli and macaroni are to become tlie staple diet of the people, and even then the satisfaction of seeing them free thrice daily upon the festive household hoard is to he deferred until July, 1928.

The “Otago Daily Times” comes to the conclusion that this year there will he ail increase in Customs revenue, and that the general taxpayer has no enuso for rejoicing. The AVellington “Post” puts it in another way; that “the essential injustice of the added burden oil flic salaried man remains.” It does, and' the net result of all this readjustment may be—it must be remembered that there is a general increase in duties on foreign goods—that taxation all round will he higher, which surely would not he a result that the Government could contemplate with satisfaction. Certainly tho popular comment would be brief and rude.