CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Hokitika Guardian, 1 November 1927, Page 4

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

LAND TAX. CHRISTC HI'RCH. Oct. 29. Speakers at the annual conference ol the Associated Chambers of Commerce yesterday favoured the abolition of the graduated tax on urban land. .Mr 11. P. Gang hey (Auckland) moved the following remit: That tin's conference is of opinion that, should the Government not accept at mire the recommendations of the Koval Commission of licit on the subject of land tax. the. Government should immediately give it.*, favourable consideration to the following proposals; (a) That the present system of graduated land tax on urban properties should he abolished tb) that the assessing of land tax against lessees and occupiers as distinct from owners being unjust, should he abolished. Ho sand the burden [n’t* veil tied normal growth and extension of enterprise! in urban areas. The present legislation was economically unsound and diverted capital from trade. The business man in the City was given no encouragement to take up farming. .Mr AN', (low (Dunedin) seconded the motion. One of the companies suffering hardships, lie said. had been the New Zealand Express Company. lie did not suggest that graduation. as regards country property, should he abolished. It induced ('loser settlement and prevented land aggregation. Taxation on a graduated scale on City land was not rcaxonbale. Mr W. J. Butler (Westland) moved that the following words he added to the remit: “And that Section 58 of t.lio Land Tax Act should he amended so that companies that do not actually hold hall interest in each other shall not he taxed in the agsrregnto of two or more* (oinpsuiios. Me Butler preceded to illustrate how the Commissioner, by the interpretation he placed on the legislation, caused hardships on companies. Sections (a) and (b) were passed, and Mr AV. .7, Gilherd (Wanganui) seconded Mr Butler’s motion. Tt was lost by a. considerable majority. Mr Butler said he would bring if forward against next year, when he would he hotter prepared.

ARBITRATION COCKT. Speaking oil a discussion in the Arbitration Court Air AV. T. Bulle'/ (Westland) supported the idea of a committee considering the question, hut it should hear sumo ol the discussion. The idea chiellv should he suggest ions regarding the constitution of the Court. It had not in the past I snlliciently cnn.snh'ivil the consumer s interest-, ami the c.mimittee should inertial enterprise was justified if it did not serve the ennitnuniiy. Prevision should he made for greater consideration of the consumer. All members should receive a living wage, hut Hie industry should hot pay more than it rcc"i\cd. lie did not see v, by the single man should l-e oimponsalod in Ihe same fashion as Cm married ma.ii witli two children. or that the industry should ne taxed in this manner. Mr C. H. AA’eslon (New Plymouth) suggested that they should affirm the net' dlir the existence of the Court. Mr A. -7. Seed (AVellington) said the workers’ organisation wen' ready for a severe light over the Bill, to which the Government was not wedded. Some of the provisons repre- ) soiled a. desire to (ompromise on sev- , era 1 viewpoints pressed strongly upon tin Government. Parliament was going to debate the matter at considerable length, and the Government would ho looking for a way out. He suggested that they should consider proposals lor tilt' improvement ol the Bill.

Mr Seed outlined the provisions of the Bill. Employers generally consider''l the procedure outlined quite impracticable and impossible. The work of the Court would he subjected to delays, and the proposed arbitrators would give no considoratiin to other industries. A reasonable compromise would be ford'd on the Judge and the general effects on the community would be overlooked. If the const) tiutiu'n a’s Ipnfposod v.fas adopted, it would be a. very serious mistake.