WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1928, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS. I NCR E A SKI) EXPENDITURE. (Special to 11 Guardian.”) WELLINGTON, Feb. 8. Tlie statement of the public accounts lor the first nine months of the current financial year, which will end on March .'ll next, does not make very cheery reading for the long-suffering taxpayer. The statement shows that while the revenue lor the nine months lias increased by only CIO.God, compared with the revenue for the corresponding period last year, Irom LIG,128.220, that is to LKi.138.87d. the expenditure has increased by £(>12,473, from C17.(121,74-1 to £18.234.217. This means, in the familiar language of the counting house, that during the nine months the State’s income has declined by CGTH.BIB, and would have declined still further but for a fortuitous increase in stamp and death unties which brought in £170,121 more than they did during the corresponding period last year. The main increases in expenditure were £‘ld.22d in the Department of Education, £29,299 in the Department of Agriculture and a trifle of £18.045 in the Department of Defence. Just where the expenditure of the Department of Education is going to taper off no one ventures to speculate and the Minister in charge seems indisposed to lurnish any information on the subject. POLITICS. Sir Joseph Ward, who came up from Christchurch last week to preside at the meeting held here lor the purpose of protesting against the erection of a railway pillar on the TTutt Road, went south again by the lorry steamer last night. In the course of a conversation just before his departure he said he still was in ignorance of the precise intentions of the various promoters ol Liberal revivals. He noticed that Mr George Eorbes, flu l official head ol the " United Liberals.” was to speak in Auckland that night and he hoped he would he able to propound some practical scheme for bringing progressive people together upon a- sound platlorm. As for himself, lit' had boou unite ready to help towards this end at any time during the last lour or live months, but he feared the time for any effective action along the lines he had indicated had been allowed to pass. Judging from his general attitude, rather than from anything lie actually said on the subject, Sir Joseph has abandoned all idea of leading a forlorn hope himself and will he content to do what lie can for his constituents and the country from his own isolated seat in the House. DAYLIGHT SAYING. The opponents of daylight saving, as expressed in Mr Sidcy’s Summer Time Rill, appear to have taken heart ol grace from the resolution of the Dominion Executive of the I armors Union denouncing the innovation. The resolution has been backed up by many letters in the newspapers and by organised demonstrations of a more or less tangible form in other places. The 'statement made by the chairman of the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce. to the effect that he and many others who had warmly supported Mr Sidey’s bill had changed their minds as to its character and effects and were determined to get rid of the measure as speedily as possible, is being iterated and reiterated throughout the country districts. The licensed victuallers are said to be giving a hand in the assault upon the measure, their business, it is alleged, 'having been prejudiced bv the growth ol the out-ol-donr habit. Members ol the " I rade ridicule, this story, declaring that their custom has increased rather than declined since the introduction of daylight saving, and that any objection that has been raised <*• earlier closing has been due to purely local conditions. However thi- may be. it obvious Hie system will not be perpetuated without a very vigorous protest. COMPANY TAXATION. Tlie' “ Evening Post” in the course of a leading article, warmly supports Mr J. G. Upton’s vigorous protest against the inequitable incidence ot the income tax. The Government, it points out, has been strongly urged by expert commissions ol its own selection to readjust the incidence of the company tax so that investors in these concerns, instead of paying the maximum rate on their dividends, whether great or small, should pay only at the rate prescribed for their individual incomes; but it has pleaded that il it adopted tliis system it would be involved in a loss of revenue amounting to. about a-million a year. "The very argument against thq change,” the "Post” protests, “is one of the strongest arguments in its favour. It means that the State is now taking a million a year from business which it should not lie taking in that way. A million a year, in other words, is being imposed upon large seaje organisations, which serve a very Useful purpose in providing suitable investments for thrifty people who are able to routine beyond bank deposits and State securities. The Minister of Finance himself lias admitted the unfairness of the present system, hut because it is convenient to the tax-collector, it seems, the taxpayer is not to be considered.