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Hokitika Guardian, 26 October 1928, Page 4

According to a report in the Argus this week, Mr 0 Brien, the Labour candidate for Westland, is bent on scattering largess as he goes. Speaking at Goldsborough, the newspaper repo its in cuphonistic strain, that the candidate in a telling speech, called attention to the need for better pensions for the aged, the widow and the sick. Mr O’Brien held- that if the income tax in New Zealand was raised to the same level as that paid in Great Britain, the revenue accruing would pay all the pensions the Labour Party asked for! It is interesting to have this constructive proposal from Mr O’Brien for it indicates how far he and the Labour party would go in taxing poor people. The income tax in Great Britain begins on an earning of £IOO, so. that very few could escape in New Zealand, for what man or woman is he or she who is not earning £2 per week. The taxation would begin at that stage, and all workers would come under the levy at once. As it is. the exemption in New Zealand is under £3OO, so that there. is a good margin and a reasonable saving for poor people who have not an impost placed on them that it would be difficult to bear. But Mr O’Brien goes even further than that when he says the level of payments should be in New Zealand the same as in Great Britain! To give an idea what this would mean to the wageearner. The taxpayer married here without family and earning £4OO a year would pay £2 12s 6d, while in Great Britain the income tax would be £lO 18s If he were earning £6OO in New Zealand the income levy would be £lO 18s, while in Great Britain it would jump to. £32 10s. These concrete cases indicate the manner in which the Labour Party, according to the dictum of Mr O’Brien, would jump up the taxation on the working class. This is an aspect of the present election issue which many perhaps are not giving much attention to, hut if; is a clear insight of what the Labour policy means generally hv the reckless way in which all sorts of fair promises are made, not only to increase pensions, hut also to increase wages, and give other material concessions, which the thoughtless elector must realise cannot be provided for on the mere ipse dixit of the party. The money has to come from somewhere, and it must he provided by additional taxation. As we see in the instance given by Mr O’Brien,v the income tax is going to be substantially increased, and it will fall incidentally on the small man, utdio can least afford to meet it if the same level that is imposed in Great Britain is passed on to the people of New Zealand. This aspect is worth considering at will bv those disposed to give -.abour a chance at the polls.