TAXING BILLS APPEAR

Hokitika Guardian, 19 September 1929, Page 5

TAXING BILLS APPEAR

FIRST ROUND OF FIGHT. OPPOSITION SUGGESTS INQUIRY. PRIME MINISTER SCENTS OBSTRUCTION. (Clicli. Times correspondent). WELLINGTON, Sept. 17. The introduction of the Land and Income Tax Amendment „Bill in. the House of Representatives led to brief but important exchanges of opinion between the party leaders. It opened with questions from the Leater of the Opposition seeking explanations regarding any changes which might nave been made from those first outlined in the Budget. When the Prime Minister mentioned that the Lmit at which super-tax commenced to operate had been raised from £12,500 unimproved value to £14,000, Mr Bitchener (Chief Opposition Whip) remarked: “What a relief!”

Sir Joseph Ward: I am glad you appreciate it. The people m the country who are concerned will • appreciate it very much. Mr Kyle (Riccarton): Cut it out altogether, and they will , appreciate it more.

Sir Joseph Ward (emphatically): I am not going to cut it out altogether. Answering a question as to whether the measure still contained the provision that land or income tax would be paid whichever was the greater, Sir Joseph replied in the affirmative. He also mentioned that the constitution of the commission to consider hardship cases would be a matter for consideration as no one had been specially named but three commissioners would have to be appointed. Mr H. E. Holland, leader of the Labour Party, suggested that as the Bill was so important, there might be a few days’ delay before the second reading, so that members could give their constituents an opportunity of communicating'to them their,view’s'fin the proposals; “I know the Primp Minister wants to get his legislation through,” added Mr Holland; If‘apd'd am one of those who want to.get legislation through quickly, but this Bill is of supreme importance." . “The request is perfectly’ reasonable,” replied Sir Joseph,-who added that the Bill would he circulated'find reasonable time given for members .to send it to their constituents. The House could go on with' it at an early date. • .I! •••■ 7 (>

NOT GOING TO A COMMITTEE. 1 The Leader of>the’“Opposition (Mr Coates) suggested 'that the Bill should be referred to a select committee. “I am not going to send -it to a committee” . promptly . answered the Prime Minister, who ..was supported, by the Hon T. M. Wilford’s interjection that nobody could name a Bill of thst character which had been put.through' such a course in the last forty years.

“I have a dim recollection of one,” replied the Opposition , Leader, who added that, at any,rate, the House ought to judge which was best for the country. Sir Joseph Ward.: ;The ybte in the House on your amendment hvas two to one against. . . • ... V Mr Coates: That vote has been the cause of bringing the Government to consider very carefully, the Budget proposals, and it has reconsidered the whole question very carefully. After that vote there was considerable alteration in the views originally intended, and I take it the Prime Minister may yet thank the Lender of the Opposition for the excellent service he rendered, though it might have been unpleasant when he drew his attention to defects.

TRYING TO KILL THE BILL. / The retort of . the Prime Minister was that the Government was not likely to be misguided by anything from the opposite benches. He knew just as well as.the Leader of the Opposition that the latter was hand in hand with a small section who were trying to kill tlie material clauses of the BilL ; • t Mr Coates: That’s nonsense I

The Prime Minister: I know it from communications I have received from farmers all over the country, who are not wool kings or large landowners, and who ask that, this legislation should he put through with a slight improvement as to the point at which taxation should commence, and I have'arrived 'at that conclusion to meet the .aspirations of the great majority of farmers throughout the country. I iun not beating the air, but submitting these proposals to be voted on. The leader of the Opposition is irresponsible. He has no proposals to submit and has never submitted any of value to the person who wanted to get on the land, and at the sajne time that the large landowners should cive their fair contributions to the country. Mr Waite (Clutha): That is not a fair thing.

THE PROTEST MEETINGS. “What had been the result?” asked Sir Joseph. There had been bogus protest meetings called by a small class, where resolutions were passed as though they represented the views of a large attendance of farmers, but it was perfectly futile when it came to the point' of freeing the large landowner from taxation which he , had been escaping, and which as a result had relieved him of the burden of the war. Over 85 per cent, of the farmers

were not interfered with at all by thei legislation he proposed, and he was hearing howls of opposition from members opposite before they had considered the proposals.. ...What did the leader of the Opposition mean by wanting, the Bill referred to a Select Committee? To keen it there two or three months? “I know what I am trying to. do”, added the Prime Minister “and 1 know what the hon. gentleman -is trying, to do. The matter is plain to anybody. It is fair to. give sufficient time to circularise Itlie Bill, and that 1 am prepared to do, but I am . then going to ask the .House and- the country to put this ’ legislation on the Statute Book.” * THE .HARDSHIP ASPECT. -

'Expressing^the belief that provision for cases dßliardship was .very necessary,, the deader of the Labour Party, Air H. E. Holland,\statbd that when the Bill ; was House he wrould have, no hesitation;.in moving to amend it with a view to improving it. If the Bill, eired at a’.) it was on the side of taxing-the large landowner too lightly; said and done, the large landowner ; Would rather pay income tax and keep bis estate ; intact. 1 A Reform member: But.Umat if he has no income ? - - ( ' r Mr Holland: If he.has no income he wouldn’t pay tax,, if lie. has. large estates and is not earning income, it is a sign that lie is .not working the land, and the principle must he enforced that the holder of land must use that land and not be allowed to keep it for speculative, purposes. ~1

Mr Holland said he could not re- 4 member that Mr. Coates had ever sent a Bill of this character to a Select Committee for consideration, and the Op-' position must be tested by what it did when it occupied the Treasury benches.. Air Coateg rose to deny the suggestion that he represented a small coterie of landowners. He said ,he ljad -not been in communication with any landowners except those who had written) to him and; also to the Prime Minister.? What the'Reform Party said was that' there must first be a classification of' lands suitahlel for closer settlement and that bursting-up taxation should be applied only fo that class of land, otherwise it meant that the Government ; was merely shitfing the weight, (from .one foot to the other, and the probabilities. wpre : tjtiat the map who was put on the land - would not be as successful as the nj,an. who had beeiTdriven off 4 by what might be termed ill-considered legis}atipn,„ .• , The Bill was read a first time on the .voices. .; ...... ' i . .. ■ i ’