AUCKLAND NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 16 March 1933, Page 6

AUCKLAND NOTES

GOVERNMENT’S SALES TAX.

POLITICAL WRANGLING.

Special Correspondent,

The 1 ' 1 water trouble at tile North Shore is a very sore point with the ..22,030 people wiio have been using the Lake Pupuke water for years, they iiaive “ lost confidence in it now, and riot without reason. It may be sale enough from a health’point of view—or it mriy not. Buf.it smells, and has a. habit " '(if changing colour, sometimes a blackish and sometimes a brownish due. So many of the householders will have nothing to do with it for drinking purposes, and any day lorry loads Q f tanks may be seen coming across the harbour, .and plumbers and carpenters are llavibg a busy time. There will probably be some nasty things said when the Borough Council attempt to collect the water rate this half year. The Minister of Health has suggested a commission of inquiry. If our drinking water is not above reproach we arc to have at least the chalice at substituting cheap milk. There has been, a sudden and drastic cut from fid to 3d per quart by a very large milk vending .association* and war appears to have been declared as the price has just dropped all round. Tho matter is possibly more important than appears on the surface, as it is contended the high price charged to the consumer as compared with the price received by the producer is due to overlapping and want of organisation in -Ijhe system of distribution. There is something in this, as I hear one', short- road with only about forty houses in if was served bv no less than eight 'milkmen. This is certainly a .tatfj on the consumer, -and-.possibly more effective distribution, if started ;,ipi ojiie line will lead to further develop,merits. Manufacturing costs have had to; be reduced, -aud< it is only logical that costs of distribution should follow jSpiu

Before the business' community had recovered from the shock of the increased exchange, and long before the ■ people liad time to' grasp its • significance the Government has set another problem- in' the Sates Tax. it is pretty safe to say nobody knows just yet how ithis tax is going to affect them. Many arc taking the safe course of adding sales tax to all their invoices (after .February 9) with'the qualification that '•if it is found' av't'enrafds that the item on which it is charged is exempt al- . lowance wi.ll be made -accordingly. The definition between “wholesaler” and “retailer” is giving trouble, more particularly where it comes to “manufacturing retailer.” However as the- various Employers’Associations, Manufacturers’ merce etCip ;; 'have set up special committees, antl [! tfie Customs have appointed .Special' Officers' tor “try' and tiiiravel the tangle, .we wilt eventually kuouj something about it. So far as the 'consumer—=th£££f“is ; -the ; . con- . corned, clear, Ttiiey ; • will Have ©.•;'pa :^coiisequ6i nt • on ex-, •change afid/fsales 'tax about 20 per cent' .more for their goods imported from’ overseas, this may react to some exteimfin encouraging local industry, but ' the sales tax is a direct levy which must he passed oil, though liow this is-/to be clone is in some cases a puzzle. .

The political and economic situation at present is-'chaofcic so far as New Zealand is concerned. Possibly that is the reason for the strong feeling which is developing up here for the re-organis-ation of the, old Liberal Party—generally re.erred to as* the Secldon Liberal Party. There is a feeling that the country cannot be run by farmers, by labour unionists, by commercial men, Ey,manufacturers, or by any other sectional interests. We are all getting heartily sibk- of the wrangling inseparable from the clash of- conflicting inter ests and nariwed viewpoints. It is refreshing to.-rememebr the old Liberal slogan “the Government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” But would:, .it be wise to launch another political party nC lpresentr lv must be reihembered that the position would only become more obscured were a party to' lie launched -in opposition to that section of the Government which hast always professed Liberal ppinipns. The United Party (was brought into existence by Sir Joseph Ward and is the lineal descendant cf cue old Liberal Party. To bold it responsible for all that- has taken place lately under stress or circumstance* which are unique’ in the world’s history, and hahdicapped by its compulsory association with the forces of Cohsorvatism as represented by the Reform Party would be unfair. The fault was with the peopie who were divided and misled through having to make their choice between three political parties with meaning,ess, and in o»>« cajse (-Labour) directly misleading names.. Let' the Premier, and the loyal supporters erf Liberalism be invited to come out at next election as Liberals and if in. tlfij.meantime there has been proper organisation the party should bo returned with a majority like that accorded the late Mr Seddon. Possibly the leadership . might nob remain with 'Mr Forbes—that is if a better or stronger man can be found. But the 'present .Premier is quite big enough to stand aside if necessary, in the interests of the party and the country. 11 would lie far better to rally around Mr Forbes and the nucleus of the Liboral Party, by which lie is surrounded, ■than to split up the Liberal vote by .launching another party with aims and objects which . would be largely idem 'ticaf with; those" of. the United Party, i though not necessarily if the present iCoalition .Government., The coalition

was.probably the lesser of two evils a* last election, but its purpose lias been served and should never go to tie country again in its present form. It must split up into its component parts —Liberal and Conservative— and give the people the opportunity to jucge as between them.