N.Z. INDUSTRIES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4520, 26 January 1923, Page 4

N.Z. INDUSTRIES.

. NULLIFIED BY TAXES. ADJUSTMENT WANTED. At. the last meeting of the Central Progress League at Wellington Mr G. Mitchell gave a report, on the industries of New Zealand. A few extracts from it read as follow :— “Of; all the countries of the world none are more irichly endowed than our own. We have gold, silver, copper, marble, asbestos, lime, marl, coal, iron ore and ironsand, timber, gum, flax, potter's clay, and rich pastures from which are provided hides, skins, fat and wool. In fact, all the raw materials are provided in one of the most richly endowed spots op tihe earth. An abundance of coal awaits development, besides’ which water power flows from our ranges in every part cf the country.'’ NATURAL GIFTS'. “On this little spot the great Provider has deposited for the use of His people this great, natural wealth, which is placed in our hands to develop and use for the common good. We have also a people very diverse in physique, ability, and inclinations. Some are suitable for. the farm, others for the workshop or factory, and others, again, for the office oy warehouse. All those different classes of people may be experts in the vocations for which Nature has fitted them, but complete misfits in any other calling. The country whose people are directed into avenues of usefulness which Nature has fitted them for will gain the greatest, economic value from its people, and will attain the highest, standard of life and living for its workers. A POOR SHOWING. “View from all points, our secondary industries make a poor showing. I dp not believe that this is on account of want of industrial enterprise by our people. The incidence of taxation, whereby wc tax industry instead of taxing wealth, makes it impossible for them to compete with competitors in other countries, where a.more just incidence of taxation obtains. We certainly encourage industries by Customs duties, but more than nulli-i fy that encouragement by our system of taxation. We give protection with one hand and take.it away with the other. In Victoria the company would pay Is company tax to the State and 2s 8d Federal tax on their undivided profit only, while in New Zealand the same company would pay 7s 4d in the £. A company in Victoria could probably /pay Is company tax, freight to New Zealand, and Customs duties, and then landlheir goods, in New Zealand cheaper than the same company could manufacture them in New Zealand and pay 7s 4d in the £ company taxMANGAHAO SCHEME. “Only those industries which, ?y monopoly or other cause, can pass this tax on to the people arc able to carry on in the Dominion. “Early next year Wellington will have 12,000 Kp. from Ma.ngahaio, and a’plant at Evans Bay costing upwards of £400,000, and capable of turning, out 12,000 h.p. The highest peak load for the city last year was 10,000 h-P. and the average is not nearly so hi to - Allowing for an immediate demand for much more power than is obtainable now, we will still have power available for new industries, whicn power it is necessary to make immediate use of in the interests of economv onci efficiency* -We have the workers, the raw material, the power, and the capita . AU that is required is of the company tax which will al ov all tliis labour, material, power, ~ capital to come together and function for the good of all.”