The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1917. CARNIVALS AND WAR FUNDS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1674, 13 February 1917, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1917. CARNIVALS AND WAR FUNDS.

IN the course of an interview at Timaru, Mr James Craigie, M.P., strongly condemned the carnival method of raising war funds, and urged that the Government should place a direct tax on capital in order to provide adequately for such needs as (hose of returned soldiers, and to compel those who were not giving voluntarily to bear their full

share of the burden. “The private wealth of the Dominion,"’ he said, “is estimated, according to the Year Book, at £285,000,000. Suppose the Stale put a tax of 5 per cent, on this wealth, making the amount payable in three, or even five, years. This would be fair for everybody and fair to the country, because every man would be contributing according to his ability. If we can regard £250,000,000 as the amount of private wealth that would be taxable, 5 per cent, would produce the very satisfactory sum of twelve and a-half millions. With this at call tiie Government could contribute to such funds as the Red Cross and the Patriotic Funds, especially the latter, which are required to help returned men and soldiers’ dependents. I can see no fairer way of meeting our obligations than by a direct tax on capital. With the nation at war, every citizen should contribute according to his wealth. But I would not tax the man who has already given his hundreds or his thousands to the great cause. After computing the tax, I would allow everyone who has given voluntarily to deduct the amount he has given from the sum he is called upon to pay.”