THE BURDEN OF TAXATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2720, 12 April 1924, Page 3

THE BURDEN OF TAXATION.

(To The Editor.) Sir, —The “Post” report. of Mr. Massey's speech at Invercargill says:—“Mr. Massey referred to the Taxation Commision; There had been a good deal of dissatisfaction expressed over taxation,” declared Mr Massey, “farmers and business men had said they were heavily taxed, and he would admit that they were.” Surely this is an admission that the system of taxation inflicted on those people by Mr. Massey and his Government is wrong, and the farmers and business men will now perhaps recognise that they had been fooled and will insist on a change. Mr. Massey’s proposal to appoint a Commision to find the remedy for him is even more startling. It is surely another admission that he and his Government are , incompetent to handle one of the first principles of political economy—the incidence of taxation. If the Massey Government is so hopelessly incompetent to do its work, which it was elected to do, and is paid to do, why do the farmers and business men support it? Surely they will now see that it is time we had a change, and that, after Mr. Massey’s admission of incompetence for that is what it is', surely his duty is to resign and give someone else a chance to do wliat he admits he cannot do, and not shirk his responsibility by shifting it on to an outsider Commission which is not responsible to the electors. Mr. Massey says the farmers and business men are complaining: of course they are; it is about time they did; the small farmers and business men are too heavily taxed by the Massey Government, and so are the workers who indirectly pay a tax on every article of food and clothing they get. The only people whom the Massey Government is concerned about are the wealthy squatters whose big purse keeps the Massey Government in office. Surely it is time the people did complain—but the remedy is in their own hands —to put out this iniquitous Government that has fooled the too- long and put in a party which knows how to adjust the burden of taxation fairly and squarely to the shoulders best able to bear it. The Liberal-labour party has a leader with the necessary courage, with a wide knowledge of human nature, a long business and political experience, and who has in his ranks staunch men like Mr. Veitch of Wanganui, and Six- Joseph Ward whose ability to handle finance is well known. Let Mr. Massey and his useless old fossils get off the grass, and give the opposition a chance, and no outside Commission will be needed to show the new Government how. to do its duty.

I have no fault to find with the personnel of the proposed Commission. The chairman, Mr. Justice Sim, is a gentleman for whom 1 have the greatest respect and admiration, but being a member of the Judiciary •it will be difficult, if xiot improper , to criticise his findings, even if we do not agree with them, and this being, a political subject, it should be spen to the fullest scrutiny and criti-cism.-—I am etc. P. L. HOLDINGS.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Will you permit me to suggest to the Foxton Chamber of Commerce that representations be made to the post office authorities to have the Wellington night mail sorted upon arrival so that urgent correspondence can be answered in time to catch the morning mail? — Yours etc., BUSINESS. [THIS subject has been discussed by the Chamber- and it was pointed optiathat the night sorting might result in the closing down of the counter delivery between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. For our correspondent's information we may point out that the south mail via Levin closes at 8 p.m. and via Palmerston .North at 7 a.m.. —Ed.