TAXATION BURDENS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3683, 27 August 1927, Page 2

TAXATION BURDENS.

MANAWTAU SHEEP FARMERS.

1 POSITION EXPLAINED. “For many reasons land tax, plus rates, may give widely-differing results when applied as taxation ‘per head of sheep carried,’ ” said the Minister in charge of the Valuation Department (Hon. A. D. McLeod) in the House of Representatives yesterday in reply to a question Mr. W. H. Field (Otaki) had l asked concerning the taxation burdens some of the sheep farmers on the Manawatu line were stated to be bearing. “In the first place,”' continued the Minister, “land tax varies from Id to 7 17-20 d (less 5 per cent.) in the pound unimproved value, and its amount is determined entirely by the total unimproved value of all the laud held by the taxpayer, without relation to any particular property. Furthermore, climate, transport facilities, proximity to centres, and class of sheep carried must be considered. The country through which the Manawatu line passes is exceptionally well served in all these respects, and it is to be expected that its rates and' land-tax per head of sheep carried will be greater in less favoured localities. In any case the number of sheep carried is not necessarily a true indication of value, as in many eases properties so used could be more profitably farmed if used for other purposes, such as dairying. It is recognised that in some districts particularly those valued during the ‘boom’ period, the valuations are at a high level, and every effort is being made by the department to revise them at an early date.”