THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1920. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXIII, 8 December 1920, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1920. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Why Not Tax The Bachelor? Consideration of the latest cost-of-living bonus has revived the question as to the taxing of bachelors. In his estimates of the increased cost of living, the Government Statistician bases his figures on the cost to a household of five persons, which is generally recognised as the average I for the Dominion. Tbm set-ms a fair thing to do, but the question arises, is it fair to grant a bachelor the same bonus that is given to a married man j with a family? The married man who | has a wife and children to keep deJ serves every penny of the bonus, but j the bachelor gets extra pay for little I or so extra expense in cost of living, j To remedy this unequal state of affair: j various suggestions have been made, j but the solution of the anomaly is not i an easy matter. It is argued that if | bachelors were to be paid a lesser j wage, employers might be tempted -to j engage single men, io rh? detriment ! of fathers of families. Against this, j however, it must be said that the bonus is not an increased wage, but j purely a bonus to meet special condi- | tions, and where these conditions do I not apply -to a worker he should not j c-saoecf to receive tire tmnus. The only ' way to fairly meet the position L for the bachelor to be taxed. His Honor Mr Justice Stringer, in discussing this matter at a recent sitting of the Arbi-Coftf-r, zi Wellington, voiced this opinion. ~ He teggesteo that, ir this were done, the jax eosus. .be used to subsidise the meif with s family.- j “Thepaehelor.”said his Honor, “gdt j the benefit of the big wage, and be should help the en.?n r 7ib ered married mam In many cases the surplus moaey wa» wasted in racing and other frivolities." Now that the matter has' been fully ventilated, possibly something will be done to remedy the present highly unsatisfactory method of granting a bachelpr -the same cost-of-. living bonus that is paid to a man with a family of six.or more ehiMrem

Electric Power Development. The Hon. J. G. Coates (Minister for

Public Works) in a recent public statement, gave some highly interesting and impressive figures relating to the cost of hydro-electric power development. ' These figures are, of course, approximate only, and subject to contingencies. Arapuni, Horahora, Kaituna (for which money has already been allocated), Waikaremoana, Mangahao, a scheme for Blenheim, Hake Coleridge, and the Otago and Southland works, to be completed in ten years, would require £59,800,000. The headworks would cost between £17,000,000 and £20,000,000, and the distribution to consumers the balance. It was for the people of the Dominion to say (said the. Minister) whether works of this magnitude should be undertaken. All the power to be produced by these schomes could be sold to-day. An expenditure of sixty millions is a big undertaking for a little country with a little over a million population. However, this is au age of big things.' The possibilities of hydro-electric power are tremendous, and theses ehernes, when carried out, will add enormously to the resources of the country, give a great impetus to various industries, and effect a saving of an enormous amount of money annually. As the Minister states, all the power produced by these big schemes could be sold to-day if available. New Zealand has oxcopj tionul facilities for developing hydroelectric power, and, if we aro to keep pace with the times we must take advantage of these. Possibly it might be wise to hold over for a time a certaiu portion of the works contemplated, but those already in hand should be pushed through with tho utmost despatch, and other schemes taken up as soon as the financial position warrants this being done.