THE DOMINION'S TAXATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 18

THE DOMINION'S TAXATION.

A DISTURBING LESSON 1 . (From Our Own Cob.bjespondt.nt.) WELLINGTON. February 3. Mr John Durbie. ok-M.H.R., and a reliable anrhoritv on finance, writes in tonight's Post regard. mr the orosoechve surplus as follows:-'" The public i« *l«£'Hv tokl on tho authority of the Ritrht Hon. tho Primo Minister, ihat the revenue for the yoar to January 31 last exceeds that of tho nrov,o», , ear for the same £rm by ■CS^I 377 Surely, in presence of the Wo--issuranco that the tariff on the whole carried conc^ons to the taxpayer +h;<= ■<! a truly marvellous outcome. Js it J^fhlc that, after all, the Ministerial tariff reforms realh- meant an increase of taxation* Tf one turns to tho Met for o-MiVineo the «fati«=fips are <uj°-<resfivo of fomefEU of fnnt sort. In 1891. the -ear the Rtllaneo Government succeeded to nfPce + be imount then- raised hy taxation '.;. £2 179 7?9 In 1906-7 the amount *o ra'i,ed h«d ri.-en to £4.264 555, or ftearly r'ouMe; Hut if we apply thi<= to the rate 1-or head o f the moan copulation the mo a«e o ,- '=i a* alarming rate of 37 per rent Purely this is a crushing increase, n ,. O f i\Vch t^ere is little room for bon-'»t-,>rri TWond this, the taxnayor's burdon i," further nusrripnted by the local boYlv f. irl t, or Tn 1895-6. the first ypnr for whfc>> r fiiri <-be lotums available, this amounted to £6F66 F 6 nfl9 T.ns.t year local taxations ran up to £1 338.536. Vinjr an increase at the. rate of 95 per cent. Statistical facts im perhnDS too much lost sight of, vet when r-on=irjored the'- teach a very important, if in this case a disturbing, lesson."

Austria i* now at the top of elovo-makinsr t-ountrirs. In 1880 she made 500.000 dozen nair*. In 1900 her output was 2,000,000 rlozen.