THE FARMERS PARLIAMENT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8855, 4 July 1907, Page 2

THE FARMERS PARLIAMENT.

The Graduated Tax. , Press Association. Wellington, July 3. At tho Farmers’ Union Conference, Mr Leadloy (Canterbury) moved : “ That this Conference protests against any further increase of the Graduated Land Tax.” The mover said ho did not wish it to appear that they objected to the Graduated Land Tax as a tax. All they objected to waa its increase. A man would derive a revenue of £320 from the investment of £BOOO in New Zealand consols, and the amount he would have to pay tax on would only he £2O. A man who invested £BOOO in land, whether ho made any profit or not, would have to pay £35 or £4O to the State. That was a great inequality, and it was fair to ask for the' removal of it, He asked to have tho remit amended accordingly. There was objection to this, so the motion was moved as originally submitted, and Mr Birch (Marten) seconded it. Mr McQueen (Southland) said it hai| been proved tf) the satisfaction of tup Conference that disintegration was already going on satisfactorily, so there was no necessity for the increase of ft tax for thip purpos?. , , . , i „ Mr Cooper considered it unfair to tnx all landholders because there might bo a few estates which should be cut up, Mr Jones (North Canterbury) moved that there ho added to the motion the words “ unless a similar increase is made in the Income Tax.” ,• The President: If the Graduated Land Tax is forced upon the country I should not bo averse to see under certain conditions the whole wealth taxed. l , I could not personally vote for the motion. ‘ ‘ Mr Jones withdrew'his'aniendmenfe, and tho motion was passed in this “That this Confercnco protests against any further increase of tho Graduated Land Tax for the purpose hinted at by Mr MoNab m several of his recent addresses.”

On the motion of Mr Laadley it was resolved that tho system of treating mortgages as land under the Graduated Land Tax is a cruel injustice to landowners, as thereby tho State collects a tax twice over on tho same amount, first from tho mortgagee on his loan and then from the mortgagor on tho capital. 'The Confero ice alsodeoidcd to protoat against improvements being undervalued in order to unduly force up unimproved, or taxable values, Mr J. G. Wilson was re-elected President, 0. W.' I.eudloy Vice-president, Members o£ Advisory Board : J. Peat, H J. Peat, H. Richards, W. Birch, J. C. Cooper.

Tariff Question

To-day the Earmors’- Union gaytj some' consideration to tariff q\vp|-, tjoiifi, On' the motion of the Auckland delegate it was resolved that the Conference protest against any increase in duties for tho protetion of local industries, as such duties would raise the price of all protected articles to the consumer "and thus detrL mentally affect all other industries j and that should any amendment bo made to the present tariff it should be in tho direction of a revenue tariff.

Tho following remit from Taranaki caused a long discusisou—' ‘ That in tho opinion of this Conference it is desirable to reduce the taxation on the ncessaries of life. ’ ’

The motion was strongly criticised and was ultimately withdrawn. Tho Conference again reaffirmed its opinion that unconditional pre. feroufial treatment shall be con* tinned to the Mother Country,