N.Z.'S COMPETSTOR

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 301, 15 August 1932, Page 3

N.Z.'S COMPETSTOR

DANISH FARMERS SUFFER UNDER HEAVY TAXES. There is a general idea that Danish farmers are a frugal hard-working lot who, in spite of their high cost of production, are happy and prosperous. But apparently they are having a worse time from cost of living and taxation burdens than New Zealand farmers. A Dane (Mr. J. A. Jorgensen) recently visited Denmark and on his return told something of th'e disabilities under which Danish farmers are labouiing, He visited about 50 Danish farms, and he found that the lowost tax anyone paid was about 25s an acre, and it went up to more than £2 18s an acre, according to the value of the land, etc. ocher members of the community are taxed equally high. Anyone working pay a tax of 10 per cent, or more. A postmaster with about £600 income P'aid 35 per cent. of his gross income in taxes. A lawyer with about £2000 income paid 40 per cent. of his gross income in taxes. A doctor with £900 income paid about 30 per cent. in taxes. Many Danish farmers declared they were being taxed off their farms. One strilcing feature is the Danish farm home, says Mr. Jorgensen, with the luxurious and well-kept vegetable garden, as well as the fruit trees and berry bushes in the gardens. The Danes .know how to keep fowls, and with the use of pigs from tested sows, well supplement their income from butter-fat, while they live cheap eland better than the farmers in this country, the majority of whom negbct their own tables.