TAXATION REMISSION.

Shannon News, 1 August 1924, Page 3

TAXATION REMISSION.

■NOTi JUSTIFIED, SAYS MEMBER

FOR) TIMARU.

WELLINGTON, Last Night.

Mr Rolleston, Timaru, who always is listened to with attention, delivered an interesting speech in the House tfhis afternoon. Mr Rolleston contended that no remission of taxation was justified this year. If it was not justified last year, it was not justified this year. Remissions made now might'mean increases later. He would not object to the readjustment of taxation. Customs duties might be reduced, but what was reduced in Customs should be taken direct. It was said high taxation drove capital out of the country. If that was so, it did not say very- much for the patriotism of those who withdrew their capital, and if they did do so, he would like to know where they would get better < terms than in New Zealand. In his , view the suggestion that ' taxation | I drove away capital was quite illusory. 1 Could it be said that a tax of £220 | „on an income of £2220 was excessive for being freed from the menace of German domination? It was not right to exclude from the Taxation Commission the political economist and a representative of Labour. Regarding the findings of the Commission with respect to company taxation, Mr Rolleston said he thought it would be a mistake to wait until 1925 or 1926 before altering the incidence and removing the injustices and anomalies. They should be removed without delay. If the Commissioner of Taxes was to call upon every taxpayer to send in a return of his in--1 come from all sources, returns could , be in within a couple of months from , now, and if Parliament was sitting the • matter could be discussed. In view of the report of the Commission, it seemed to him that it was not right t© delay until, say, 1926 before altering the incidence of company taxation,