OBJECT OF LAND-TAX

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 743, 16 August 1929, Page 1

OBJECT OF LAND-TAX

PENAL OR REVENUE? BUDGET DEBATE CONTINUED Press Association PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Today. It was not the intention of the Government to harass the small firmer, said the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, Minister of Industries and Commerce, in his speech on the getThe Government's desire was to increase the number of farmers and enable young men to earn a decent living on the land, and if the Government did not carry out that policy won some other Government would, tuii perhaps in a more drastic manner than was at present proposed. Mr. Cobbe asserted that Reform numbers were using the increase in the primage duty as a stalking horse. Their real objection to the Budget *a» the proposal to Increase the tax on large landholdings. He hoped that before long an unemployment insurance scheme would be in operation in the Pominion. The Government would stand or fall by its policy of closer land settlement. He agreed that there *ere mauy properties that were not suitable for very close subdivision and in such cases a thousand acres or even more were necessary for each farm, but that was no reason why foch land should be held in blocks of 10,000 acres or more. OBJECT OF TAX

Mr. K. S. Williams stated that as * land owner he had not the slightest objection to paying his fair share of taxation if the object of the proposed increase was to raise more money, which might be necessary, and so long *’ k w as fairly distributed he personally wouid raise no opposition, but if 'h« object of the increased taxation *as to break up estates he would hse the Government to consider one nr two points. He presumed it was dm first duty of any Government desiring to increase the productivity of i e country to bring in undeveloped and. This consisted principally of "o classes, bush land and open land cartiiliy covered with manuka, fern, and native shrubs. Wben any such and was brought under a development scheme care should be taken that settlers w ere placed in a posijion to be able to continue on 4he and- For instance, in the case of wmice lands, an important aspect as to get. in manures quickly, aud nm that point of view continuation the Rotorua-Taupo railway would MTe been justified. lines of development thl? f° an interjection, he said tp . not con sider the construc- “ ®f & good road would be equally satisfactory. added that it seemed to i-i * 3e s ' ( l e 't rac king the issue refer to the Rotorua-Taupo railway " a branch line. KeYertlng to k* s main point, he said thought the Government dsv i flrst bring in suitable un- . eloped land, and when that supply to l “ €en exhausted it should then turn 1688 developed lands at present in be i not tbink that it would !hx f t 0 im P° Be a penal tax on land t was not suitable for subdivision. a e . Government, furthermore, should it c *° * rD T ' >se a Penal tax unless - oastdered the properties under conraatag* 011 be used to greater adTbe House then adjourned.