INCREASED TAXATION

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 756, 31 August 1929, Page 13

INCREASED TAXATION

FARMERS’ OPPOSITION

CAMBRIDGE, Today

Opposition to the Government’s taxation proposals, with special reference to the super-land-tax and the increase in primage duties, was expressed at the meeting of the Cambridge Branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. The subjects were introduced by Mr. JL H. Feisst, who said he noticed already a reflection of the extra primage proposal in an increase of 2s 3d a ton in the cost of sulphate of ammonia. It had been said that the increase of the primage duties from one to two per cent, would be so negligible that it could not be passed on. jSuch a statement was absurd. The Prime Minister had stated that-it was only a temporary measure, but they had had experience of these temporary proposals in the past. Once extra taxation was put on it was very rarely that it was subsequently removed. The Prime Minister had also said that if the country’s finances were right at the end of the financial year, the extra tax would be abolished. He thought that it was not too late to enter a protest and support other bodies in bringing pressure to bear upon the Government. It was decided to enter a protest at the increase of the primage duties, and urge the Government to uphold its promise to abolish it at the end of the current financial year; also that the branch considers that any necessary increased taxation should be raised by a universal income-tax.