TAX Off BACHELORS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1037, 30 July 1930, Page 16

TAX Off BACHELORS

MR. J. S. FLETCHER’S IDEA HELPING UNEMPLOYMENT FUNDS TIIJ2 SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter WELLINGTON, Tuesday A tax on bachelors over the age of 25 was suggested by Mr. J. S. Fletcher (Independent—Grey Lynn) in the House of Representatives today, as a means of assisting the funds for relieving unemployment contemplated under the Unemployment Bill. He also suggested that, instead of a central board, special economic committees to carry out the same work and act in an advisory capacity should be set up in each of the four centres. Beginning his speech. Mr. Fletcher suggested that the name of the Bill should be altered to that of Employment Bill, for the present name meant an approach of the subject from the wrong psychological angle. It prejudiced the results of the legislation. The whole value of the Bill, he said, lay in the clause relating to the finding of work and the development of primary and secondary industries so that they would absorb more men Around that clause the measure would have to be built up. It was obvious, he said, that with the present number of unemployed, sustenance could not be paid with the funds available. Last year £1,400,000 had been spent on 5,000 unemployed, and this year, on that basis, finance for 13,000 men would have to be found. Regarding the flat rate, Mr. Fletcher said that insurance premiums were reckoned on a flat rate according to equity of risk, and therefore he thought that young men with no responsibilities should pay toward the relief of unemployment just as well as married men with families, whose employment fluctuated. After all, it was only the cost of a packet of cigarettes a week. He suggested also that bachelors over 25 should be taxed to help the fund. SOLDIERS’ REPRESENTATIVE Discussing the board, Mr. Fletcher said he did not believe that there should be a soldiers’ representative on it, as the question affected fit men only Ho was also against political patronage in the way of appointihg members, and believed that these should be appointed by the interests concerned. He suggested, instead of a central board sitting in Wellington, economic ; committees in the four centres, representing primary and secondary industries, commercial interests, and the workers, which could submit their opinions on industrial projects, and let the Minister decide. Mr. F. Langs tone (Labour—Waimarino) decried the idea of a tax on bachelors, and said if half the bache- ; lors were as good-looking as the member for Grey Lynn there would be no bachelors. The House chuckled.