SMALL ITEM TAXES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1055, 20 August 1930, Page 11

SMALL ITEM TAXES

PROTEST FROM LABOUR SUPER-TAXES SUGGESTED THE SUN } S Parliamentary Reporter PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Tuesday. The Leader of the Labour Party, Air. IT. E. Holland, threw out a direct invitation to the Prime Minister, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, in the House this evening, to make up his taxation by means of super-taxes on land and incomes instead of levying taxation on small items. The subject was brought up by the proposed clause in the Finance Bill seeking to increase the duty on mortgages. discharges, and valuations of mortgage by 2s 6d. There was considerable criticism of the small amounts of the increase, and All*. Holland rose and urged the Prime Alinister to go back to the super-tax on estates of 42 20,000 and over, and a steeply graduated income-tax, instead of worrving about such small amounts. Air. W. E. Parry (Labour —Auckland Central) said “Hear, hear,” and voiced his approval loudly all through Air. Holland’s speech. “Don’t talk hot air.” snapped the Leader of the Opposition, the Right Hon. J. G. Coates, to Air. Holland. Mr. Holland replied that it was alwqys hot air when anyone wanted to tax the wealthy. Mr. Coates’s inter-

jection showed the vapour in the attitude he had taken up. Air. Holland did not think they should bother about shillings and half-crowns. Mr. Parry: That’s the stuff. The big estates should be taxed, continued Air. Holland, and Mr. Forbes would get an immense amount of money without troubling anyone at all. He should ascertain what he would lose by abandoning the present small taxes, and make it up by a super-tax on land, and a steeply graded income-tax, starting with 421.000. Air. J. A. Nash (Reform—Palmerston): Don’t you want the Prime Alinister to go Home? Air. Holland said he would like to know what chance the Prime Alinister would have of going Home if it rested with the Reform Party. Air. D. Jones (Reform —A 1 id-Canter-bury) suggested that the Prime Alinister could do away with such taxation if more economy were practised in the departments. Air. A. M. Samuel (Reform—Thames) said the attitude of Air. Holland was paradoxical, and Air. H. S. S. Kyle (Reform —Ricarton) supported Mr. Jones. Air. Samuel viewed the proposal as a hardship on the primary producer, and a means of making lawyers more unpopular than ever. As soon as the clause was put, he proposed to divide the House. Air. Forbes said Air. Hollands suggestion might be the easier course, but the position was that they considered the present proposals were spreading the taxation more equitably, true to the promised system. Mr. Samuel divided the House, and the voting was on party lines. Reform voting with Air. Samuel. The clause was adopted by 47 votes to 26.