LAND AND INCOME ASSESSMENT BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 3 October 1907, Page 2

LAND AND INCOME ASSESSMENT BILL.

♦ 1 Per Press Association. i Wellington, Last Night. l The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. i The amendments made ill committee ; to the Land and Income Assessment Bill : were agreed to. On tlie motion for the third reading, , Mr. iiassey said the Bill had been welt discussed in committee, and served to show that the graduated land-tax did not always fall on tho shoulders of those most able io bear it. A question was raised during the discussion of the earlier clauses of tho Bill as to whether there was not double taxation under tho Bill, and he was of opinion that such was the case, and he still maintained that opinion. He did not suggest that money invested in mortgage should escape taxation, but he urged that it should only pay its fair share. For the first time in the history of the colony, dill'eventiation—was made between land in the city and land in the country districts. He did not object to the exemption of city lands, but if it was right to exempt city lands, then it was right to exempt lands ill the country. He contended that the tax was a revenue tax, and he urged that the Government should take steps to place settlers on Crown land and native lands. He regretted that the system of taxing flax had been perpetuated in the Bill. Owing to the demand for that commodity it was becoming more in the nature of a crop year by year, and he urged that llax should be exempt from taxation, and land-tax applied to the area on which it was grown. He also contended it was not plain that plantations were exempt from taxation. lie contended that no difficulties should lie placed in the way of a man who desired to subdivide his estate, and the Bill would bo much better if the 15 pov cent, clause was omitted. He. considered that where it would prevent one case of evasion of taxation it would also prevent subdivision of estates for legitimate settlement. In conclusion, he characterised the Bill as amended as a much bettor measure tlian when first introduced. Mr. Lang said he believed in close settlement, and considered the Government should adopt a vigorous policy of settling the people on the Crown and native lands. He urged that a graduated tax should be imposed on income as well as on property, and added that there should be exemption up to the value of £SOOO. , Mr. Rutherford considered a great improvement had been made in the Bill from its first introduction, particularly so in regard to the reduction of the amount of purchase-money from 25 to 15 per cent., though he considered the clause should have been struck out altokeMr.r'llerries also considered the Bill

had been considerably improved in committee, though he doubted whether the. amendments to the timber and flax clauses -would he met with the persons mostly concerned. He considered that individual shareholders in a company should he held liable to pay the tax, hut the company itself should be liable, and the Commissioner should sue a company in the event- of failure to pay the taw He contended that the Bill was fill) ef pitfalls, and would prove a goldfield to the legal profession. Mr James Allen could not see anv reason for the distinction made betwecn lands in the city and country. JTe contended that the Bill was one of most, 'drastic measures that had evr been placed on the Statute Book, and ho jmaintaincil it was a distinctly unjiist to make the 15 per cent clause retrospective. Mr TTogg contended that the Tiill would be beneficial in the direction ot settling men on the land, and would put an end to the malpractice of large lai.lowners in making bogus divisions among their own families. He added the "Bifl would strike a Mow at greed, a quali'y unfortunatelv unoradiealile in Irnnan nature. He thought tho Bill was too mild and would like to see it touch the shark as well as the dog-fish, the man who went about biiving up snvi 1 ! farms and dairy farms and turning th in into Riipnp runs. Other members having spoken thr Premier at 11.50 o'clock ros« in replv and pointed out that there was a con-' flict of opinion between the members of the Opposition. One had said the Bill was legalised robberv, and another'said tlipre would bo no In ml oponoil for sottlenient under the Bilk It had been reiterated that they were running awnv trom the Advances to Settlers Aet or wore afraid to put it into force T'r quoted figures to show what, lands had been brought under this Aet. From April Ist. 1007, to June Ist. 1007, tfio Government had paid 'CSin.lS?' for 3/O.<N., a ores of ! Vnd, and liabiliti-a had been incurred in respect of an ad lj. 32 > IS7 ices, valued at £210,825.

j TAXING OF FLAX LAND. Per Press Association. ,r, n ~ Wellington, Last Night. IV ' u -;." :, 1 '' (lel , , er, accompanied by Mr. IT. Field, M.H.E., waited oi'i the lenuei to-dny with a request that the I""visions of (he Land and Income Assessment BiH 8 „o»ld Uc so fnl^g " f t]l . e ownw "f fax lands who "sir operated a mill in the same C«l''lands m, " Cr Wl '° ° pmted 011 I he Premier, said this would result in the owner, while not paying income-tax, rW 0 l )!,yn, . Mlt of * t«x '"'Posed on all other parties. The proper way to tax flax land was by way of an the°matter.'