PAYING FOR THE DREADNOUGHT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 104, 29 May 1909, Page 2

PAYING FOR THE DREADNOUGHT

TAXING THE LAND PROPOSAL.

By Telegraph.—-Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. At Uiis afternoon's conference of the farmers' Union delegates, a remit was brought forward from Ng.ii'iuuviiliia branch Hint an Imperial tax should be levied upon unimproved lands tor Imperial defence purposes. Mr. .1. Flanagan said it was a most extraordinary proposal that for tile sake ■of defence llicv must tax the hind, lie strongly opposed the motion. It was adverse to the principles of the Farmers' Union. Mr Bennett said the farmers were groanin" under the weight of taxation already. Was the back-block settler th' only person interested in defence? Capt. Col'beck said that while the towns were liable to destruction in time of war they had to remember that the farmer was interested in having Dreadnoughts limit to protect the sea highways. Mr. G ,1. Garland contended that the farmers should only pay their llic motion was an " undigested thing, aid the vaporiugs of an untrained mind, inc motion was lost.

SURTAX PROPOSAL OPPOSED BY GERMAN CONSUL.

Christchurch, 'Last Night. At the quarterly meeting of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, Mr Joosten (German Consul) criticised the proposal to pay the,cost of the Dreadnought bv a surcharge on European and colonial importations. He felt that the motion was directed against Germany. The United States exported largely to New Zealand and was' left nut. If it were -directed against Germany, it also meant penalising our ally, France. He opposed Germany being penalised, as there appeared an excellent opportunity of the German markets being thrown open to New Zealand frozen meat. He hoped the Government would ignore the resolution, as it deserved to lie ignored. The chairman said lie eYitV. not know Hint the resolution was directed specially against Germany, but was carrying out Hie principle oif preference to the Mother Country.