Land Taxation

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 52, 22 July 1914, Page 5

Land Taxation

THE TARAXAKf REMIT C.ATU'JED. AT THE FARMERS' CO\l';:ii::XCJE. By Telegraph.—Press Association, 'Wellington. Last Night. There was a discussion on land taxation at the Farmers' Union Conference to-day, when Mr. E. Maxwell (Taranaki) moved—"That "this Conference cannot sir any valid reason wlr, money in-" vented/m land Bhotild hp taxed dill'erently to money invested in other industries, but if it is not taxed in this manner the titx as indicated in the remit previously

sent to the Dominion Conference be adopted, viz., that as the present system of valuing land for taxation purposes lias proved a complete failure, owing to the impossibility of accurately separating the improved from the unimproved value, this conference considers a much fairer and much simpler way would he to tax 011 the annual value, with the same exemptions as capital invested in other industries, the annual value to be 5 per cent, of the capital value." In Taranaki the question was fully gone into, the rate-book was gone through, and it was found that the land warn most unjustly taxed at present. The exemption of £SOO was very small as compared with the exemption of £3OO on incomes.

Mr. G. Slieat (North Canterbury) asked where the loss in income was to be I made up. It appeared to him that the fanners were trying to shirk their responsibility. . Captain Colbeck (Auckland) replied that it was not for the Conference to ,say how the Government was to make up the revenue. ' Farmers were suffering an injustice, and it ought ito be removed. Mr. Slieat said that if the remit were passed hi its present form, it would be said that the fanners were a lot of Tories, seeking to • free themselves of taxation, irrespective of where revenue \vas to come from. "What about the worker?" he asked. "Is he not to be considered?" (Captain Colbeck: "I have nothing to (Iq, with the workman." ' - V Mr. McQueen i(lnvercargill) said he thought the extra taxation should be derived from incomes.

Mr. E. Campbell (Wanganui) said it would bo better to improve the conditions, and pot attempt to get the Government to alter its .whole policy of taxation. No Government could be pre'- . . veiled to go back to the property tax. Mt. Maxwell, in reply, said that the man who took up land with little capital should be taxed to a greater extent than the man with capital. The man who considered improvements to his farm to the detriment of his personal comfort was the one wjio was the greatest asset to tlie State, and in order to protect him the remit was brought forward. . The remit was carried by 13 votes to 7.