TO ENCOURAGE (?) THE REARING OF LARGER FAMILIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 December 1915, Page 6

TO ENCOURAGE (?) THE REARING OF LARGER FAMILIES.

Sir,—l notice a footnote attached to the form required to be filled in relative to income received by fanners from use or occupation of land, which, to my mind, needs remedying, as it shows very poor statesmanship on behalf of our National Government. It rends that a deduction of j:2,") is allowed for ea.cli child to the number of five under flic ago of sixteen years dependent on the taxpayer, but, such deduction to be limited to £12.") ill cases where tlic'.nunibor in a family under sixteen years exceeds five. Had it read that no'deduction was allowable on families of two or under, but for all families over five under sixteen years •'■f :■";'" (he amount, of deduction allowed to be ieeiea.-ed to over Ci") per head. i! von hi have shown common-ense. and -oiv.o de-dro to a~si-t those most,in need hi' assistance, who are doing their best io lay the joiiiu'ation of our nation on a solid basis, as there is no doubt those bred in a country arc a greater asset to its welfare than llio-o imported from out-idc er.i :itries, "We have laws prohibiting the sale of preventives, yet the main reason of so many childless marriages and very limited families is the' use of preventives in some form or other. Yet one of the first things our so-called statesmen, in raising taxes for purposes of defraying the cost of ibe war, do is Io penalise those who do not violate the laws of Clod and man and at the same time endeavor !o promote the welfare of the nation, and by doing so reward those who are sapping the life of the nation at its foundations by endeavoring to I>iiiit. the laws of nature. To my mind, the one tiling the Itritisb nation has move, to fear than the (iermnn peril is the decline of its birtli rate. The nation is

showing it> patriotism by the shedding of its blood. It is to be hoped it will also show its patriotism by not'allowing the present great sacrifices to be annulled in years to come and the nation to perish owing to a declining birth rate. It may, not be a nice problem to cope with, but necessity demands it, as the Germans are already taking steps to endeavor to recoup the losses caused by the war. In conclusion, I trust those responsible for the foolish policy our (,'nvoriiment is

endeavoring to carry out in regard to deductions allowed in the proposed lax will rise to the occasion and make allowances where they are most needed. The deductions as specified set me considering if we with families are called to leave all to light for our country in a foreign clime, might we not find later that pen-

sions to dependents will be limited on the same lines as those of the proposed tax? 1 consider married men who go to the front have a right to know before leaving what their dependents will receive in (he event of their death or disablement.— I am, etc., v H. A. HUNT, Waiungona, Dee. 8.