POLITICAL NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1917, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

Mr. 0. A. WILKINSON'S SPEECH,

(Our Parliamentary Reporter). Wellington, July 17. In the House of Representatives today Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (Egmont) said that a great deal of unfair criticism had been levelled against the -leaders of the National Government during their absence in the Mother Country. The two Ministers had done very valuable work in London and had assisted in the initiation of great changes in the affairs of the Empire. He (believed that in the years to come New Zealand and Australia would have to establish a fleet adequate to the defence of their interests in the Pacific. Trade preference should be arranged in favor of the United Kingdom. Mr. Wilkinson said there was a great feeling in the Dominion that New Zealand was sending too many men to the front. What would happen to the country twelve months lienee if the present rate of reinforcements 'Was continued? Members were entitled to know what the Government's liabilities and obligations really Were. Parliament -would stand -by the promise of the last man and -the last shilling if necessary, but members wanted to know delinitely what New Zealand had been asked to do and 'what it had promised to do. Clear and definite answers were needed on those points. The conscription law had proved sound as far as the IFirst Division -Was concerned, but it had still to he tested in its effect on the Second 'Division. iHis own idea was that a national stock-taking should be undertaken 'before tho Second Division men were token. The First Division (should be combed out. Sir James Allen: "We atje dojins| that." Mr. Wilkinson: "The country is not satisfied that it is being done thoroughly." He did not think it right that men should he taking fares on trams and doing clerical work in the civil service while other men 'were being wkkeh from essential work on the farms. More use should be made of women in nonessential occupations. The Second Division men would not shirk, but they were entitled to assurances on the points he had mentioned,, and if necessary Parliament would have to insist upon the assurances 'being given by the Government. He advocated a graduated income tax, plus an excess profit* tax calculated on a fair basis. The abolition of the excess profits tax would relieve' many big snen and 'big concerns, at the expense of the smaller tax-pay-ers. He suggested that in the calculation of the excess profits tax the Government should allow an exemption of £SOO and make a reasonable allowance for normal expansion of 'business. Many farmers had paid more excess profits lax tlian they should have ipaid, owing to their misunderstanding of the methods of assessment. Sir Joseph Ward: "We did not get anything like our estimate." Mr. Wilkinson opposed an export tax, which ho regarded as an unjust burden on the producers. Sir Joseph Ward: "There la going to be no export tax. You can make your mind easy about that." Mr. Wilkinson advocated early closing of hotels and advocated a revised Bystem of hotel licenses. The large hotels should pay increased license fees. Mr. Wilkinson proceeded to quote figares regarding the operation of a Taranaki farm, with the object of showing that the farmers had not made undue profits. He said that on a typical farm the average cost of producing a pound of butter-fat during the last three years had been Is 7d, while the average price received had been Is 7%d, The cost of production included an allowance of £302 per year for the owner's labor. The butter-fat le»y had been a most unjust imposition and the only effect, apart from the hardship to producers bad been to keep up the price of butter. The .price in the cities had been Is 8d a pound,-as fixed iby the Government, but one Taranaki factory had recently sold TOO boxes of butter at Is 3d per pound. Tho deibate was adjourned on the motion of Mr. Jennings (Taumarunui) and the House rose at 10.35 p.m.