BURDEN OF TAXES.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 July 1922, Page 4

BURDEN OF TAXES.

DOUBLE IMPOST ON FARMERS. PROSPECTS OF REDUCTION. STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Prime Minister was asked by <thd Farmers’ Union to free farmers from the double impost of land and income tax. Mr. Massey replied that this matter was of great importance. “I want to reduce land and income Qix as soon as it is possible to do it,” he replied. “I want to get back to where we were before the war—not possibly so much as to amount, but to the position where the producers paid one tax only, the land tax.”

Mr. Massey knew that the farmers had practically during the last year been faced with a levy on capital. Taxation had been paid remarkably well, although there were still some very large arrears awaiting collection when things improved. He could not say how much the reduction he was seeking would be, but he was going to do his best. The rebate system had perhaps been a roundabout way, but it had helped many a man to make ends meet. Touching on markets, Mr. Massey said New Zealand would have to strive hard to retain hers, and hoped freights would be reduced. If ships were to be purchased the producers would have to find nearly all the money.