THE CIVIL SERVICE BILL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10711, 17 September 1912, Page 5

THE CIVIL SERVICE BILL

1 THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. (By Telegraph — Frets Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. The Chamber of Commerce this evening discussed, the Lund and Income Tax Assessment Bill, as amended by the Public Account's Committee. Mr G. C. C.impbell, Commissioner cf Taxerj, was present, and explained several points connected with the Bill. He said the taxation of th? profits of indent agents' principals was not new, but merely an amendment to close a loophole in the Act, which w-jis discovered two years ago. The meeting discussed the general question, and the indent agents strongly protested against the injustice cf being made personally responsible for the payment of the tax by the principal. A motion condemning the tax and personal responsibility was lost 1 . Mr Mabin ("President) said the amendments exempted shareholders in manufacturing, mercantile and loan companies from the graduated land tax. but shareholders in land speculating companies, farming companies, etc., remained liable. Ti) answer, to inquiries Mr "Campbell said Section n" exemnted shareholders of companies which owned no land other than praeticallv business premises. . The shareholder? in other companies had the value of the company's.land, proportionate to his holding in shares, added to his privately-owned la.nd, so that he should pay on a higher basis because of his shares. He received credit for the taxes paid by the company, to avoid double taxation.'

A -PROTEST. 'Bu Tdearavh — Press Association. ). CHRISTCHURCH. Last Night. At a general meeting of tuo Christchurch brunch of the New Zealand Postal and Telegraph Association, the following motions were unanimously adopted:—"That this branch emphatically protest against the proposal to bring the Postal and Telegraph" Department under the provi.sio.ns of the Bill, on the grounds that the Service as a whole is satisfied with the present classification, nnd that the nature, of work and hours of duty are entirely foreign to any other Department of Public Service.;" "That failing the exemption asked for in resolution ono, and. seeing that the Bill is to be considered together with the Commission's report, and tint the report ig framed on evidence given by all Departments but the Post and Telegraph, then it is urged that the Committee of the"House, to whom the Bill is to be referred will call evidence from the representatives (f the Association, and of the various branches, otherwise we are sufFeiuig a distinct injustice."