THE TOBACCO TAX.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 25 July 1913, Page 4

THE TOBACCO TAX.

A year or two before he died, the late Mr Seddon expressed his intention of doing •omething to relieve the burden bri the working man by reducing, if not removing entirely, the duty on fobacco. There are a great many pttople in the community who do not twXfr, •*<! wiw regard tolSta#® M »

luxury that should bo heavily taxed. These people have no right to be oonsidered. It is pure selfishness to suggest the taxation of article that one does not use himself. With due deference to the opinion iield by non-smokers, we maintain thai tobaooo should be placed in the category of "necessaries of life." By the working man it is regarded as an essential to existence, and by thousands of others it is looked upon as necessary to the maintenance of home' ocmfort. The Reform Party would .be performing an act which would redound to its oredit, and which would, gain the sympathy oi a large section of the community, if it were to reduce the Customs doty on tobacoo, even if it were necessary to increase the graduated land and income tax to make up the deficiency.