EASING TAX BURDENS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 April 1943, Page 6

EASING TAX BURDENS

PROPOSALS BY NATIONAL PARTY EXEMPTIONS FOR FAMILY. SLIDING SCALE OF WAGES IMPOST. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, April 12. More liberal tax exemptions in respect of dependent children, so as to ease the present financial burden on parents and encourage larger families, are proposed by the National Party, Mr S. G. Holland stated in his address tonight. Tax exemptions would also be extended to Cover scholars and students, as it was no use advocating a higher standard of education, and trying to induce boys and girls to attend secondary schools and universities, while cutting off the tax exemption when they reached the age of 18. It was also proposed, he said.. to alter the existing method of collecting wage tax by introducing a sliding scale, varied in proportion to the number of children, and this also would help the family man. Household helpers would be exempted from wage tax so as to encourage girls and women to take up this type of service, which was of national importance in lightening the burdens of motherhood. Later the National Party would introduce a training plan for the post-war period, so that girls could qualify as, trained home assistants. Their services, at least in a part-time capacity, would be made available at moderate charges, and no woman, whatever her financial position, would be denied the opportunity of having help in the home during confinement or sickness. Work-saving appliances for the home would be free of duty and sales tax in order to reduce their cost.

Referring further to taxation, Mr Holland said the National Party would undertake a general overhaul so as to give a fair deal to the thrifty and for those on fixed incomes or superannuation. The position of people who had made provision for their own social security,, through superannuation and insurance schemes, would not be forgotten, and the payment of workers’ compensation for injuries would not be allowed to affect social security rights. A complete overhaul of Government expenditure would be made, he said, in order to eliminate much avoidable waste,, and thus make greater social services' available from the savings so effected. ’