A TAXATION INQUIRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 103, 3 May 1922, Page 4

A TAXATION INQUIRY.

The appointment of a committee to inquire into taxation and the announcement that the committee :s to begin work at once, make sa-tii-factory news. Better late than never, but we cannot understand why Mr. did not take this step some time ago. The idea, by the way. is not h's own; originally the chambers of commerce asked for a commission. The personnel of the commission is satisfactory far as i! goes. Manufacture™, traders, farmer?, accountants unci lawyers are represented. It is a question, however, whether there arc not too many mem be re for such an inquiry, and in our opinion it is :ndifputable that the committee would '>c strengthened by the inclusion of one or two competent economists, men who have studied the theory oi taxation and linve been trained to make economic deductions. Years ago a commisi-ion was set up to consider a subject into which economics entered largely, lint there wne no economist on it. An economist was added, and he is reputed to have done most ■■>( tlie work in framing the valuable report of the commission. The committee, it has been suited, nuy make recommendations to the ftovernment. We hope :t will, and liiat it will not he content with conferring with Minister? and departmental ofllelaß The ineidonco and economic c(Te<t of taxation in New Zealand durin r , the la*t few years present n wide flelil for investigation, the results of whii'h would be of jjreut value to Fnan.e Ministers who looked to do more than merely extract from the public the maximum of taxation in the ea-ie>t way. ami really it if time that the Oovernment abandoned tliß method.