IMPARTIALITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 199, 23 August 1930, Page 13

IMPARTIALITY.

tax hardship cases;

RELIEF of landowner.

"GENEROUS," SAYS MR. FORBES.

(By Telegraph—Parliamentary Reporter.'*

WELLINGTON, Friday.

Tie point that'the' 'Government had n ot attempted to influence in any way commission that cases. 0 f hardship aVismgf out of ; last year's B uper land tax 'legislation was 'empiasised .;l>y -the : .a'rime iMmiker, the Hon. G. W..Forbes, ■when ; 'maving the second reading pi 'the taxing bills. " jjr Forbes,'remarked' that the Reform -arty was entitled' to take* whatever wedit it could for the r.emoyal of the supertax on.' land, -but his ipersonal opinion was that.the.net-effect: of their last session's effort —the insertion of the word • "whatsoever" • in • the hardship clause—had nothing whatever to do with the results../, .. The whole position hinged on the administration: of the hardship..clause, and this was done in a generous spirit, otherwise "the;! results would have been Tas tly dirfefent.- In: appointing, the commission, the. Government did not attempt to influence ■it, and there '. was. nobody, on the commission to protect the interests of-tiie revenue. The Government accepted the commission's recommendations, and in finally removing the supertax it was influenced by the fact that primary producers were having a hard itinie owing to the heavy decline in - [values. However,,.he felt that it showed a poor spirit.-'pn the part of a' number; of men whi); secured substantial remis-. sions ;.of., haying put it overi|K? ,&mhiissiOTu'' J Incomes.- 1 *; • 1 "The about rejmciijgi.' on?,this: ; the removal the; Hon. Stewart i (Dunedin West), Goyemmentj-'he continued, Iliad appoint^its own commission to* investigate ' appeals;' and he could not^u^d : erstand the -xeferencQ; to the Governmenti'liaviiig. no- : representative on the commission.. . The' members entered and did their work.;-ski)fully,- carefully and fairly. of fact, : the- resultof the. commission showedr that everytMflg said/on t%.;R|fdrig, side „w&s cor-,, rect. He ;(Ud with the',. Budget inference -thitt' tlio tax wak removed "because it ' foiijjd 1 4:pd i i ftgid ) Vins.it& sqmp ca&gs'. The commissionj-wenit much. fUrthetf an<i said that j the yavoraige income irt many <#ses did;vinot .ietiirii v more.; than - 3 - or 4. per cent on - "the capital employed,' This threw; a v ;flood of .light' 6n!tfi"e.p.onu,-. lar impression;: Sfe .. large-Janil-' owners made princely incomes.