CIVIL SERVANTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 66, 19 March 1931, Page 9

CIVIL SERVANTS.

"INTOLERABLE TAXATION." SIR FRANCIS BELL. PROTESTS. NO ECONOMIC JUSTIFICATION. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Resuming the debate on the Address-in-Reply in the Legislative Council today, Sir Francis Bell (Wellington) asked the Council not to treat the financial position a s a wartime crisis. They should proceed in a businesslike manner, instead of making appeals to patriotism and for the co-operation of the man who did not agree with the Government's proposals. They should not be coerced into voting for them because of such appeals. He did not care whether his views coincided with those of the party with which he had been associated in the past.

Public servants were a special class of the community, and a very defenceless class. They were being asked to bear one-third of the deficit, and this was opposed to all principles of taxation. It was all very well to talk about equality of sacrifice, but what justification could there be for such intolerable and unbearable taxation as that? There was no precedent for taxing to such a huge extent a specially limited class and a specially poor class. It was ridiculous to say there were no alternatives, and he suggested that use should be made of accumulated surpluses and the profits of the Post Office. A tax could also be placed on sugar and tea. He did not believe things were going to be as bad as had been predicted. If he stood alone -in the Council and if it was his last day alive, he would be glad lie had stood alone against a wicked and unjust taxation.

Sir Edwin Mitchelson (Auckland) said he agreed that people with salaries under £300 a year should not be subjected to a tax, although he not agree with the last speaker. He criticised expenditure on non-paying railways, and expressed the opinion that preference to unionists should be abolished.

« The Hon. 1). Bucldo (Canterbury) said it would be an extraordinary tiling if the salaries of public servants were not touched. It was the duty of every mati and woman to share in the sacrifice. He through local bodies might do a lot by practising economy in borrowing. He expressed himself as being against the revision of the wheat duties.