LEVY ON WOMEN?

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 148, 25 June 1931, Page 9

LEVY ON WOMEN?

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF. WOULD WELCOME INCLUSION. MISS MELVILLE'S OPINION. Now that there is talk of doubling the amount of the unemployment levy and making it 15/ a quarter instead of 7/6, the question has again been asked, "Why not include the women?" Connected with most of the women's movements in Auckland, there are few better fitted than Miss Ellen Melville to express an opinion on the subject, and this morning she unhesitatingly said the scheme should by all means be extended . to women. She said women claimed the privileges of citizenship, but they were also willing to accept its responsibilities. Provided women benefited under the Unemployment Act, there was no reason whatever why they should not contribute towards the fund. Men and women should certainly be put on an equality. She was convinced from what she 'had seen and heard that many women would be quite prepared to be taxed, and that would obviate the necessity for doubling the amount levied from men. If women shared in the benefits of the Act they were quite willing to become tributors. Some Well Able to Pay. When the Act was before the House last year protests were made against the women being excluded from the benefits and penalties, and the majority of women were of the same opinion today. If the women were taxed on the same basis' as the men it would provide a, considerable sum of money. In the case of a married man, he would have I to pay for his wife, but he would not be in any worse position if his own tax ;had been doubled; women who were , earning their own living could well afford to pay the levy; and in the case of girls living at home and not m a billet, they gave their services in the home, and surely the father could pay the levy for them. . , , Miss 'Melville admitted the levy might come hard on some widows with small incomes, but she said that it was just as hard for men with small incomes. Personally «he welcome

women being brought under the Act, and she was certain many more would be of the same opinion, as it would cost many of her sex less to be brought under the Act than it did at present in trying to alleviate the distress and want caused by unemployment. "Flat Rate Not Hardship." Miss Melville said she did not think the flat rate of the levy was such a hardship as some people imagined. In the case of the man with means he would really contribute to the revenue through other channels, such as income tax, rates, and so on, whereas the other man would simply have his levy of 7/6 a quarter to pay, and that was the end of it as far as he was concerned; he .did not contribute to the revenue in other channels. "Yes" concluded Miss Melville, "always on the understanding that unemployed women enjoy the benefits oi the Act, I am sure that most women would be willing to beartheirshareof contributing to the fund, just in the same way as the men.