WAGES TAX.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 208, 2 September 1932, Page 3

WAGES TAX.

HOPE OF REDUCTION. SUMMER WORK WILL TELL INTENTIONS of government. PRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENT. An important statement concerning the prospect of an early reduction in the amount of the special unemployment taxation, popularly designated the "wages tax," was made by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, this morning in an interview on his arrival from Wellington. "As far as I can judge," said Mr. Forbes when discussing taxation generally, "there will be no further general taxation of a direct nature this year. I do not know what might arise out of the Ottawa agreement, but that is another matter altogether. "The Unemployment Fund is being administered with the utmost care, and while we can claim that the maximum amount of relief is being given with the funds available, every endeavour at the same time is being made to carry through without any additional imposts for this undertaking on the people of New Zealand. "Wo are expecting that during the summer months additional employment in ordinary channels will be available, and this will have the effect of lightening the load on the Unemployment Fund. If that expectation is realised and the additional employment in those private occupations during the summer is maintained, the Government would be in a position to review the present tax of 1/ in the £■ There is nothing we are more anxious to do than to reduce the amount of that particular taxation below a shilling because we must recognise that it is a heavy tax, and that the sooner it can be reduced the better it will bo for the country."