IN THE PUBLIC MIND

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 173, 24 July 1934, Page 6

IN THE PUBLIC MIND

TAXATION OF SMOKERS. SUGGESTED EXTENSIONS. (To tie Editor.) In reply to Mr. S. J. Lee and "Bewildered," I wish to point out that the Government ie compelled to find revenue to finance this country's business, and, in my opinion, the exploitation has not gone far enough. Cigarette smoking is quite •unnecessary and therefore cigarette papers can. well be done with- • out. I am a pipe- smoker and therefore speak from experience. Now I suggest that all boxes of matches shall be taxed one penny per box and the quantity*reduced in each box by half. So as not to impose undue hardship upon the thrifty housewife, a signed affidavit to the effect that the matches are to be used for only household purposes shall exempt those matches from duty, etc. A duty of 2/G per lighter per annum shall be imposed eo as to make up for those evading the match duty by using the said lighters. Four inspectors / at £300 each with expenses ehall be appointed to enforce the law and should the accumulated duties be sufficient, a further reduction of threepence per bottle shall be made on whisky, thus giving the unemployed and poorer class a greater opportunity of obtaining this beverage in bulk. DUTY STRIKER. UNEMPLOYED AND SUSTENANCE. . I note that in Saturday night's "Star" Mr. , Hamilton, Minister of Employment, is reported to have said that if sustenance was paid at the rates provided for under the original Unemployment Act the increased cost would amount to £9,000,000. I would like to point out that if the whole 50,000 unemployed were to receive the maximum of £2 14/ per week the total would reach £7,085,000. It may here be seen that with an average of under £2 per week per man, which would be nearer the actual figure's, a total coat of approximately £5,000,000 would be reached. Of course our Minister of Employment is allowing for an increased registration upon the advent of increased sustenance, but I would suggest that this would be more than offset by the absorbing of men in work at present being subsidised by unemployment funds and ako work such as that at the Hobsonville air base. Here is another case of the misguiding of public sympathy by a misquotation of figures. Through a statement by the secretary of the Devon port Council and articles appearing in the newspapers, it appears that the Devonport unem-. ployed are turning down a job at £2 10/ per week. As a Birkenhoad man about to give it a try at Hobsonville, I desire to state that the majority of men chosen are three-day men who may earn <a maximum of 30/. Of these men less than 10 per cent are navvies by trade, so the probability is that a wage of 30/, per week will be nearer the mark. FIGURES.