CLAUDE NEON (SYDNEY).

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 230, 28 September 1935, Page 4

CLAUDE NEON (SYDNEY).

BUSINESS MAINTAINED. "The lack of uniform taxation and the necessity for simplification and standardisation of the taxation laws of the Commonwealth and the . States create great hardship, and involve companies in costs which would, and should, be avoided," said Mr. W. A. Ince, chairman of Claude Neon, Ltd. (Sydney), at the annual meeting in Sydney. "Each year predatory administrations are increasing rather than reducing the' ,load, and unrelenting pressure is exercised in order to obtain more taxes. A recent estimate discloses that in round figures Australia pays £106,000,000 a year in taxation, about £50,000,000 going to the Commonwealth, £37,000,000 to the States, and £13,000,000 to local government authorities. It is impossible to measure the retarding and hampering effect of this upon normal business operations, but it is abundantly apparent that Governments are enjoying too great a share in the rewards of industry, and some effort towards remission of this burden is essential, and would create a stimulus to business generally and assist materially in relieving unemployment." Mr. Ince said that, notwithstanding additional competition, the company's business had been maintained. It had been found necessai-y to increase the factory accommodation, and it was anticipated that a further increase would be necessary in the course of a few months. Of the neon signs installed in the city and suburbs, the company erected approximately 67 per cent. Originally, many of the component parts of a sign were imported, continued Mr. Ince, but now these were being manufactured in Australia. Of all the materials used in the manufacture of the company's signs, 95 per cent was of local production.