LOWER TAXES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 173, 23 July 1936, Page 4

LOWER TAXES.

AUSTRALIAN POLICY. It is expected that during the present year the Federal Government will reduce sales tax, primage and possibly land tax, and may even favourably consider a reduction in the petrol tax. It is possible also that the salaries of Federal servants who have suffered reductions will be fully restored. It is unlikely that any reduction in the rate of income tax will be made by the Federal Government in the present financial year. It is believed that the most important concessions to be considered by the Cabinet will be:— (1) A reduction by 1M per cent to 3% per cent (9d in the £) in the rata of sales tax, which is now 5 per cent; (2) further remissions of primage duty on British goods from which about £4.000,000 a year is still collected;. (3) a rescission of the remaining reductions in the salaries of Federal public servants and Ministers and members of Parliament; (4) a further reduction by one-third in the'rate of Federal land tax. In view of the greatly reduced surplus of £700,M00 in the Postmaster-General's Department, • it is most unlikely that there will be any reduction in the present 2d postage rate.