CORRESPONDENTS' VIEWS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 215, 11 September 1945, Page 4

CORRESPONDENTS' VIEWS

TAXES AND TIMBER H * "" s^Bl To the Editor : ""*- It is nearly 12 months since Aus. tralia lifted the sales tax off building material, and Canada followed suit immediately upon cease fire | Europe, yet New Zealand has not "'• made any attempt. This tax is probably the most unfair of all, where building is concerned, as it is only paid by one section, those who wishto own their own homes. A, wfio /": already owns his house, pajjg : nothing, while B, who has just Jjoat or is building, has to pay £200. The price of timber is-fartpo high for a commodity whichrisieiing / cut from virgin forests. It is quite evident that the present Government hates to part with taxes once they have been imposed, for there isn't one instance where a reduction hasbeen made since they took office, not- - withstanding all the election promises. Australia has just an- ' nounced that she is about to lower taxation considerably. If she Is able to do this it seems strange that our Government is not able to do Kkewise. During a recent Budget ■ • speech a Government mentber stressed the fact that taxes were re- \ quired for rehabilitation purposes. This means that the benefits granted I to the serviceman from this source .-, will be taken from him in the form of high taxes on the goods he pur- ~ chases —Give with one hand and ' take with the other, or as one old soldier puts it, "make him pay for the shells he fired." In regard to the present shortage of building timber, I have been grven to understand that the high taxation imposed on the miller is responsible for the limited output, which could be greatly increased if he were given a - fair deal. I know from my own experience as a factory worker that it does not pay to work long hours of overtime, as the Government will get down on a good proportion, of the proceeds. Mr. Langstone, M.P., said that it would be folly for the Government to let go of one penny of taxation. That isn't the opinion of the workers, who are called upon to pay most of the taxation. HOMELESS.