LEVY ON WAGES.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20273, 26 June 1931, Page 11

LEVY ON WAGES.

A SHOCK TO SYDNEY. NEW SOUTH WALES LEGISLATION. BASIC WAGE WORKERS EXEMPT. (UKHF.ft PIIESS ASSOCIATION —ST JEL'ECTBIO TELEGRAPH —COPYBIGIIT.I (Received June 25th, 7 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 25. The citizens of Sydney received 3 rude shock to-day when confronted by the Sydney "Sun" newspaper contents bill, "Lang's New Staggering Wage Tax.'' The proposed tax is described as an emergency Taxation Bill. This measure, which is being introduced into the Legislative Assembly to-day, provides for new heavy levies on all incomes at their source, and additional to the ordinary moome tax. It will replace the present unemployment relief tax, and will operate from July Ist. The Bcale of taxation ranges from one shilling in tho & on incomes of 80s per wefek and rises to 2s Gd in tho & on incomes of £lO per week, but wages below 80s per week are to be exempt. The Government, expects to derive from this source £5,000,000 or £6,000.000 a year. The Premier, Mr J. T. Lang, expects in this way to solvo the problem of meeting Government expenditure from revenue.

SCALE OF LEVIES. (■Received June 25th, 11.-13 p.m.) SYDNEY, Juno 25. Mr Lang's Tax on Wages Bill has been delayed until to-morrow. The official ;atca are as follows: — 111 the £. s. d. £4 to £5 a week •• 10 £5 to £6 a week .. ..20 £G to £7 a week .. ..26 £.7 to £lO a week - • 3 0 £lO and over a week .. 5 0 The last-mentioned salaries will be taxed on a flat rate. The opinion is expressed that the Legislative Council will throw the measure out, and thus cause a crisis, and possibly a general election, as Mr Lang has no other means of raising funds. HEAVY TAX ON SALARIES. (Received June 25tli, 9.20 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 25. Although the Premier and Treasurer, Mr J. T. Lang, ha 3 not yet divulged his wages-tax scheme, it appears that earlier anticipations are not quite correct. Well-informed Labour circles indicate that the present tax of one shilling in the £ will be imposed on salaries up to £SOO a year, and 5s in the £ thereafter. ■ r FEDERAL MINISTRY. TWO NEW APPOINTMENTS. (Received June 25th, 7.50 p.m.) CANBERRA, Juno 25. Senator J. J. Daly (South Australia) and Mr L. L. Cunningham (New South Wales) were to-day elected by the Federal Labour Party to fill'the vacancies in the Federal Cabinet caused by the resignations of the former Assistant Ministers, Messrs E. J. Holloway and C. E. Culley. The division on the Loan Conversion Agreement Bill will probably occur tonight. It is anticipated that the Government will win by a" substantial majority, and safely reach the recess in August.

~ " t MONEY BILL PASSED. (Received Juno 25th, 9.30 p.m.) CANBERRA, June 25. ■ An Imprest Supply Bill to cover Government expenditure to the end of the current financial year was passed by the House of Representatives. i .{ FLOOD WATERS RISE. ALARM IN MANf TOWNS. SYDNEY, June 25. Messages from the south and southwest indicate the growing alarm of many towns as the flood waters rise. At Wagga and Junee business is at a standstill, and scores of residents awoke to find water swirling through their homes. Water is pouring'from Lake Albert,, four miles away, into Wagga. The town is in grave danger, the Murrumbidgeo having risen to 29 feet. A flow of 12 feet over the spillway of the Burrinjuck Dam is reported. The back-waters overflowed on to surrounding property. At Hay,'the Murrumbidgee is more than six feet above the critical n ark. Conditions are equally ' disturbing on the Laehlan River. Forbes is safe, but , all low-lying country is covered to a depth of several feet. The main bridge over the Adelong Creek was washed away, and the main street at Ganmain is under four feet of water. A record flood is expected at Tumut. Rain is still falling. Two other people are reported missing, believed drowned, in the Billabong Creek. HOMES DESERTED. DAMAGE TO CROPS INCALCULABLE. (lieceived June 25th, 7.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 25. ' About 500 people are sheltering at the Wagga Show Grounds. The weather generally is improving, but the rivers are still rising i n the south-west. Thousands of homes have been deserted, and the damage to crops is incalculable. Liner Niagara Held Back. The Niagara's sailing has been postponed until Biidnioht fn order to allow the inter-State passengers who havo bfles dsl*j#d thft south*ra floods to