“ANOTHER FORM OF TAXATION ”

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22370, 6 April 1938, Page 9

“ANOTHER FORM OF TAXATION ”

SIR ALFRED RANSOM’S OPINION (press associatios telxguam.) HASTINGS, April 5. “I regard this as another form of class taxation,” said the Hon. Sir Alfred Ransom, when questioned in Dannevirke about the superannuation scheme. “The scheme was first announced as a universal superannuation scheme; but it now appears to be universal in only one respect, which is that everyone will have to pay,” he said. “Only the unfortunate, indigent, and thriftless will receive any benefits from the scheme in the present proposal. Those who pay in most will receive nothing of the benefits. “The Prime Minister has stated in the House on more than one occasion that his Government’s objective is the raising of the standard of the unfortunates; but we do object to the dragging down of the more thrifty section of the community to the same level.” Sir Alfred said the Prime Minister had expressed the hope that the emergency wages and income unemployment tax would be wiped out; but was imposing a new tax which would continue forever. A new public department would be required to carry out the work demanded by the bill. Already under the present administration the public service had been increased more, than 8000,.