Death Duties

Press, Volume C, Issue 29516, 18 May 1961, Page 3

Death Duties

Sir,—The Labour Partypresident said that "New Zealanders were tolerant to the point of callousness and insular to such a degree that they could give the world nothing.” That they could not learn anything, either, would also apply. Making some restoration if not filching anything from anybody; it is simply restoring ill-got-ten gains. Mr Barclay says land values have increased £60,000,000. Perhaps; but it is through inflation. The real earnings increase is very slight, if any. The catch is that the farm has to be sold to get the big capital gain. If, as in the majority, of cases, it is just handed on to the heirs, enormous death duty rates are charged on non-ex-istent gains. This question definitely concerns all wageearners who either use materials which sterling buys or are in jobs dependent on such materials. The land speculators could pay the present 'duty. The bona fide farmer I cannot. Mr Barclay does not differentiate.—Yours, etc., V. WILKINSON. 1 Ashburton, May 17, 1961.

i Sir. —In today’s issue an Australian writer says the * lower death duties in Aus- ' tralia encourage capital and 'so increase employment If I this is so. then why has i Australia ovei' 80.000 unem- ! ployed and New Zealand 1 none? Generally speaking, j estates up to £14,000 pay less duty in New Zealand than in Australia, and this is over 90 per cent, of the estates * that pay duty. My argument ;is sound—that the Government is pinching increased Post Office charges, increased electricity charges, increased ' medicine charges, etc, from the public /including the poorer people) to enable the Government to make rebates to a privileged class. There can be no question that a man receiving a legacy of many thousands of pounds is more privileged than a man

receiving less.—Yours, etc, J. G. BARCLAY. ( May 16, 1961.