More Popular Budget Likely This Session

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29832, 26 May 1962, Page 10

More Popular Budget Likely This Session

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, May 25. The Government’s action in extending for three weeks the time allowed for the issue of the writ for the Buller by l election makes it probable that the main subjects of controversy in both the Buller and the Timaru by-elections will relate to the contents of this year’s Budget.

The most favoured date for the presentation of the Budget is Thursday, July 12—exactly five weeks after the opening of the session.

Last year’s Budget was presented on July 20, a little more than four weeks after the session opened. Sources around Parliament Buildings have been quick to assume that there is a connexion between the Budget presentation and the revised date for the Buller by-elec-tion.

It is suggested that the fact that two by-elections involving Labour-held seats will now be held after the probable Budget presentation indicates that the Government has a Budget which it assumes will win votes.

likely vote-catchers would be a reduction in the cost of petrol by the removal of

the remaining part of the Labour Government’s impost, the removal of some of the taxation on cigarettes and tobacco, the lessening of taxation on beer and spirits, a firm reduction in the rates of taxation on incomes. The Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) has said several times in recent months that he hopes taxation can be reduced. So far there has been no indication as to the line the Government will favour but the evidence is that, in the opinion of the Government, by-elections held after the presentation of the Budget will not be such a blow to Government confidence as the recent poll in Waitaki. (Buller By-election, Page 12)