‘National Govt. Increased Indirect Tax’

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30294, 21 November 1963, Page 16

‘National Govt. Increased Indirect Tax’

Although the Prime Minister had claimed that the National Government had lowered taxation, it had increased indirect taxation more than £6 million a year, the Labour candidate for Ashburton (Mr A. G. Braddick) told an audience of seven at Allenton last evening.

“This is an increase of £20,209,000 in the three years from freight, telephones, electric power and other sources.” said Mr Braddick, When Labour was the Government in 1960 the total tax a head was £126 15s. For the 1963-64 year it was £l5O 7s. As far as the worker was concerned the National Party had not made any reduction in taxation, he said. Mr Braddick said that the National Party had not found as many new markets as it should have done. The United Kingdom must join the Common Market. “How important it is that the Government should have looked for more markets. Japan is one market we should look to, with its everincreasing population and rising living standard. The Labour Party feels that it should endeavour to try and trade with the poorer South-east Asian countries, giving them short and longterm credit. This would raise the living standards and create friendship, while making a trading market for New Zealand and these countries.

“The only wav to combat communism is to feed the people dying of starvation.” he said. “Communism has offered them something and they have accepted it and become Communistic countries.”

Mr Braddick said that a Labour Government would

do something to lower rents, which were in some cases too high. With the removal of some of the protection to tenants under the act there had been an increase in rents of 29 per cent and 24.9 per- cent of the dwellings in New Zealand were rented. “We will repeal the provisions of the act,” he said.

Labour would also increase industry in smaller towns in the South Island, he said.

“For many years the South Island has been forgotten as far as industry is concerned' To maintain employment we must have more industry in the South Island.” Secondary Tax

The time would come when every man and wife in New Zealand would have sufficient from his or her job without having secondary employment. However, the Labour Government would reduce secondary employment tax to 3s in the £. With more industry in smaller towns, the drift to the larger cities would be stopped. Where it was economically sound, a Labour Government would build the factory in the towns. “Labour feels that its oresent policy is the best it has had and it is needed if we are to maintain a high standard. It gives more incentive to all members of the community than any other partv. “Some farmers have told me that they could increase production by half on their farms, but if they did the increase would be lost in taxation. Under a Labour Government half the extra production will be free from tax.” There had been some talk that if Labour was returned it would not have the men to carry out its policy. “I say: who were the Government which increased payment for wheat? Introduced the world's greatest rehabilitation scheme? And the irrigation schemes?” Labour in the past has done more for the farmer than National. "We in the Labour Party do not profess to be geniuses, but we all have common sense.” said Mr Braddick.