The Budget

Press, 13 June 1978, Page 16

The Budget

Sir, — P. R. S. Thompson (June 7) said he objected to his taxes going towards helping wealthy farmers. I think lots of people would agree with him. Perhaps he does not know that Mr Muldoon looks on this help to farmers not as a handout but as an investment and hopes to get it back with interest Mr Muldoon, like all investors, makes mistakes. He invested over $4,000,000 of taxpayers’ money in the freezing works to buy industrial peace. He did not have long to wait to find out it would not pay a dividend. The cooks and stewards held up a ship for five weeks at a cost of $1,000,000 a week. The taxpayer had to foot the bill. Export bans and the like all have to be paid for by the taxpayer. That is why P. R. S. Thompson will not get much tax relief from the budget. — Yours, etc., J. LOGAN. June 8, 1978.

Sir, — While the monetary concessions in the Budget for farmers and taxpayers provide some pleasant relief in election year, it is difficult to see how these actions are going to increase the nation’s production or curb inflation. A one thousand million dollar deficit this year added to the rest. Maui production will have to be good to pay the capital and interest. It appears that our Government is just waiting for something to turn up. The Labour Party has entered the bidding with its proposals, including tax reform, but gives no clear indication of how it will be financed or how it will curb inflation and benefit the public. The only man to date, in the political arena who has told us “that production must be increased and that inflation must be curbed, before the problems can be solved.” is Mr Beetham, and that we must unite to this end. After all, it does not matter how many dollars you have, it is what they will buy that matters. — Yours, etc.,

A. G. O’CAIN June 10, 1978.