FRESH TAXATION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 952, 20 October 1910, Page 4

FRESH TAXATION.

Some surprise will: be occasioned by the new .taxing ;Bill introduced by the Government on' Tuesday last: It was only a few days ago that the Minister for . Finance directed attention to ; the large .increase, in revenue recorded during the first six months of the current financial year. The increase recorded was something' like £374,000_ab6ve that of the corresponding period, of last year. It has" to b9 borne 'in mind also that the revenue last year, due partly to increased '. taxation,', established, a, re-, cord for the Dominion. 1 In view,of these facts tod the buoyant state of the. revenue generally it is surprising to find the'Government'bringing down proposals to, wring.. -further., taxation from. the pockets of. the people. , :T.he increases as they .'affect the pockets of individuals may be seen from the following table, but it has to be borne in mind tliat companies are also subject to additional imposts:' ■ Income Present Proposed '■■ ■ £ Tax in .£. Tax in J. • s. d. 6. d. 300 to 400 ' / 6 G . 400 to 600 " r> 7 600 to .700 , 6 8 ' 700 to. 800 .: 6 :. ' 9 .- 800 to' .800 6 , 10 .- '' 900 to 1000 6 11 .1000 to 1250 -. 1.0 1.0. 1250 to' 2000 1.0 ' 1.1 Over 2000 1.0 1.2 ; , With the balance brought forward at the beginning of the year, £432,316, the' Minister for Finance .'should be able to show a surplus, this year within measurable distanco of one 1 million. There is ho { reason why 1 there should be any appreciable increase of expenditure and the-rev-enue all round shows substantial' in- I creases.. ; Why .'.then this , further taxation ? We'can only-attribute it to I a desire to make an, impression on the eve of the general elections.. .Tho I Government.will then be able to captivate the unthinking by, pointing ,to a huge surplus extorted from the taxpayers of the, country; and' cbncil.iate the -electorates by a ' remission - of, some portion of the taxation .so unnecessarily imposed..