MINISTER IN REPLY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1532, 30 August 1912, Page 6

MINISTER IN REPLY.

SECOND HEADING CARRIED. The Hon. JAMES ALLEN (Minister for Finance) rose to reply at 1.10 a.m. He was gratified at. the reception given to tlie Bill. There had been no very tangiblo criticism to which he could reply. The member for Christchurch South had said that ii Bill had been approved bv (ho Mackenzie Government, and he led the Hotiso to believe that this Bill was practically the same Bill. In point of fact that Bill had been carefully considered by the New Government;, and thoy had decided that tlioy could not adopt it because it. was t-o unjust. It took more taxation from the small farmers with a holding of low improved value, and less from the wan with a holding of a value of over ,£30,000 improved value. It did away also with the 25 per cent, increased tax. It was true that the 25 per cent, was absorbed in the graduations, but the graduations were nbt tho graduations of the present Bill. The nett, result was a less tax. Opposition members especially Mr. Wilford, were only too anxious 'to make it appear that the Bill was meaningless, and that better allownnco for improvements would so reduce taxable value that less taxation would be collected. There was nothing iu the objection. It was a fact that the improvements on estates over .£30,000 in improved value were worth only JM,000,000, and those on estates below that value were worth jE24,r)On,OnO. He had. been misrepresented as having objected to the graduated land tax. As.a matter of fact the member for ■ Taurausn, Mr. Hervies, had declared for the graduated land tax on the public platform, and th? result was that the then Prime- Minister. Sir Joseph Ward, had made use of this statement to. induce wealthy landowners in -Hawko's Bay to shut their purses to the party then n Opposition. In conclusion ho se.id that the Government were "out for settlement every time." Tho second reading was carried on tho voices. Tho Bill was referred to tho Public Accounts Committee. The House rose at 1.-J0 a.m.