A GRAVE INJUSTICE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3159, 10 August 1917, Page 6

A GRAVE INJUSTICE

THE PENAL TAXATION OF SMALL, SIiAIIEKOLDJBES. Sir,—ln your leading article of tto 7th instant, you touch ujon a subject of grave concern to many thousands 01 persons ol smalt means iti this Dominion who are now called upcvi to pay onethird of their incomes in 'taxation. We all know that there are .many widows, aged men, and others incapacitated from work who have put their hard-earned savings into joint stock companies, and in the habit of deriving from tli% same an income of anywhere from £oW to i3OO per annum. Their position w. easily seen when one-third of this amount: is taken from them. Now, had the incomes of theso people been derived from, any other source they would practically' have escaped taxation, and possibly Jiayo* received a war bonus of 17 per cent, to 20 per cent., as many other insn. witft better incomes now receive. This tax can only be looked upon as absolutely unjust, and u black mark on, our legislature, and the sooner those wno. are now 'to be the victims make them- • selves heard in the land t. e better loithem. To take one-third of the. income, from poor ,peoj)lc, whilst the rich live, in luxury, is beyond my ken. If the. man with .£3OO a year is to be taxed TOthe tune of £VXt then the man witli. .£9OO per annum should pay .£3OO, and soon in proportion. Xn joint stock companies the individual shareholders should, be taxed and not the company. If anyone does not agree with this, then doubtless vour columns will be open to him to explain why. Thanking you in anticipation, and enclosing my cardr-I iV»» etc., PAIK I LAX.. Woodville, August 9.