TAXES TO PAY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 85, 9 April 1924, Page 9

TAXES TO PAY

EXAMINATION BY COMMISSION

INQUIRY TO BE' AS WIDE AF POSSIBLE.

(BY' mBGRAPH.—PRESS iSSOCUTKSK.)

INVEBCAKGILL, Bth April speaking at a luncheon tendered to him in Invercargill to-day, Mr. Massev referred further to the Taxation Com.mission. There had been a good deal or dissatisfaction expressed over taxation, declared Mr. Massey. -Farmers'and business men had said that they were heavily taxed/and he would admit that they were. He went on to deal with, the appointment of the Taxation Commission, which he had- announced ""at VVinton the previous evening. The Hon. J. A. Hanan: "I hope it -trill be open to the Press:" - Mr. Massey: "Quite right. It will be open to the Press/and ought to be." His policy, he declared, -was that every man in the community should pay taxes in proportion to his ability to pay. With regard to the personnel of the Commission, he said that they were not selected because they were business men only, but also because they were acquainted with business principles and hadstndied the question of taxation. Objections had been raised to a Supreme Court Judge acting as chairman—but what nonsense it was. Members of the Judiciary were held in the highest respect m New Zealand, and implicit confidence was placed.: in their findings. With a Supreme Court Judge "at' tho head of the Commission, evidence would be sifted thoroughly, • and the wholes question would be carefully examined He believed-that the ventilation of the subject would do an immense amount of good. Mr. Massey went on to say that the order of reference was as follows: "It is expedient that inquiry 6hould be made into the present system of land and income tax taxation in New Zealand in all its aspects, including scope, rates and incidence of the several taxes, all lowances, and reliefs, assessment, appeal, and collection, and prevention of eva^ sion, and that a Commission of Inquiry should report what alterations of the law are necessary or desirable and -what effect any such alterations would have on the rates of tax if it -were necessary to maintain the total yield of land tax and of income tax respectively." He said that he wsuld see that the inquiry was as -wide as possible. It would be open to the Press and public. Speaking for the Government, he would have no objection to the . Commission sitting in any centre of the Dominion, small or large. He gave an assurance that the Government -was not going to depart very far from any principle laid down by the Commission.