WOOL PRICES AND TAXATION

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 139, 9 December 1924, Page 9

WOOL PRICES AND TAXATION

TO THB EDITOR. Sir, —Your correspondent in Saturday night's issue suggested an export tax on wool. He is quite right^ there is only one way to reduce taxation, and that is to reduce the burden the country is labouring under. If opportunity is not to be seized, such as is now offering by the continued prosperity, well, Sir, when and how can this Dominion ever hope for relief. _ Tlie Government have, further, a moral right to obtain something from the farmers. Were they not subsidised out of public money during the war, and have they_ not been subsidised for yearb by special concessions given them by the Railway Department? The primary industries were fostered and given susten- ! ance by reason of the exceptionally low railway rates charged on all things^ pertaining to and necessary to mature the land. The Railway Freight Book simply bristles with sueh t concessions, not forgetting the free carriage of lime. Sir, notwithstanding this foster-partner-ship by the State, it was only the other day when the Government found fit to gazette a regulation reducing the railway charges on the carriage of wool. Can it be realised by the community that the Railway Department should have to resort to such an expedient, with record prices for wool, in order "to induce its beneficiaries to now, patronise them, whilst .other users of the railway receive no such consideration. To them that hath shall be given. Surely Sir, it would be only just and ri^ht, under such circumstances, it the tax as suggested by your correspondent, were enlorced and made retrospective —I am etc., ' ANOTHER TAXPAYER, 6lh December.