TAXATION

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 53, 11 September 1928, Page 10

TAXATION

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Your correspondent Mr. Ernest A, James lias been somewhat upset by "Observer's" letter ia your issue ©£ Saturday last, and would even lead your readers to believe that Mr. Winston Churchill has made some mistake. Mr. James, however, has not fully and frankly stated the exact position; he should really have gone back to 1913 and thus, let your readers see the* figures before the war and the figures today. I append them herewith: Total Taxation Year ended taxation. ■ per head. March. £ - £ 1913 .. 5,006,000 5 2 3 1920 .. 16,252,000 13 11 1 1921 .. 22,184,000 17 14 4 1922 .. 16,371,000 12 14 8 ■ 1923 .. 15,715,000 11 19 8 1924 .. 16,540;000 12 8 O . 1925 .. 16,550,000 12 3 5' 1920 .. 17,255,000 12 711 ■•- The table shows that total taxation' ii now more than three times as great as ia 1913. But population has also increased, and hence the amount per head is nearly two and a half times greater than in 1913. If allowance be made for the rise in prices also, the real burden of taxation pcx; head works out at 67 per cent, higher thaa in the pre-war j'ear. Most of this increase is directly due to war expenditure, but ordinary debt charges have growii greatly since the war, and the State's interest payments- per head of population , are now greater than the total taxation per head before the war. Revenue from Rates and Other Taxes. Total receipts. Bate per head. £ £ 1913 .. 1,969,00 d 115 11 1920 .. 3,389,000 216 1 1921 .. 3,814,000 3 0 11. ' 1922 .. 4,057,000 3 3 1 1923 .. 4,563,000 3 9 7. , 1924 .. 4,759,000 311 4 . 1925 .. 5,013,000 313 8• ■ 3926 .. 3,475^000 3 18.8. This table shows an unbroken increase from pre-war years, both in total revenue and in rates per head. Total rates, etc., have been multiplied by nearly three, rates per head have more than doubled, and if allowance be made for the rise in prices the real burden of local taxation per head has increased by 51 per cent. —I am, etc., K. M'LENNAN. 10th September.