PILING ON THE TAXES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 147, 19 December 1930, Page 11

PILING ON THE TAXES

NEW SOUTH WALES BURDENS'

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, 11th December. Like Topsy, taxation has "just growed" in New South "Wales, but tha extent to which it has grown during the last twenty years or so was not appreciated by the tax-ridden community;' of the Mother State until a leading political writer directed attention to the figures a few days ago. They refer purely to State taxation, as distinct from the Federal burdens. For the year ended 30th June, 1902, income tax in Kew South Wales yielded £190,315. For the year ended 30th June, 1927, it produced the best part of £8,000,000, and since then it has increased by leaps and-bounds. And no one knows wherei it will end, with the Lang Government on the rampage. Memory of Sir Charles Gregory Wade has been completely obliterated, -but New South Wales ought to erect ■to him a monument more lasting than, brass, for his Liberal administration, might almost be termed Australia's political rara avis. It actually remitted taxation, and also left a surplus of about £1,000,000 when it laid down the reins of office. Taxation, and yet more taxation, appears to be Governments' only refuge these days. That. is New South Wales' experience, at all events. The latest proposal, to tax winning bets, while, cm the surface, it appearay a logical form of impost, is not likely; to be without its inequitable feature, assuming one has any sympathy with the plunger who can risk hundreds of \ pounds on a race. Say a man is losing: £500 before the last race. Getting' the "good oil," he successfully places on the last race bets which yield him £500, which, ordinarily; would bring him out square. Under the latest proposal, however, he will have to hand over to the Government £50 of his £500 winnings. Thus, he is not breaking even, after .ill, but is actually out on the day's transactions. The object of this tax, of course, is to get money and not to stamp out horse racing, but. if it serves 1o reduce the nnmiicr of racing days in Sydney it will probablydo a deal of good.