EQUALITY OF SACRIFICE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 23, 27 July 1934, Page 8

EQUALITY OF SACRIFICE

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Analysing Mr. Masters's figures given in his speech in the Upper House; they moan that through tho high exchange (£9,200,000) reduction of interest oa mortgages, subsidies on rates, rebates on fertilisers, lime, raw materials, and unemployment subsidies concessions to tho value of £.12,000,000 have Jjeen extracted in one year from tho working, commercial, and professional classes to subsidise primary production.. This would represent a tax .of £12 per head on ono million people, a severe exaction for such classes with restricted earnings. It is subsidised production with vengeance. As the abdve does hot include goods admitted freo of Customs tax or sale? ,-tax. exemptions, nor does it include 'other produce subsidies, probably £16,000,000 would bo "nearer the total granted to primary production. So say £16 per head for one million people. Many of the producers do not subscribe to the Unemployment Fund, reputedly having no income,' so there is about £5,000,000 also to: be, found by practically the same people,' plus wool growers, for the.unemployed, and the primary producers are costing about three times as much as the unemployed relief. Where is the "equality of sacrifice" which was tho policy, of the Government at its election? is it any wonder there is no spending power in the great majority of the population?— I am, etc., ; . EQUITY.