TAXATION METHODS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 14, 16 July 1937, Page 10

TAXATION METHODS

REFORMS URGED

FARMERS' UNION DECISIONS

Several taxation reforms were urged in remits carried at today's session of the Dominion Conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union.

Mr. K. J. Holyoake, M.P. (Nelson), moved: "That women be exempt from unemployment tax until they become eligible to benefit from the fund." Mr. Holyoake said the Government was now in a position to grant the exemption. The remit was carried, It was also decided to urge that in taxation returns farmers should be allowed for renewals and replacements of crossings, bridges, and other permanent improvements washed away by floods. Mr. L. O. Oakley (Mid-Canterbury) I moved: "That land tax should be levied only on the equity in the farmers' holdings." Mr. W. A. Sheat (Taranaki) said that such a course would be inequitable because the man with free land would pay more than the man with a mortgage. ' The remit was carried. Mr. H. E. Blyde (North Taranaki) moved: "That because of the reported increased number in employment and the increased wages and incomes, this meeting is of the opinion that the rate of the unemployment tax should be reduced very considerably."

Mr. Blyde said there should not now be the same necessity for the present rate in the pound. If the number of unemployed had been reduced there was no need for such a large fund.

Mr. R. H. Feisst (Auckland) suggested that the tax should be very considerably reduced. While the unemployment fund was buoyant there would always be somebody to draw on it. Farmers were being taxed to keep in idleness men who should be available for farm labour. A suggestion was made by a delegate that 2d of the 8d should be reserved to meet hospital levies, which were proving a heavy burden on the farmer, but the president (Mr. W. W. Mulholland) declined to allow this aspect of the question to be discussedl The remit was adopted. A.Southland remit asked that the attention of the Government should be called that a farm labourer was taxed on the basis of 15s a week for his keep while the farmer was allowed only 10s for the same keep. Mr. G. Hamilton (Southland) said this was one of the pin-pricking anomalies that had been allowed to creep in. The difference of 5s was supposed to cover lodging, but that was too high and the 10s for board was far too | low. Eight or nine years ago £1 had j been allowed, and why that had dropped to 10s no one knew.

Mr. W. H. Thomas (Wairarapa) said that agricultural 'workers were allowed 30s for wages and 17s 6d for board, and the farmers should have the right to enter that accordingly.

After other delegates had spoken, the president (Mr. W. W. Mulholland) said there was goqd reason for the difference. The lodging was not taken as an expense but was covered under depreciation. As far as the allowance was concerned, it was not an arbitrary figure and if it could be shown that it should be more it could be increased.

It was agreed that the question of increasing the allowance beyond 10s should be taken up by the Dominion executive.