SIR G. GREY AND TAXATION.

Evening Star, Issue 8553, 27 June 1891, Page 2

SIR G. GREY AND TAXATION.

IFrom Oub Parliamentary Reporter,] WELLINGTON, June 26. Sir George Grey's views on the question of taxation are of such recognised importance at the present juncture as to require no apology on my part for asking him to-day to put them before me; and, with that courtesy to Press representatives for which he is well known, Sir George readily complied with my request. He said:— " My views on the inoome tax have been forßhadowed in speeches of mine in proposing the souroeß from which such tax should be derived, and whioh are not at all opened up by the present Government proposals, Mr Rees has been Collecting a great deal of information on this subject, and will deal with it in his speech in the House to-day. I estimate that between LBO.OOO and LIOO.OOO could be derived from a tax on bondholders, This will not only relieve the present taxpayers of that amount, but will give them the money in reduction of other things, Until Mr Rees makes his speeoh I do not care to say more, because I feel it is only just to him that he should have an opportunity of showing the care that he has bestowed upon the subject in working it up. With me the real thing is that every man who gets an income from the country should pay for the protection of that income. My views on the subject of the land tax are that we have a right to have all improvements exempted, and that the tax should only be levied on the unearned increment; that is what we want to have taxed. I have not changed my views on that point in any degree."