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Evening Star, Issue 16515, 29 August 1917, Page 4

The Finance Bill, which gives effect to and enlarges the Shaking Up thO proposals contained Financial Slackers, in the Budget, was explained at considerable length by Sir Joseph Ward in the House yesterday, and its full test will be found in another part of this issue. The measure is novel, drastic, and far-reaching; while it constitutes a record in financial legislation so far as this Dominion is concerned. Its most outstanding feature is the abolition of the Graduated Land and Income Taxes introduced by the Ballance Administration when, in 1891, they abolished the Property Tax, and the substitution therefor of a progressive Land and Income Tax, a special War Tax on all taxable incomes, a specific tax on amusements, and an increase of the Beer Tax by Id per gallon. It will also be noted that the experimental Excess War Profits Tax has been swept away. Provision is further made for an increase of 5s per week in the pensions paid to the old people, widows, those who took part in the Maori wars, and to miners who suffer from pneumoconiosis. Specific taxes are also laid on kinds of sport (including racing); but the tax on amusements will not cover admissions that do not exceed 6d per head. This is a distinct concession to the popularity cf the cinema shows. The scale of taxes on the admission tickets to all places of amusement is to be Id where the charge does nob exceed 2s 6d, 2d above that sum, and 3d when the price is 7s 6d, which for practical purposes is the outside cost of witnessing any entertainment in New Zealand, though entrepreneurs may now be obliged to "consider their position," and may follow the universal example of passing on the new tax to their patrons. Under the Land Tax a concession is given to small farmers in respect to deductions for mortgages. This is estimated by the Minister of Finance to equal from £BO,OCO to £IOO,OOO. Half the rate of the Land Tax only is to be paid on land held by religious societies exclusively for religious ot charitable purposes, and on land held by sports bodies-. Under the progressive Income Tax deduction from income is to be allowed for the sale or removal of timber. This removes a long-standing grievance and hardship. A deduction of 2£ per cent, is allowed for depreciation of brick buildings, and of 4 per cent, for wooden buildings. Naval and military pay earned beyond New Zealand is rot to be assessable for Income Tax. . A refund of taxation may be made" to small shareholders in companies. There are drastic provisions for the compulsory subscription to the New Zealand War Loan, but allowance may be made in respect to contributions to patriotic funds. The penalty for failing to comply • with those compulsory provisions is an additional tax equal to double the total Hunount of the offender's Land and Income Tax, exclusive of last year's Excess Profits duty. The provisions dealing with Customs and excess duties may be made applicable to the Cook Islands. It is provided that War Loan certificates may be,; acquired on the time payment system by monthly instalments for a period not exceeding 1$ months. State and private employers may (with the consent of their employees) deduct from thelatter's wages purchase money for War Loan certificates. The Minister of Finance is empowered to raise up to £1,850,000 for Public Works, including the employment of dischargedsoldiers; the rate of interest thereon not to exceed 4| per cent. The increase in the several classes of pensions is to operate from July 1 last, and will continue for a year after the expiration of the war. We shall take an opportunity of discussing in detail the most important provisions of this epoch-marking Bill

We earnestly hope that the City-Council- . will affirm the Water and Drainage, recommendations

of the sub-com-mittee, and secure the retention to the City of the services of Mr Slinger. Suggestions have been made that there is hardly enough work for Mr M'Curdie' and his staff, and therefore the question is raised in the Press and elsewhere: Why the need to find a position for Mr Slinger which the scarcity of work will not warrant? In this respect a short extract from the valedictory speech of ex-Mayor Downie Stewart, when vacating the mayoral chair of,the 0%, is of interest. Mr Stewart,.in referring to the engineering department, said, inter alia: I am still convinced that this department is in need of revision, and that the increased work that has been thrown on

it will render it Imperative on the council to reconsider the whole position of this department at an early date. No complete scheme of organisation has -since been considered by the council. The idea to place Mr Slinger in charge of the drainage and water department is worthy of commendation, and should receive the support of those who have closely followed the administration of the engineering department. Mx Slinger has been singularly successful in his carrying out of the engineering works undertaken by the Drainage Board. Many difficulties have been met with and surmounted by Mr ' Slinger; and it is satisfactory for us to be able to state that, in our opinion, his work has given entire satisfaction to the citizens of Dunedin. He has, by reason of the board's? boring operations and incidental work, naturally acquired a thorough knowledge of the subterranean strata within the City boundaries. The opinion k held bv many that much valuable underground water that could be utilised by the City is running to waste, and also that, if some scheme were placed before the council for the reservation and utilisation of such supplies, the big Lee Stream proposals, estimated to cost over £200,000, might be postponed for a considerable time. We understand that Mr Slinger has ideas in this * connection, and will be prepared to place them before the council in concrete form.

We think that, in approving of the subcommittee's report, the council will be making the best of bargains, as ah engineer with Mr Slinger's successful record would have little difficulty in obtaining a position elsewhere at a considerably enhanced salary to that which it is proposed to offer him. Again, his engagement would be terminable by a month's notice ; so that if it were found (which we doubt very much) that his services were superfluous to the engineering departments, they could at a short nofcioo be dispensed with. We feel confident that Mr Slinger will, with little difficulty, overcome the much-vexed question of the discolored water the public baths. Unquestionably something must be done by the authorities to obtain purer and cleaner water for the baths, and this would doubtless bo one of the problems he would take in hand. Our last word to the council is, therefore, by all means secure the services of Mr Slinger, and thus materially strengthen the City engineering department, which has in the past, rightly or wrongly, not retained a full measure of the"public's confidence.