CHILD ENDOWMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 August 1941, Page 2

CHILD ENDOWMENT

AUSTRALIAN CONTROVERSY SYDNEY, August 6. Members of the Federal Labour Party are again threatening a poatieal upheaval, this time over the method of the Federal Treasurer (Mr. Fadden) of the financing of child endowment. Mr. Fadden wishes to abolish the statutoiw income tax deduction of £5O in respect of children for whom child endowment is being paid. He claims this should apply to last year’s income when child endowment did not exist. He hopes by this to derive an additional £2,000,000 for the coming Budget. Prominent Labour members "who are waging a fierce controversy describe the proposal as a confidence trick and are arguing that the Government’s action would largely counteract the social benefits of endowment. They, also declare that with the aid of an independent member; Mr. Wilson, they will turn the Government out of office if it comes to a show-down.

The Leader of the Federal Labour Party (Mr. J. Curtin), who has just returned to Melbourne from Western Australia after a month’s holiday, takes the stand that the allowance of £5O should not be abolished, either in respect of last year’s income or in the future.