The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1913.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3945, 30 May 1913, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1913.

Among many interesting things which are revealed in the- recently gazetted statement of receipts and expenditure in connection with the Consolidated Fund is the fact that the amount of land tax' collected during the past year came to over £BO,OOO in excess of the aggregate for the previous year. To he precise the total under this heading for 1911-12 was £017,015, as against £729,036 for 1912-13. Such a state of affairs would, however, seem to he sorely troubling some of the Opposition journals, for they have been contending all along that it would be found that Mr Massey and his party were really the friends of the men with the broad acres. It was nothing to the point, it may bo remembered, they declared that the present Government had not hesitated to make an extra turn of the taxation screw so far as the larger estates were concerned. The “Fat Men,” it was pretended, . would bo found to have been left some loophole through which to escape from having to pay increased taxation on their properties. But in spite of everything the Reform Government, it will have been noted, have been able to collect more revenue from this source than any previous Government that has held office. In this regard, therefore, it is pleasing to see that at least one of the Opposition organs has not been so mean as to deny Mr Massey and his colleagues credit where credit is unquestionably due. The “Dunedin Star,” for instance, says on this particular matter: “There will ... be general approval of the increase of £82,621 derived from land taxation. It is too soon yet to draw definite conclusions as to the effect of the increase in the Graduated Land Tax on the larger estates imposed by Parliament last year for the data are not yet available for thorough analysis to be made. However, the significant fact remains that land taxation as readjusted by the Massey Government was payable last December, anel the amount it yielded shows a very fair increase indeed. As the alterations included an easing of the incidence of the Graduated Tax on the smaller estates liable to it the- only conclusion left is that the owners of the larger estates have had to conn Unite more to the Treasury. In other words it appears as if the increases in the higher grades have by no means been anything like counterbalanced by the ‘improvement’ exemptions which, according to some critics, were to let the big land-owners off more lightly than before.” Such a frank compliment from one of the leading Opposition journals must have been refreshing to Mr Massey and his friends. It is therefore not surprising that another important Anti-Reform journal, the “Lyttelton Times,” should attempt to rebuke the Dunedin Opposition journal for its pains. The only fault which the “Lyttelton Times” can find with the remarks which we have quoted, however, is that it was incorrect for the “Dunedin Star” to suggest that the “improvement exemption" clause was in force last year for, unlike the increased graduated tax', it did not come into operation until April 1 last. It would really make little difference should the “Lyttelton Times” turn out to be correct next year—which we do not regard as a likely contingency—for Mr Massey lias promised that if the present rates of taxation on the big estates prove too lenient they will be again increased.

The “Liberals” and the Land Tax.