“PROFOUNDLY DISSATISFIED”

Hawera Star, Volume L, 6 August 1930, Page 6

“PROFOUNDLY DISSATISFIED”

FARMERS' AND TAXATION. CALL TOll ECONOMY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 5. A representative meeting of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, New Zealand tSheepowners’ Federation and New Zealand Counties’ Association to-day discussed the taxation proposals. Mr W. J. Poison, ALP., who presided, said they were profoundly dissatisfied with the taxation proposals. The position of the country desperately needed measures of economy, and they had gone back to pre-war methods instead of carrying on with post-war methods. The Budget might have been nearly balanced with the exercise of more "economies, with practically no increase in taxation at all, and if the incvease was necessary it should have been on luxuries.

Among many speakers, Mr J. EL Joll (Hawke’s Bay) said that there was only one thing to do, and that was to cut down the expense of running the country.

Mr Poison said the farm prices were just about down to the pre-war level, but costs were 20 per cent above. It was resolved: “That this meeting approves of the suggested economies in railways and defence.” The following motions were carried: This meeting is emphatically of the opinion that the Dominion’s financial position calls for immediate public economy.

This meeting strongly protests against the continuance of Customs duties on the necessities of life and the means of production, believing that such duties would defeat the only real remedy, which is greater production through n lower level of costs. That this meeting expresses satisfaction at the withdrawal by the Premier of the super-tax on land imposed last year.

This: meeting unanimously supports the imposition of income tax in lieu ol land tax.

This meeting considers that if additional taxation is required more revenue should be obtained by increasing the taxation on luxuries. That as the time has arrived when the users of roads should construct and maintain them, this meeting approves of the imposition of the increased tax on petrol, provided that the proceeds of such taxation are used for relieving the burden of rates in the maintenance and formation of roads and not for directly or indirectly relieving the Consolidated Fund. Tin's meeting asks the Premier to appoint a select committee, firstly, to make careful investigations into the important matter of the derating of agricultural and pastoral lands in other countries and, secondly, to consider the advisability of exempting all farm lands in the Dominion from rates for ton ding purposes. That as in the opinion of this meeting the restriction on industrv arising from the operation of the Arbitration Act is one of the prime causes of unemployment the Government he again urged to nut into legislative effect the employers’ recommendations following on the industrial conference in 1928. Representations are to be made to the Premier to-day.