AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 90, 31 March 1932, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

FEDERAL LAND TAX MOVEMENT FOB ABOLITION. N.S.W, TAXPAYERS’ PROTEST. (United Press Association—By CableCopyright.) (Received 31, 9.30 a.m.) Sydney, March 31. Speaking at a meeting of the New South Wales Taxpayers’ Association, protesting against the Federal land tax and urging its abolition, Dr. Casey, a Victorian accountant, declared that if the Government did not remove unjust taxes the taxpayers should rise in a body and tell the administration that they would not pay. He contended that a great deal of bluffing was practised, mentioning one case in which a taxation commissioner revoked an extra valuation of £20,000 as soon as the assessment was challenged. Taxation should be spread over a wider field; everybody should pay something either in money or labour. Mr. A. S. Watt, of Sydney, said that the present tax had destroyed profitable sheep stations and created unprofitable wheat farms. The meeting passed a resolution in favour of immediate removal of the tax. RELIEF WORKERS REJECTED. (Received 31, 9.30 a.m.) Darwin, March 31. The Government action in preventing men resident in the Northern Territory for less than twelve months from obtaining relief work resulted in a number of men arriving from upcountry to await a steamer in which they are to be given free passages. They are sturdy, hard workers, the kind the Territory needs, but they must go and leave openings for alien immigrants. LONDON AND MR. LANG. (Received 31, 9.55 a.m.) London, March 30. Mr. Willis cabled Mr. Lang as follows:—"I have interviewed a number of representatives of large holdings in New South Wales stocks. They will not negotiate regarding a moratorium owing to Commonwealth acceptance of all liabilities. I am strongly of the opinion that if the Commonwealth, together with the States, made representations with a view to suspension of interest payments or a reduction of interest rates, arrangements advantageous to Australia could be made.” BRIDGE BOWLING TOURNEY. (Received 31, 9.30 a.m.) Sydney, March 31. The bridge bowling tournament, in which a number of visitors from other States, Fiji and New Zealand are engaged, has reached the semi-final stage. The New Zealanders, Higginbotham and Eagleton , were eliminated, the latter missing the final after losing a fine game to Harrison, 31—22. COMMONWEALTH BANK RETURN. (United Press Association— By CableCopyright.) (Received 31, 11.25 a.m.) Sydney, March 31. The Commonwealth Bank return to March 28 shows that the week’s cash holdings declined from £7,550,000 to £5,400,000. 'Deposits totalled £71,262,000; money in London £22,003,000 (a drop of £118,000). Government securities amount to £28,117,000. The ratio of cash to deposits fell from 8.55 to 7.57. The note issue and gold reserve are unchanged.