ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 May 1935, Page 4

ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY.

(To the Editor). Sir,—ln reply to “Democrat/* in Friday’s paper I hold with him in what he writes, “Why fatten the fat,” 'hut I cannot see eye to eye with him iu not restoring wages. While wages arc cut there will be poverty with its attendant evils. Wage workers are great spenders, not through choice, but necessity. For instance, talce a in an on a £4 a week basis—very little if any of this amount can be put aside for a rainy day, whereas the high salaried man has every chance of living decently and putting money aside for old age. I don’t, begrudge t/icse people on what they receive in salaries. 1 say good luck to them—for it is often good luck that they draw down a good salary. Eucky in having a staff of wage earners who are competent —thus making the salaried one’s job a playground. Here is where the shoe begins to tit tight. 1 maintain that the wealthy man with thousands of pounds clasped to his bosom and often horn with a legacy in each hand,, who' consequently does not know the meaning of adversity, he legalised into putting his cash to useful purposes, thus creating employment. Failing such, they and big salaried people should be taxed on a graduated scale. For example, the salaried one from £SOO per annum be clipped 10 per cent. The fellow in receipt of £6O0 —12 per cent, and those dies on £700—15 per cent. As for the iceberg boys who sit on top of the world with their boodle embalmed in ice—tax those with a balance of £IO,OOO say at per cent., the £15,000 lot at 2 per cent., £20,000 ones at per cent, and so on. The above examples of taxation could be a practical possibility. I do not claim my amounts and percentages are just, but I do claim on those lines of taxation the lot of the relief worker and sustenance man could be made tolerable. —1 am, etc., 11. PALMER.