A HEAVY LOAD

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 19 July 1920, Page 5

A HEAVY LOAD

THE. BRITISH TAXATION.

Mr Austen Chamberlain the Chan cellor of the English Exchequer, gave the following reply to Mr L. Lyle, M.P., who asked what was the per capita percentage of direct taxation in April, 1914, and April, 1920, respectively, in.Great Britain, France Italy, ana tlie United States: As the. financial proposals for the other countri«s for the current year are not yet available, a precise comparison cannot be made. The following approximate figures are based on actual receipts of revenue in the last pre-war financial year, and in the last closed financial year. Currency has been converted at par.

United Kingdom: Year ended March 31, 1914, average amount of direct taxes per Head £1 11s; year ended March 31. 1920, average amount of direct taxes per head £15 3s. France: Year ended December 31, 1913 average amount of direct taxes per head 13s 6d; year ended December 31, 1920, average amount of direct taxes per head £2 7s.

Italy: Year ended .June 30, 1914, average amount of direct taxes per head 12s 6d; yea r ended June 30, 1919, -average amount of direct taxes per head £2 3s 3d,

. U.S.A.: Year ended June 30/ 1914, average amount of direct taxes per head, 3s; year ended June 30, 1919, average amount of direct taxes per head. £5 Bs.

The direct taxes taken into account, Mr Chamberlain explained, are, for the United Kingdom, incom c tax (including super-tax), excess profits duty, and death duties, and 0 for'the other" countries the immediately corresponding taxes. Under the Budget proposals the amount of direct taxation per head of the population of the United Kingdom will be £14 7s in 1920-21 "I g";e these figures with all reserve " adds Mr Chamberlain, "and wish to guard myself against being held responsible for any inferences which my hon friend or others may draw from them. 1'