WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 May 1929, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS

INCREASED TAXATION.

MANY SPECULATIONS

(Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, May 23. The Prime Minister’s frank admission that increased taxation will be necessary, to cover the deficit of last financial year and to meet the requirements of the current year has given rise to many speculations as •to the sources from which the additional revenue will he obtained. Beyond stating that many people who have been contributing less than their fair share to the Treasury in the past will be called to account, the Minister has given little indication of the new sources of revenue he will exploit. It is suggested that the farmers’ income tax, a tvar measure, that was repealed some time 'after Sir Joseph Ward’s retirement from the National Cabinet, might be restored without any great hardship upon the men. on the land, and that the Customs Tariff might be revised without adding anything to the cost of such commodities as are popularly styled the .“.necessaries of life.” But these, of course, are merely speculations. CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES. The “ Post,” in discussing the probable character of . the increased taxation quotes a passage from the speech with which Sir Joseph Ward opened his election campaign and 'suggests that in the circumstances increased company taxation is quite out of the question. “ The present systeih oif taxation,” Sir

Joseph is represented,as saying- “will be immediately revised, the revision of the scale of income 1 -tax reducing the maximum amount,, and making the income equitable in its incidence. . The present high rate of' company taxation will be reduced land “finally repealed. The revenue raised by Customs tax constitutes half the total taxes raised in the Dominion. The tariff should bo based on the reduction of the cost of living, and those food supplies not locally provided should l>e put on the free list.” At that time the present Prime Minister had not access to the public accounts and to-day scarcely can be held to his fair promises. THE PUBLIC SERVICES.

The practice of retiring public servants on the completion of forty years

service, regardless of their value; to tho State, was mentioned in these columns just the other day. The “ Dominion ” this morning gives emphasis to what already has been said on this subject. “A system which compels*a plan to retire from thelPiihlic-iS|brvic]; at tjib'age of fifty-two,r(nKwely. • beeaiiSe he lia.s served 'for forty years,” it protests, “ clearly has little to commend it. Something; *;pf; cmi tse 0 ; ;<Jepppc] s• o.n; :th e; class of cv’drk on' which the man has been engaged, but in many positions a public officer at the age stated is capable of rendering more valuable scr-

vice than at any other period of his official career. Compulsory retirement should not be based on the length of

service, age' of tlic officer and his general fitness.” The Council of the Chamber df Commerce has pronounced the present rule a bad one. THE GAMING ACT.

Tt is understood that the Prime Minister’s refusal to make the Gaming

Amendment Bill a Government measure

is due to a difference of opinion among the members of the Cabinet concerning the publication of dividends • and the transmission of investments by telegraph to the Sir'Joseph Ward, himself is not adverse to these concessions to the racing clubs; but he feels that while his colleagues are not unanimous on the subject it will be better (for a private member to take charge of the Bill. In the circumstances he has the support of both precedent and public opinion. It seems likely that little opposition will be , offered to the publication of dividends, which need be detrimental to the morals of no one; but in the House, as well as in the-'country, thb transmission of investments by telegraph is regarded with some suspicion. The probability is, however, that the Bill will get through with a narrow majority.