PROTEST AGAINST HASTE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17206, 28 June 1916, Page 6

PROTEST AGAINST HASTE.

Tnorcn tho Land and Income Assessment Bill which Sir Joseph Ward submitted to the House yesterday is mainly, ns to bulk, a consolidating measure, it contains sufficient new features to warrant the protest of members against rushing it through on the grounds of urgency. There should be sufficient time at tho disposal of Parliament to very carefully scrutinise the Bills brought down and to discuss them adequately. In so far as the 17111 in question abolishes tho double income tax it will meet with general approval, and although tho amount of revenue that will bo sacrificed is inconsiderable the principle involved is important from its Imperial aspect. Tho subject has been much discussed for years past throughout the Empire and the consensus of opinion is in favour of the course now proposed by Sir Joseph Ward—a course, too, which is under favourablo consideration in the Mother Country. This Dominion, wo arc sure, is not so avaricious that it need levy a toll upon income earned by investment in other parts of tho Empire wlioro it lias already been quite properly taxed—and heavily taxed, if the income is derived in tho Mother Country. Tho abolition of tho mortgage tax in favour of a tax upon income derived therefrom is another proposal that probably calls for little debato. But tho appearance of the Bill was in itself inevitably an invitation to members to express their views upon tho general scheme of taxation, and if we could get that subject adequately treated—though it might be only by debate and not by legislation—in a non-party spirit, the net result might be more real than apparent. It is, of course, hardly to be expected of a National Cabinet that it should thoroughly overhaul the incidcnco of taxation, and in war time subjects likely to divide the people have to bo approached with caution; but it can hardly be denied that the occasion of heavy increases in taxation is a natural one for discussion. Members of Parliament, at all events, even in war time and at the suggestion, of a National Cabinet, are not supposed to simply shut their eyes and open their mouths to swallow whatever may be presented. It so happens that in the debate last evening a private member discovered wliat the Minister in charge had not suspected in one of the provisions—a flaw so serious that the policyin regard to tho mortgage tax may have to be greatly modified. That is what members are for—to uso their intelligence for the benefit of tho Governmut and the good of the country. Sir Joseph Ward was evidently impressed by tho insistence of the House and promised full opportunities to consider tho Bill. As to the Finance Bill, Sir Joseph has wisely decided to circulate tho measure well in advance of tho debato upon it, which ought to be fairly exhaustive.