THE NEW TAXATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17250, 18 August 1916, Page 5

THE NEW TAXATION.

A DUNEDIN CRITICISM

[From ons Correspondent.] DUNEDIN, August 17,

In his presidential address at the annual meeting of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce Mr G. W. Gibson, referring to the increased taxation, said: —

"One effect of tho war will this year b 9 felt by all businessmen in the increased taxation which has just been imposed. It was inevitable that this should come, and everybody was propared to bear his share cheerfully. The Minister of Finance was _ assured beforehand of a readiness to give what was necessary, even .to the point, of sacrifice. His task should have been comparatively easy, and yet I doubt if any are satisfied with the 1 inance Bill as passed by Parliaments One would have expected that extra taxation would have been imposed according to the ability of the individual to pay. If ever there was a case where graduation in taxation should have opplied it was surely here, but the principle has been largely ignored and the result has been a great amount of dissatisfaction. The Bill is full anomalies, and in spito of tho safeguards provided many will have to pay an unfair proportion, while others with larger inconies will escape comparatively lightly. More than this had perhaps bettor not be said-