THE BURDEN OF TAXATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8144, 18 November 1905, Page 4

THE BURDEN OF TAXATION.

We wonder whether the public of New Zealand, and the workers in particular, have ever paused and thought over the burden of taxation this colony staggers under. It will come rather as a shock to those who have not done so toJearn that New Zealand is more heavily taxed than any other Australasian colony except Western Australia. Here are the figures giving the taxation per.head of the various colonies :— £ s d Victoria ... 2 13 0 Tasmania ... 2 15 0 South Australia 2 17 2 New South Wales ... ' ... 3 0 7 Queensland 3 2 2 NEW ZEALAND 4 8 4 Western Australia 6 11 7 With Western Australia the average is brought up because it has a greatly disproportionate number of adult males, and its capitation is not pulled down by the usual number of non-taxpaying women and children. Suppose we count in West Australia, however, it will be seen that the Commonwealth average is £3 2s while the New Zealander pays £4 8s 4d per head. This may not be the best test of w.hether the colony is being run on sound: economic lines, and another comparison "is necessary, i.c, to see whether the taxation is increasing annually. The amounts for the past ten years per head of the population are as follows:— £ s. d. ■ £ s. d. 1896 ... 3 7 1 1901 ... 319 6 1897 . ... 3 11 0 1902 ... 319 8 1898 ... 313 11 1903 ... 4 18 1899 ... 313 3 1904 ... 4 8 4 1900 ... 316 10 1905 ... 4 8 2 In the face of these figures, taken from the official record, prepared under Mr Seddon's instructions, the Premier asks the people to believe that the charges of extravagance and maladministration made against his Government are without foundation. For ten years the country's taxation has been steadily rising, and the people have had to bear the burden. Prom these facts only one conclusion can be drawn—that the Government has quite lost its grasp of the financial question.