WHERE TAXATION SHOULD BE REDUCED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 164, 12 June 1926, Page 8

WHERE TAXATION SHOULD BE REDUCED.

It is in the direction of stamp and death duties and the imposts on land and income that taxation becomes really oppressive in its incidence, and reductions in the levies made under these headings would be of undoubted benefit to the public, generally. If production is to be increased we must lighten the burdens on the man on the land, who sustains more than his fair share of taxation. The farmer in many cases pays as much, if not more in local rates as he pays in taxes, and neither the State nor the local bodies who levy upon him seem to take notice of the fact that he is doubly taxed in this way, and that, if he is unfortunate enough to experience a bad year, he actually lands up a loser on his year’s work, as many farmers have done of recent years. The heavy rating and the heavy taxation he has to bear arise out of the one cause. They are the direct effect of the high values which have been placed upon the land from time to time under the Government Valuation of Land Act —values which have attained absurd heights under the methods adopted by the Valuation Department, and for which no real justification can be legitimately claimed, seeing that, at best, they are merely .paper values. Instead of freeing the man on the land, who is endeavouring to make grass grow where none grew before, from unnecessary burdens and especially the burden of taxation, the State seems to have adopted a policy of placing a man on tlie land and then leaving him to shift for himself, with possibly little or no capital and faced with liabilities in respect to rates and other imposts which make his position one of continued difficulty, especially wliere he has (as so many of our farmers have had to do) to actually “make” his land before he can bring it into profit. If we are to have “settlement, more settlement and still more settlement,” and make that settlement successful, we must improve the farmer’s position by lightening his burdens, especially in the matter of taxation. The Government ought further to take into its earnest consideration the ways and means of so economising on its expenditure as to enable it to reduce taxation all round. It is time the situation was faced, and that the national expenditure was brought within more reasonable limits.

Influenza is prevalent in Wellington. Many offices, warehouses and factories are working with reduced staffs. The census shows that the population of the Southland and Stewart Island counties has increased from 51,350 to 54,268, an increase of 2918. While rounding up cattle on his uncle’s farm at Tiratu (Dannevirke) a youth, Conan Doyle, was thrown from his horse, and sustained a broken leg. He is now in hospital. The American schooner Margaret Sterling, which has been lying at New Plymouth for a fortnight, was arrested at noon yesterday for non-payment of the crew’s wages, amounting to £529. A fracture of the left arm was sustained by a plumber, Mr Reginald Leslie Smith, through falling a distance of about 18ft.. through the roof of the new tram depot in Gaunt street, Auckland. While descending the gangway of the Ruapehu yesterday morning at Lyttelton Jack Dromgoole, aged 12. overbalanced and fell into the harbour. He struck the wharf, breaking one arm. A lifebelt kept him afloat until lie was secured by a rope. He was afterwards removed to the Christchurch Hospital. Skating will in future bo held, in the Zealandia Hall on Tuesdays, and Saturdays. Afternoon sessions will commence at 2 o’clock, and the evening sessions at 7.30 o’clock. As usual, the orchestra will be m attendance during the evening. The following remit was passed by the Council of Education at Wellington yesterday i < ‘That in view of the increasing cost to parents of children attending the primary schools for school stationery, including writing pads, exorcist books, drawing books, and pencils these items be supplied at cost price in bulk by the department for distribution by the various boards to schools in their districts as required. Prams and pushchairs ! There is no risk in buying a pram from Collinson and Son. Every pram and pushchair carries our guarantee. If the pram is not entirely satisfactory it may be returned to us within 13 days from date of purchase, and all money will be refunded. The selection wo have to offer is, not only the largest, but the most varied in this district. All spare parts aro stocked and we repair prams and pushchairs at a moments notice. Easy terms can be arranged to suit clients. —Collinson and Son, Broadway and Kingsway, P.N. —Advt.

The Indian A rm y hockey team was accorded a civic reception at Christchurch yesterday. The need- for additional parking space for motor cars outside the Opera House was amply demonstrated last evening when 128 cars were parked in the vicinity of the theatre, the overflow of vehicles extending to the side-streets.

John Letica, already serving a sentence of six months for theft of' a diamond ring from a Wellington jeweller’s shop, having substituted a paste ring for it, was yesterday at Wellington sentenced to a further six months for theft of another diamond ring, which he pawned two days before the other theft.

Two prisoners, William Tasman Morris and James William Tasman Morris, relatives, escaped from the Wi Tako prison at Trentham on Thursday. One was recaptured about midnight by warders at Upper Hutt, and the other early yesterday morning, about twelve miles north of Upper Hutt.

Speaking at the Council of Education at Wellington yesterday on the question of teaching hygiene, Mr 1* . Milner, principal of the Waitaki High School, said that at his institution they had a couple of hundred lads sleeping out of doors through the winter, and they had no epidemics there, while the boys were healthy, well-grown specimens of youth. The ladies’ of the Cuba Street Methodist Guild and friends journeyed to the Old People’s Home pn Wednesday afternoon to entertain the old folk with music, song and story, the entertainment being greatly appreciated bv the inmates. The following took part: Rev. H. T. Peat, Mesdames Peat, Kingston, Ingley, Twigg and Croft, Misses Croft (2) and Wilson.

. The defects in the College Street School building were discussed at last night’s meeting of the committee, members expressing the opinion that the only way to influence the board was to invite representatives to inspect the. school. One member stated that if members of the board made a thorough inspection a new building would soon bo obtained.

A New York message states that the seventeenth annual convention of Rotary will be held there between June 14 and 18. It will be well attended by representatives of 2500 cities and 35 countries,, including Australia and New Zealand. Mr Ralph Mayo, president of the Denver Club, will deliver an address of welcome on June 15, and Mr Charles Rhodes, of Auckland, will respond. Such was the demand for seat’s at the Opera House last evening on the occasion of the appearance of the world famous dancer Pavlova that some people waited in a queue outside the theatre for many hours for the opening of the pit door. Their tedious wait in rainy weather was relieved somewhat by the kindly action of Mr H. E. Bennett who provided shelter from the drizzling rain and a-cup of tea lor those waiting. Three cheers were given by the “queue” for Mr Bennett nett in appreciation of his thoughtful action.

The question of the junior high school system occupied some time in discussion at the Council of Education meeting at Wellington yesterday. The discussion was almost entirely in committee. The consensus of opinion seemed to be against attaching these institutions to the technical, and, in fact, contrary to the general idea that ono of the principal functions of such a school should be to divert pupils from the professional courses into the trades and occupations which arc a prominent feature of the technical schools.

A Dargaville telegram states that an important land deal was completed when 4360 acres of land, portions of the properties of Messrs B. Coleman and T. C. Hawkins, were sold to the Government for closer settlement purposes. The land, which is situated about eight miles from Dargaville, at Tangowahine, on the route of the proposed Kirikopuni-Dargaville railway line, is mostly rich river flats suitable for dairying and cattle raising. It is among the best in North Auckland, and will bo cut up to accommodato about 40 families. At .the annual meeting of subscribers to the Hamilton Library, the chairman, Mr C. J. W. Barton, criticised modern literature, much of which, lie said, was absolutely trash and should not lie permitted oil the shelves. Others present, endorsed his remarks, declaring that many of the latest books, both English and American, should never have been written. Mr E. G. Johnson, the selector, said lie had relied very largely on the London Times book review for bis selection. Several of the volumes criticised had received excellent reviews in leading English journals. A public library had to cater for all classes, ultramodern as well as ancient and conservative.