HON. J. ALLEN.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 12803, 29 May 1914, Page 8

HON. J. ALLEN.

FINANCES AND THE COST OF LIVING. Press Association. —By Telegraph. LAWRENCE, May 28. The Hon. J. Allen addressed a meeting of his constituents here this evening. He pointed out that the surplus for the year, amounting to £420,905, did not include cash derived from sales and from deferred payment sales. All the cask from sales of land had been credited to the Land for Settlement Account, the gain being over £135,000. There had been an all round increase in pensions of £.">*2,000. As for those people who cried out about the Defence expenditure, lie was sure they would be pleased to know there had been a decrease in the expenditure of £10,0!) S. Government had done several things to make the burden of living easier for those who found themselves in difficulties; for instance, a provision had been made to give the Land Tax Commissioner power to grant remission from lynd tax to widows with children, and provision had also been made in regard to income tax for additional exemption of £25 for each child dependent on the parent; taxation thus removing a legitimate grievance. These reforms should reduce the cost of living to some people at any rate. The public should not place too much reliance on the reduction of Customs duty as the means of reducing the cost of living. This was very largely an electioneering cry. Regarding defence, he said Government's .policy was to train men for the British navy, and nothing else at the present time. Mr Massey had said he proposed to ask Parliament to supply one cruiser at a cost of from £400,000 to £500,000, but he had no doubt Mr Massey would not press that question this session, as a conference was to be called in London next year. A vote of thanks and confidence was carried unanimouslv. *