Manawatu Daily Times

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6849, 2 March 1929, Page 8

Manawatu Daily Times

Business and Politics a gathering of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Association this week, the Prime Minister said tire Government had no intention of dealing with the problem of taxation forthwith. That would he a matter demanding attention when the financial position of the Dominion was ascertained at the close of the financial year. There would be no tinkering with the subject meanwhile. It was a very difficult problem; so difficult indeed, that it could not be intelligenty discussed until the whole position was fully disclosed and carefully examined. The proper time for such an examination would be when the financial statement was presented to the House and the needs of the country were fully disclosed. The business of the Government was to make provision for the requirements of the Dominion on a sound and equhablo basis and that was the result it hoped to achieve. After deprecating unfair State interference with private enterprise, Sir Joseph referred to a new development of this evil. “ 1 have been greatly struck,” he said, “by the number of people who come to my colleagues and myself with requests to take an interest in a company they want to float. The Government will not take shares, nor will it co-operate in the shape of a partner with anyone in business in any shape or kind. We will give every facility on railways, roads, adjustments of Customs tariff, and so forth, but to ask the Government to make costly railways to put profits into the pockets of a few acquiring lands in these localities, well, we will not do it Someone else can. We won’t It would be against the best interests of the country.” Needless to say, the sentiments expressed by the Minister were very warmly endorsed by .his audience.