The MANAWATU DAILY Times THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1936. A Big Revenue-producer

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 190, 13 August 1936, Page 6

The MANAWATU DAILY Times THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1936. A Big Revenue-producer

That it is much easier to impose a tax than to abolish it is once again emphasised by the Government’s reluctance to give up the substantial revenues earned by the sales tax, one of the most irritating of all the fruits of the “economic blizzard.” Mr. Savage’s party gave an election undertaking that this impost would be abolished, but the Budget shows that it still stays to hamper business and increase the cost of li\ing.

Perhaps it is only natural that a Finance Minister, faced with the problem of finding the wherewithal to finance so huge an expenditure as is involved in Labour’s ambitious programme, should be reluctant to part with so lucrative a source of revenue. For the first quarter of the present financial year, the amount collected was £126,275 greater than for the corresponding period in 1935-36. The Budget estimate allowed for an increase of £437,399 over last year, to a total of £2,900,000. At the rate shown in the first quarter—not necessary a sufficient indication —the increase will be £505,100. As the most active trading portion of the year is still to come, the collection n ill probably be a good deal greater, and the total more than £3,000,000.

How important the tax lias become is shown by the following table, showing what has happened since the first full year of rnl lection:—

The Government has said in effect that it has produced only an instalment of its spending programme. That being so, it will not be easy to part with a source of revenue that is approaching 10 per cent, of the Budget tolar. It is a rentalkablo position for a tax that has been in existence for less than four complete years. Its productive and buoyant nature puts it into the class to which the Ministers of Finance and the Treasury cling with all their strength. It will not be surprising if difficulties keep cropping up in the way of fulfilling the promise to abolish this easy money-maker.

Commonsense About Diet

Sir John Orr, director of the Itowct t Institute, Aberdeen, addressed the 6000 delegates to the annual meeting in London of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes on nutrition. He said: “You read a lot about proteins, vitamins and minerals, but do not bother too much about these tiresome technical terms. Leave these to the scientists working in their laboratories. Everything that is of practical importance so far as the homes are concerned can be stated in terms of common foodstuffs.

“And do not bother about fixed diets. There is no need to eat according to schedule. There is a danger of being too scientific and too fussy and faddy about foods. All that is needed for health is found in common foodstuffs, and hundreds of different diets can be made up, all equally good, provided they contain sufficient amounts of these. If this is done, people should eat according to their taste. There is a great deal of truth in the saying that “A little of what you fancy does you a lot of good.”

Budget revenue. Sales las. P.c. o! £. £. Revenue. 1933-34 . 23,492,749 1,847,333 7.86 1934-35 , 26,126,094 2,170,503 8.30 1935-36 . 26,172,367 2,462,601 9.40 1936-37* 31,067,000 * Estimate. 2,900,000 9.33