Distinction for New Zealand

North Canterbury Gazette, Volume 7, Issue 58, 23 November 1937, Page 2

Distinction for New Zealand

olie sees a fat, big-bodied schoolboy, smiling of face but a poor walker because of weak feet, one predicts a disastrous future. Isn't that something like New Zealand as a commercial nation ? We have the boyish, smiling face all right, and many serious people fear that our "underpins" will prove unequal to the working strain. New Zealand is in the process of being put on the map again, as it was in the days of Seddon and Mackenzie; but the process is proving a costly one. Paternalism in government has become an accepted policy, in all countries, and what are loosely styled "the social services" are responsible for some of the increase of taxation. Nowadays, no man must be left by a fatherly State to fend for himself or "paddle his own canoe." Everybody must be kept in the necessaries of life and some of the comforts thereof, especially as Christmas comes around. This is commendably humanitarian, but it costs money, and the taxpayer finds this out pretty soon. In the Bank of New South Wales circular for the current month it is shown that the per capita taxation in New Zealand in 1936-7 was £l9/15/2, as compared with that in Australia of £ls/16/11, United Kingdom £l7/14/5, Canada £B/12/-, and U.S.A. £9/1/These were nearly four times what the amounts per head were in 1913-14. But another set of figures throws New Zealand up more distinctly still. In 1925-26 New Zealand's percentage of taxation to national income was 12.7, compared with 7.6 in Australia, 7.3 in Britain ; 8 in Canada, and 6.4 in the

United States. This percentage in New Zealand's case had risen in 1934-35 to 24, Australia in 1936-37 to 15.9, Britain in 1935" to 18, Canada (1934) 13.1, and U.S.A. (1932-33) 13.9. Now we see (London cablegram dated Nov. 18) Sir Edmund Parker, speaking at Dalgety's annual meeting :

"Taxation in New Zealand and Australia is a very heavy burden, and there is little prospect of relief. In fact, New Zealand bids fair to become one of the most heavily taxed countries in the world."

There's distinction! New Zealand is mentioned before Australia, instead of being, as once upon a time, silently comprehended as part of Australasia! 'lis said there is a power that "shapes our ends, rough-hew them tho' we may." In the 1914-18 period some of the leaders were fond of declaring that if all that money could be raised to make war on our fellow men, surely a portion could be found in peace-time for social services and the general relief of privation and suffering and ignorance. Tho money can be found right enough, but it means that there will have to be direct taxation, or a capital levy. Thus equalisation of fortune tends to be brought about by the necessity of raising the huge sum necessary to meet the greatly increased national interest bill. This fact is irrespective of political party. And so we trot along the road to school, where, some day, we may learn that being big and fat and heavy and "on the map" is not everything, but haying all things in due proportion is more conducive to good health and longevity.