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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 14 September 1909, Page 2

To come nearer home, wealth and taxation in New Zealand Taxation in. reveal interesting N.Z. facts for study. Dr Findlay has just declared that the peopJo should not grumble or endeavour to avoid fresh taxation. He points out that the total private wealth of the Dominion has been estimated at) £507,693,333. In 1906 .this wealth was estimated at £304,u54,---000. Because of the very large increase that these figures show in so short a time, Dr Findlay thinks that an increase in taxation can reasonably be expected. He is correct to a certain extent ; but too much reliance cannot be placed on the figures, for they are only approximate. They are based on the assumption that the "wealth of the living residents of the country is proportionately equal to that left by the dead. The average value of the estates of deceased persons taken for a period of five years is multiplied by wio estimated adult population, and tno product is said to ba the private wealth of the people. It is interesting to note that the number of payers of income tax has increased from 3448 to 10,420 in a period of fifteen years ; whilst the amount paid in income tax has increased from £73,627 to £321,044. Similarly the numlrcr of payers of land tax has increased froni 12,360 to 28,991 ; and the'amount paid in land tax has increased from £297,181 to £604,901. Tlie large increase in the amount of private wealth has been ascribed particularly to the inflation of \'alues, amounting to no les* than £148,312,267 since the year 1891.