LAND SETTLEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18297, 13 January 1923, Page 7

LAND SETTLEMENT.

Sir,—Although there is nothing new in what the -Land Settlement League's. .*:■ correspondent says, it is well to draw public attention as often as possible to the outrageous legislation which, blocks the more; rapid development- of New Zealand to-day. ; It is not only the enormous' rate of taxation levied in order to pay 50.000 Civil servants _ (and their votes', but the hopelessly dishonest method of applying it. To quote one instance out of very many: If a man buys a property and sells ,it at a loss, he is not allowed to deduct the loss from his income tax return, upon the grounds that it is a: loss of: capital. ABut on the other hand, ■ if he sells it at a profit, it at once becomes an addition to his income, and tax; must be paid. This and other immoral methods of taxation cannot possibly benefit a country in the long run,, and the correspondent is -only on® of very many desirable people who are prevented - from assisting in the development of New Zealand, while thousands are ..going to other British Dominions, where they are : properly encouraged. Surely, in a young country lite ours, nothing is more desirable than a steady flow of enterprising immigrants,; who can help us to pay the crushing taxation imposed by an extravagant Government, which seems to treaS the ideas of all business people with indifference. *; : H. E. Vjuxe, f