FAMILY ENDOWMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19549, 31 January 1927, Page 10

FAMILY ENDOWMENT.

AUSTRALIAN PROPOSALS. WORKERS' UNION DISCUSSION. A. and N.Z. SYDNEY. Jan. *29. The delegates to the Convention of the Australian Workers' Union definitely adopted tho principle of family endowment. For a State-wide scheme providing for the payment of 5s a week in respect of each child up to the age of 14, at least £8,000,000 would be necessary. Of that amount £6,000.000 would have to be borne by the industries of the State and the balance by the Treasury. It was agreed that the wage and endowment limit should be fixed at £4OO, but the proposals to raise the revenue by tho establishment of a State lottery and by licen sing starting-price betting shops were rejected as being unworkable. Instead it was agreed that a graduated land tax should be imposed, with exemption up to £SOOO, also that there should be an increase in the stamp and probate duties and an increase in taxation of higher ! incomes. The land taxation would bring |in an extra £I,OOO, OCX), the stamp and | probate duties £375,000, higher salaries I £400,000, and taxation from other sources £225,000, making the £2,000,000 required from the Government. A suggestion that industries which work under State awards should provide 6 per cent, of their wages bill and industries which work cnc*.>"r Federal awards 5£ per cent, of the wagrs sheets will be placed before the- next meeting of the Labour caucus,