AUSTRALIAN TAXATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19717, 17 August 1927, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN TAXATION.

PROSPECT OF REDUCTION.

FEDERAL MINISTER'S OPINION.

The opinion that the time had arrived for a reduction in Federal taxation was expressed by Mr. J. G. Latham, the Attorney-General in the Commonwealth Government, in a speech in Melbourne recently. Mr. Latham said ho believed in the reduction of taxation, and he hoped it would be possible to make a reduction, but it musjt be realised that the matter was not quite as easy as it looked. He agreed that a couple of years ago the Commonwealth had more money than it knew what to do with, but substantial reductions had been made in taxation since then. The income tax had been reduced by 47 per cent, per head since 1922: land tax and entertainment tax also had been reduced, and many goods had been placed'on the free list at the-custoins. A loan of £67,000.000 at per cent, had to be converted this year, but the Commonwealth would have to pay a hicrher rate of interest for the money, and that meant an increased interest bill. War pensions were still coins up. At the same time the cost of the civil service was the same as it was in 1921, when the population of Australia was 500,000 less than it was now. So there was no extravagance there. There would be increases in other costs, but still he hoped the Government would be able to make some reduction in taxation. I MARKET REPORTS. FRUIT AND PRODUCE SALES. There was little variation in prices at the fruit sales at the Auckland City Markets yesterday. There was still but little demand for local lemons, which are inclined to be coarse and oversize. Apples did not appreciably vary, the keen demand for good cooking lines being well maintained. Supplies of hothouse grapes are now coming in from only one grower and will probably be exhausted in the week-end, after which the market will have to rely on Sydney whites and possible American consignments. Choice lines of Nelis pears were better received, selling at 10s to lis 6d a case, while Coles brought up to 10s 6d. Dessert apples showed little change, although the demand for sound Delicious, of good colour, was somewhat better. The notable increase in value of hothouse tomatoes was not maintained, the highest price beinc Is 9d per lb. Hothouse grapes dropped by about 6d. Part of a cargo of citrus fruit which arrived from Sydney was sold, fairly good prices being realised. Tho mandarins were on the small side. The balance of the cargo will be sold to-day. The field produce market was still heavily overstocked, particularly in cabbages, cauliflowers and swedes. Both new and Southern potatoes improved in price. Cabbages decreased to 5s a sack and cauliflowers to 4s. Tauranga kumaras continued to drop, not exceeding 10s 6d per cwt. The price of eggs showed a further decrease at the dairy produce sales. Hen eggs varied from Is 6|d to Is 7£d a dozen, while duck eggs were a penny less. Supplies were fair and the demand moderate. Farmers' butter in small gupplies of lib. pats met with a good demand at Is 2gd to Is 3jd per lb. FRUIT. Apples, Delicious. 8s to lis a case; Sturmers, Hawke's Bay, 10s to lis. Nelson. 8s to 9s 6d.- Douchertys, 6s 6d to 8s; Monroes.. 9s to 10s 6d; Rome Beauties, LOs; .Wnshingtons, 10s to 1U <d; Pride of Australia, 10s. Pears,_ Nehs, choice lines. 10s to lis 6d a case, inferior, 7s to 9s; Coics, 6s to 10s 6d; Beurre Rose, 6s to 8s; P. Barry's. 9s; Vicars. Bs. Tomatoes, hothouse, 6d to Is 9d per lb.: tree tomatoes, 4s to 7s 6d a case. Grapes, hothouse. 3s to 3s 6d per lb-; Sydney whites, 12s to 21s a case. Passion fruit, local, 8s to 14s a case: Australian, 14s to 19s. Lemons, local, 5s to 12s a case. Oranges, local, sweet, 6s to 7s a case; poorman, 6s to 10s 6d; Aitutaki, 22s 6d; Barotongan. 19s to 21s; Sydney navels. 17s 6d to 19s 6d; Sydney mandarins, 14s to 19s. Pineapples. Sydney, 16s to 19s a case. Bananas, repacks. 22s to 24s a case. FIELD PRODUCE. Potatoes, Southern, 7s to 7s 6d per cwt.; new, 2d to 5Jd per lb.; kumaras, Tauranga, 9s to 10s 6d per cwt.; pumpkins, ordinary. 2s to 6s a sack; Crown and Triumble. 5s 6d to 8s 6d per cwt.; swedes. Is to Is 3d a bag; onions, firm, 7s 6d to 9s per cwt.. soft. Is to 2s a bag; cabbage, 2s to 5s a sack; on benches. Is to 2s 6d a dozen; cauliflower. 2s to 4s a sack: on benches. Is to 5s a dozen: lettuce. Is 6d. to 6s a case; rhubarb. 3s to 3s 6d a dozen bundles; spinach, 9d a dozen bundles; leeks. 2d to 3d a bundle; spring onions, 3d to 8d a bundle; marrows, 2s 6d to 3s 6d a dozen: carrots, parsnips, beet and turnips. 6d to lOd 'a dozen bundles; cucumbers, hothouse, 5s to Ss a do7en: radishes. 6d to 9d n dozen bundles; beans, hothouse, 2s to -Cs 6d per lb.: pirklms: ofti°ns, Id per lb.; celery. Is to 4s 9d a bundle. DAIRY PRODUCE. Hen eggs. Is to Is 7sd; duck eggs. Is sid to Is 6?d. Farmers' butter, in lib. pats. Is to Is 3jd per lb. ; HIDES AND SKINS. PRICES AT AUCKLAND SALE. ' The attendance of buyers was excellent at the fortnightly sales of hides and skins yesterday, and. the demand for hides was proportionate. Cowhides iu th 6 lighter grades sold particularly well, fetching higher prices than best ox. Prices for tallow were much as before, and there was little alteration in the quotations lor eneepskins. The following prices were realised:— Cowhides, best grade, light. 84d to 9id: heavy, Bfd to BSd; second grade and cut, 7d to Bid. ox. best grade, light, Bfd to 91d: medium. B|d to 9cl; heavy, 9id to 9id; second grade and cut, 7id to B|d: kip and runners, best, 9d to 9id: second grade, 7d to 74d; yearlings, best grade, 9Jd. to lOd; second grade, 7<d to 8d; calfskins, best grade, light to medium, 13id to 14d; cut and meaty, 9id to lOd; heavy, 9Jd to lOd; slippery and stale. 6id to 7Jd; bull hides, best grade, light, 4|d to s|d; heavy. 44d to 4id; horse hides, 8s 6d to 14s each. Sheepskins, dried, three-quarter to fullwool. medium to fine crossbred. Hid to lljd: conrse crossbred, 10Jd to lid: faulty and seedy. Bid to Old: damaged, 7Jd to BJd; haif-wopl. medium to fine crossbred, 10id to Jl}d; coarse, 93d to 10fd; damaged. s*d to 8d; faulty 7*d to 8d; salted sheepskins. extra large, 10s_ 5d to lis each; medium. 7s to 7s- lOd: light, 5s 6d to 6s 6d: faulty and damaged relatively,lower. Tallow, in barrels, good, mixed. 24s to 24s 6d per cwt.; in shipping casks, 25s to 25s 6d: in tins, good mix. 23s 6d: inferior. 16s to 21s. FRUIT PRICES IN ENGLAND. The New Zealand Fruit Export Control Board advises having received the following cablegram from Colonel C. Gray, the board's representative in London: —"The Corinthic's shipment generally was very good; some waste in Statesman and Wash- ! ington varieties. Prices are: Stunner and Statesman, 20s to 25s per casei; Rokewood, Dougherty, Ballarat, 20s to 245. The market is likely to ease owing local supplies. Southampton : Store cleared. Prices: Stunners, 18s to 21s; Statesman, 19s to 225; Rome, 18s." CAMBRIDGE STOCK SALE. Tho New Zealand Loon and. Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, Hamilton, had a large entry at their stock sale at Cambridge yesterday. Kates for beef and store cattle were firmer. Young cattle were in keen demand and dairy cattle met with good competitiou. The yearling heners advertised i drew a full bench of buyers. Bidding was very spirited and the prices realised for this class of stock were higher than for some time. Quotations are;:—Prime fat cows, £6 5s to £8 2s; forward and light fat cows *£4 4s to £6 17s; store cows. £2 15s to £3 18s; others, £1 10s to £2 12s; cows and calves. £3 10s to £4 2s 6d; 18-months Jersey heifers, empty, £1 3s 6d to £4 10s; yearling Jersey heifers, £4 Us to £5 3s; six high-grade heifers on account of A. M. Jenuins. £6 17s 6d; small'"yearling Jersey heifers and mixed colours. £3 2s to £4 4s; 18-month Shorthorn heiforsi £2 18s to £3 15s; small and inferior, £2 Is to £2 lis. Herds of cows; Best Shorthorn-cross cows, £7 to £9 10s; best Jersey-cross, £8 5s to £ll 15s; house tows. £l3 to £l4; backward cows, £4 15a to £6 15s; cows in njilk. £5 _los to £8 ss; forward Friesian springing heifers, £S to £10; best Jersey heifers, £8 15s to £10; backward Jersey heifers, A< to £S ss: small Jersey heifers, £5 15s to £t> las; cull cows, £2 10s to £4 lss. Pigs came forward in rrood numbers. Best stores licht porkers made £1 12s to £2 <8?! £1 Is to £1 9s; best manors, 16a to 18a 6d, others, 12a to 14s.