MR. HOLLAND AND TAXATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20402, 2 November 1929, Page 16

MR. HOLLAND AND TAXATION.

Sir, —In view of the statement- made in the House by the Leader of the Labour Party, that "he is prepared to | turn the United Government out of, office to-morrow, provided the Labour Party can take its place," it will be interesting to watch what effect such a pronouncement will have upon some of Mr. Holland's most ardent supporters. Had Mr. Coates voiced such a sentiment, 1 have no doubt the columns of the press would have been deluged with letters of i execration condemning him for calmly sacrificing the populace—and the. workers in particular—to a burden of extra taxation which will inevitably, despite party optimism, be passed on to the longsuffering consumer. If he ■ has been correctly reported, Mr. Holland's statement admits of but one interpretation, aha that is, that he is prepared to support the Government in any legislation whatsoever, no matter how burdensome to the country, nor how detrimental to the interests of his own supporters, rather than risk a general election, which, in the light of recent happenings, might'serve to'rob him of "the little brief, authority" in ••which he is;at present so unbecomingly dressed. I hold no brief for Mr. Coates, - but his amendment, which advocated the taxation of luxuries, was a reasonable one. If it and similar amendments are to be defeated because the Laibour Party—which pleased itself to secure the. reduction of taxation, and the ousting of all measures likely to increase the cost of- living—places its own interests before those of the country, then the sooner vre have another general election, and put either the United Government or the Reform Party definitely in power, the better. In any case, it; is a poor Government- that owes i.ts.continued office to-the rdo£-m-the-manger tactics of a party'whose viewpoint seems 'to be permanently. jaundiced", by political bias. V Fixem Resfice. "