BURDEN OF TAXES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20604, 1 July 1930, Page 14

BURDEN OF TAXES.

COMPLAINTS BY LANDLORDS.

PEER AS A SPOKESMAN.

DECISION TO SELL ESTATE. Lord Middleton, who has decided to sell his Birdsall estate in Yorkshire, outlines in a newspaper his views of the conditions under which landlords exist to day with "increased death duties and excessive taxation." Dealh duties were paid on tlio estate fur deaths in both 1922 and 1924. Lord Middleton writes"Death dutie3 and taxation have been increased by tho present Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Snowdcn, to the great detriment of all concerned with the land. It is now wellnigh impossible for a landowner to 10tain possession of his property anil manage it efficiently unless he has considerable outside capital. An agricultural property of average farming value can scarcely pay its way.

"Against tho income from farm lents and the microscopic cottage rents must, lie set tho following itemsßates and taxes, cost of management, repairs and upkeep, forestry and draining staff, and so on. The income is swallowed up.

"Some landowners, tho writer included, have turned their estates over to private companies in order to save tho taxation which should never bo levied against any business and to make more funds available for necessary improvements and repairs. This practice is now condemned as tax evasion by tho great and wise who rule us, and many schemes will-—it seems—bavo to bo abandoned. ]'armors will suffer, and so will those who found regular employment on tho construction of roads and water supplies, planting and draining, and who will now rot on t.lio dole. Need for Adequate Capital.

"If a landowner feels the draught to the extent of finding himself unable to fulfil his traditional obligations to his tenants, cottagers arid employees, thcro is only one tiling to do, and that is to sell his property and make room for someone with adequate capital. If he succeeds in selling and is followed by a purchaser who takes an interest in agriculture, lives on his property and studies ertato management, no great harm is done, except to the feelings of those to whom the personal tic has meant much.

"Landowners as n class are reticent about their affairs. They are indifferent to the criticisms of the ill-informed and the apostles of class warfare. " They do not talk about their care for aped employees, who, in sickness or health, are their friends. It is a tradition to look after them, house and pension them when they re tiro after long years of faithful service.

"Is it to the country's best advantage to havo the maximum of rural dwellers? Is a prosperous agricultural community a benefit to the nation or not? The answers are obvious. Is the gradual elimination of (he agricultural landlord good for the country or bad ? Is it sound to have capital withdrawn from a business? These are the problems to be faced. Landlords and Stewardship.

"If landlords as a body, arraigned before an impartial court or commission, can be found to have played their part well, then they should receive consideration at the hands of those who design budgets and finance bills, or they cannot function. If they can only render a bad account of their stewardship, let them bo suitably replaced. If nationalisation is the best method, so be it.

"If something better can be designed, let that be the solution. lUit let us not have tracts of derelict land, an underpopulated countryside, under-capitalised agriculture, and unemployment of the healthiest and best section of onr population. These are, unfortunately, the signs of the times we live in to-day. The writing on the wall is there. The cause is patent to all who know anything of rural England—death duties and excessive taxation of landowners."