BURDEN SPREAD EVENLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20976, 12 September 1931, Page 9

BURDEN SPREAD EVENLY.

SACRIFICES INEVITABLE. EMERGENCY BOLDLY MET. INCOME TAX SURPRISE. By Telecrnph—- Press Association—Copyright. (Received September 11, 9.15 p.m.) I,ON DON. Sept. U. Tliero is general agreement in the newspapers that although the emergency Budget is drastic and sweeping, Mr. Snowden has succeeded in spreading the burden equitably over tiio whole community. •'lho Times says: ''With Draconian severity Mr. Snowden has produced an emergency Budget which should convince foreigners that Britain at last is determined to live within her means.

"Mr. Snowden has reversed the engine of public expenditure on the very brink of the precipice, but further economies will be necessary. Meanwhile it. is sufficient to say that his immense task is accomplished." Perhaps never in British political lijstory, apart from the war period, have such sweeping Budget taxation and economy, in which a. deficit of .£71,000,000 is met, "in one go," been received with such equanimity by tho people. They are aware that, they are faced with a serious crisis, and have been schooled in a brief fortnight to tho realisation that a great national sacrifice is inevitable. There is a noticeable absence of tho shoal of criticism which has followed in the wake of every taxation and economy Budget since the war. The greatest surprise was the increase in the income tax, which already is the highest in the world. Nevertheless, there is a remarkable unanimity of opinion that Mr. Snowden has done the best in a critical situation. Motorists, whoso voice was raised in loud protest at each succeeding petrol impost, accept tho additional tax as inevitable. Their sentiments are summed up by tho Automobile Club thus: "In this time of national crisis all concerned must take the long view." The same feeling is not, apparent among big users of petrol. The omnibus companies say the tax will be a great blow to their industry. As an illustration of tho changes in the insurance benefit, where a man has a wife and two children, ho now receives 30s a week, and will receive 27s 3d. Tho Daily Mail says: "It, hurts, but it is for our good, and we must bear it. It is the price of our prodigal existence, and there is no good grumbling." INEQUALITY ALLEGED. DAILY HERALD'S CRITICISM. FINANCIERS HELD TO BLAME.

(Received September 11. 10.35 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 11. The Daily Herald says: "Mr. Snowden has completely failed to carry out his promised equality of sacrifice. He takes 2s 9d a week from an unemployed man with a. wife and two children, and 4s from a man with a similar family, but earning £SOO a year. He takes 14s a week from a man earning £750 a year and 15s from a man earning £IOOO. The relation between ability to pay and the sacrifices is in no way equal. "Out of the £70,000,000 of economies £54,000,000 is made by a direct attack on wages and salaries and the social services, which is wholly undesirable.

"These things are done ostensibly to rescue the pound sterling from the jeopardy in which it was placed by the errors and misjudgments of the financiers. They are the real authors of the Budget. Mr. Snowden ha 3 become a prisoner to the traditions of City finance." WAR DEBT CONVERSION. SCHEME TO BE VOLUNTARY. SIX MONTHS' NOTICE PROPOSED. (Received September 11. 9.45 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 11. The City editor of the Morning Post emphasises the point that the proposed conversion of the 5 per cent, war loan of £2,000.000,000 will be voluntary. Legislation will probably be introduced to give the holders six months' notice of repayment, and calling on them within three months to say expressly if tliev dissent from the terms. The new lower interest security will affect the Budget, as a whole, and at Home and abroad will strengthen confidence. Few countries could face such a task as the Budget entails. Even the United States is meeting ils huge deficit out of a loan.

ANOTHER SUPPORTER. LABOUR MEMBER'S REASON. CHAOS IF OPPOSITION WON. (Received September 11. 3.5 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 10 The Labour member of the House of Commons for Central Leeds, tho lion. Richard Denman, who is a brother of Lord Denman, announces his adherence to the Government. Mr. Denman points out that the complete success of the Opposition would involve its complete failure, because of the resultant chaos. CASE OF MR. THOMAS. RESIGNATION DEPLORED. RESOLUTION BY RAILWAYMEN. (Received September 11. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 10. Unqualified disgust at tho executive's indecent baste in causing Mr. J. H. Thomas to resign was expressed by the members of the Birmingham branch of the National Union of Railwaymen. A resolution was passed demanding his reinstatement until tha members can consider the case.