WHAT'S IN A NAME?

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23010, 11 April 1938, Page 14

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Sir, —With the proposed abolition of the emergency unemployment tax or <Sd in the pound—Mr. Savage hopes forever —yet another of the Labour _ pre-election promises is fulfilled. A feff dyed in the wool Conservatives l iave t of course, pointed out that in its stead there is a social security contribution of Is, but these may he ignored. In® way now appears open for an early fulfilment or further promises before the next election.- The sales tax of o per cent could be abolished and M its'place a purchases contribution say. 10 per cent might be levied. The exchange of 25 per cent could b 0 abolished and its place taken by a **" mittance contribution of 80 per cent. The customs duties which the Labour , Party promised merely to reduce might well be abolished altogether, and , ir J their place there might be a social services contribution at the same or higher rates based upon imports. By this simple method the Government can fulfil to the letter its -promise to reduce taxation generally—a prQr niise which might otherwise give some difficulty at the next election. In fact, one would like to see the idea carried further. It would be a graceful acknowledgment of >» the annual wireless licence fee of 2os were abolished and a labour P r °l'?" ganda contribution of 30s were substituted. It is freely admitted-;'. tu#« there is no novelty in the. above suggestions, for they n're, of course.* merely working out the principle which h? s been adopted by tne Labour Party ,n carrying out many of its promises. Thus it abolished the half-dozen commissions which had been appointed y the former Government, and the coup'® of dozen then set up in their stead were called bureaux or authorities. The search for another name must often have occasioned some anxious thought, but it is gratifying to know' that in most cases the name was found and the Labour promise to abolish commissions was fulfilled. Then we " a 0 pensions—a relic of Conservative Governments —now a much finer tiling when called by their new name—&<3P animation. So also when the representatives of companies at tn beginning of a season bought the whoi of a factory's output it does not seen to have occurred to anyone to . a guaranteed price, but when vtl Labour Government does just except that it names its own P rl and reserves the right to alter it any time during the season, it oepom a guaranteed price, and the most •<??' • ficial scheme ever devised for the W fare of the farmer. These changes name may appear to be very methods of achieving the desired. _ suits, but then all truly great are simple. Grateful Ex- taxpayer-