TAXATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19867, 13 August 1926, Page 10

TAXATION.

THE .GOVERNMENT'S POLICY A VIGOROUS DEFENCE. LABOUR ALLEGATIONS REFCTED. (From Odh Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 12. A vigorous defence of the Government, of which he Is a follower, was made in the House to-night by Mr David Jones, member for Kaiapoi, against allegations that the Administration had altered taxation to suit the wealthy. Mr Jones said that Mill. T. Armstrong, the Labour member for Christchurch East, had alleged that the Government had made reductions in taxation for the monopolists, the land speculators, and the banks. That was one of those sweeping statements very effective for party purposes among certain classes, but the members of,the Legislature should endeavour to be fair and reasonable in their criticism. The honourable member knows that the statement that the reductions in taxation have been wholly given to the monopolists, the speculators, and the banks is incorrrect. Figures prove conclusively that on those people our taxation has been very considerably increased. The object was to relieve the working people of this country in every particular, unless that idea came into conflict with the necessity for protecting our industries. That statement cannot he challenged. The poor people of this country have been relieved and the taxation has been placed upon the wealthy. lam not taking exception to that, but merely making a plain statement ° f “Regarding n l an >' advantages educational and social passed while this ment has been in office and carried into effect at the cost of large sums of money, the main' portion of the taxation for these things has been borne by th ® wea the country. That has been the policy of this Government throughout. I know you can point to inequalities in our taxation, and I know there is room for remcdies. but the criticism that the Government isforking in the interests of the monopolists is wrong, and right behind this B ,le 0 k n h g House Is the great mnss of theWO jYion farmers of New Zealand and a big section of the labouring people, and, know. a big section of the commercial community, b!ft Hie main fact Is this that it ta the work ing population of New and-morchan s, farmers and workers—that is putting this Government In office. The e^gejasper - ing land taxation Is wrong. The whpnoliev of the Government right from the beginning, though It has made has been to endeavour to place, the burden equitably on the shoulders of those able to bear it.”