AMUSEMENT TAX.

Otago Witness, Issue 3338, 6 March 1918, Page 46

AMUSEMENT TAX.

EFFECT ON AGRICULTURAL SHOWS. DEPUTATION TO MINISTER OF FINANCE. WELLINGTON, February 27; A deputation representing- the Council of Agriculture waited upon the Minister of Finance to-day to ask that agricultural and pastoral associations should be relieved of the payment of the amusement tax. Mr F. W. Williams, president of the council, said the application of the tax to associations meant only' £1503 to £2OOO to the Government, but would force some of the smaller organisations out of existence. The deputation did not ask for the lifting of the tax on sideshows

Sir Joseph Ward, in reply, said' that the tax could not be altered at present since the consent of Parliament would be required. If the tax as it affected agricultural and pastoral associations did not produce more than £I6OO a year, he would bo prepared to give favourable consideration to the request for its- removal, but if the revenue produced was larger, say, £IO,OOO, there could be no question of abandoning it,without imposing other taxation in its place. He felt, as Minister of Finance, that he' could not consent to a loss of revenue at the present time. He would bo glad if it were possible to place all taxation on a broad basis, but the prime necessity was the obtaining of the millions the Government required. If the end of the war were to come 12 months hence New Zealand would have to face an increased liability for interest on war loans of seven millions per annum. The people generally were responding magnificently to the demands mado upon them for war taxation. The Minister promised to see that the basis of the amusement tax as it affected associations was the same in all cases. There . had been various interpretations of the Act in the past.