TAXATION BURDENS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3992, 16 September 1930, Page 65

TAXATION BURDENS.

THE GOVERNMENT’S EXTRAVAGANCE. A STRONG INDICTMENT. AUCKLAND, September 11. *’ The present policy of the Government in further increasing the tax burdens of tile whole community will have a further serious effect on the already heavily taxed industries of the country, and will be the means of increasing unemployment,” said Mr Albert Spencer, president of the Auckland Provincial Employers’ Association at its annual meeting. The Government, said Mr Spencer, should make a real effort to reduce the departmental expenditure and set its face against further increasing the staff, as many of the Government Departments were already over-staffed. The army of Government officials running about the country and cities had almost reached a public scandal. It was most noticeable in the larger towns. There were many restrictions, some of them petty, some grotesque, which harrassed the business community, requiring an army of officials and inspectors to see that they were carried out. By the excessive borrowing and spending of money on uneconomic State enterprises the evil of additional taxation was brought about. The demand for pleasure and amusement was astounding. The principle seemed to be that if business or work interfered with pleasure business should be given up. Mr Spencer said he felt sure that all employers of labour would gladly find work for the unemployed, but before that could be done the heavy taxation must be considerably reduced and the labour conditions granted by Arbitration Court made more elastic. Mr J. S. Daives, vice-president, said it .was becoming increasingly difficult for employers to carry on, largely owing to the restrictive legislation and tire increasing burdens on industry.