THROTTLING INDUSTRY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17067, 27 September 1929, Page 8

THROTTLING INDUSTRY

UNFAIR TAX ON LAND CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM (Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Some constructive criticism of the hind tax proposals was heard from Jlr. K. S. Williams, Bay of Plenty, in the House to-day. He suggested that instead of immediately putting the land tax on large holdings the Prime Minister should give an opportunity for subdivision beenforcing the tax, by suspending it. If expenditure equal to the land tax was undertaken in development these owners could be asked to experiment with fertilisers, and instead of their money going into the Govern incut coffers, it could Ire used to employ labor and increase productiveness. Ho mould not understand the desire to throttle an industry which produced 90 per cent, of the country's, income. _lf large areas were suitable for subdivision he had no objection to enforcing it, but there were many estates not suitable for working in small areas. Under such conditions, why should production be throttled l>y taxation? It was not done with tiro country’s professions, which were encouraged to give of their best in the country’s interests. The man on the land had rust as much ambition as the man hi the town, and desired the same encouragement, and lie supposed Mr. Holland had an ambition to become Prime Minister. Mr. Holland: Where do you find in my S'pencrb that I wanted to prevent men succeeding on 'tho land. Mr. Williams : It was done not directly, but by inference.