DEBATE CONTINUES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17067, 27 September 1929, Page 13

DEBATE CONTINUES

LAND TAX PROPOSALS MORE OPPOSITION AMENDMENT PROMISED (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The House of Representatives met at 10.30 this morning. On the motion of the Prime Minister urgency was accouled the second reading ot the Land and Income 'lax Amendment Bill, and of the Land and Income Tax (annual) Bill, and also the passage ot the imprest Supply Bill (No. 4). Debate on the Land and Income fax Amendment Bill was resumed by Mr. G . R. by lies, who described the measure as a two-edged sword, declaring that alter a. season in which a landowner had suffered loss through drought, or for some other reason, ho would he called on to pay a penal land tax. Then, should lie have an exceptionally good year, ho would lie called on to pay income tax, because it- was greater than the penal land tax. This Mr. .Sykes considered was entirely unfair and inequitable. Ho alleged that the Prime Minister, in endeavoring to get at the man with a rich unencumbered estate, had run amok, and was injuring many defenceless and less fortunate persons in the process.

Mr. J. S. Fletcher refuted the suggestion that the. hill would affect smaller landholders, hut he stated that when the bill was in committee lie would move an amendment in relation to the hardship clause. He did not believe, that a commission should be appointed by the Governor-in-LVmneil. He objected to tlio principle of government by Order-in-Coiuicil, believing that Parliament should rule. EFFECT ON LAND VALUES. Mr. 11. G. Dickie insisted that the proposed legislation would depress land values, and in doing so it would affect everv farmer in the Dominion. He doubted whether it would be possible in many instances to get renewals of mortgages, and lie urged that when iliebill was in its committee stage it should at least be amended to grant full exemption oil all mortgages up to the statutory amount.

Mr. K. S. Williams suggested to ( the Prime Minister that the dale for tjic. assessment of farmers’ incomes should be postponed from the end of March to the end of August or September, pointing out that by the end of March the farmer could only guess at what would lie the financial result of his years operations. Mr. Williams said he could not understand why any man with an inclination to succeed on the hind should be hampered in his ambition. He had no objection at all to the landowner paying his fair share, but in the interests of the Dominion as a whole his range ot progress should not ho limited to a certain extent. There seemed to be a general tendency to belittle, the success of the man on the land. THE HARDSHIP CLAUSE.

Mr. 11. Holland said he considered the ■fact that the hill presupposed hardship was sufficient to condemn the measure, lie did not think it would take two or three years to classify land. It should be possible to obtain a classification ot largo estates in a very short time, and with such information at command it should bo possible to formulate'a. more equitable system and obviate the need for a hardship clause. Mr. W. H. Field stated that lie was satisfied that the Bilk would operate in a very brutal wav. He could understand the Labor Party’s support of the proposals because lie believed it saw in them a. big step towards the socialisation of land.

Mr. \Y. E. ’Barnard stated: that lie hoped the Government when acquiring land for closer settlement would take up property in Hawke’s Bay, in which district there was ample scope for progress in this respect. He hoped that the Government would,eventually revise the whole, taxation system, t,Rough lie realised that it could not be carried out ini mediately.

The Rl. Hon. .1. G. Contes said lie bad previously suggested that the bill should have been referred to a committee of tho House. This would havebeep in direct line with precedent. He referred to the extent of the alterations which this course had involved in the past, and lie considered that it would have been of considerable advantage to have followed that example in the present instance. The leader of the Labor Party had referred to the increase in the value of farmers’ products last year, b-ut he had made no reference to tlm increase in (In' farmers’ costs. That was an aspect which had to lie taken into consideration.

The House adjourned at 1 p.m

FARMERS REVIEW PROTEST ’ (Per Press Association ) WELLINGTON, this day. A specially convened conference representing the Dominion executive of the Farmers’ Union and Sheepowners’ Federation to-day reaffirmed the resolutions of the previous conference protesting against the new taxation, and appointed Messrs. R. I>. Duxfield, J. S. Jesscp, mid A. R. Turnbull to present their views to Sir Joseph Ward.