AUSTRALIA SHOWS THE WAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18249, 18 November 1933, Page 16

AUSTRALIA SHOWS THE WAY

TAXPAYERS’ REWARD

(An Editorial in The Seattle PostIntelligencer.)

Here set down are some facts—not fiction. Of course, theincident that tlie facts come from far-away Australia in no way deprives tax-burdened, debt-ridden municipalities in this country of their right to hope. If the things described are possible in Australia, some day they may become true here. v The annual Budget in Australia shows a surplus. In Australia £3,000,000 is to be remitted to direct taxpayers and £4,000,000 to indirect taxpayers. Nor is that the whole story. Old age and invalid pensions are to be increased in Australia.

And, finally, public service salaries will be restored up to per cent. How comes it that all this has happened—in Australia? The depression has been world-wide. No nation has escaped its ravages. The answer is simple. When the revenues of the country fell off, when the people no longer were able to meet existing tax burdens, with consequent arrears in tax payments, the cost of government was reduced. Luxuries in governmental services were dispensed with. The cost of public service was reduced to a minimum. Management was substituted for mis-

management. Efficiency displaced inefficiency. The fundamental fact that no govern- < ment can survive if it continues to spend more than it receives was recognized.

And now the taxpayers are receiving

their reward —in Australia. It is a long journey to Australia, but it might well pay the taxpayers of our municipalities to defray the cost of sending some of their governmental officials even that far to learn how to economise.

ond heat: Goodley, 1; Cooke, 2; Watson, 3. Third heat: J. Cooke, 1; N. Sainsbury, 2; P. Bates, 3. Final: P. Bates, 1; 11. Cooke, 2; Goodley, 3. Boys’ 880yds. race.—First heat; Brown, 1; G. Sainsbury, 2; B. Shelton, 3. Second heat: B* Sainsbury, 1 j Hislop, 2; B. Goodley, 3. Final: B. Sainsbury. 1; Brown, 2; Shelton, 3. Men’s iOOyds., amateurs. —M. Clifford, 1; J. Poyzer, 2; T. Nicol, 3. Men’s 100yds., professional: B. Roache, 1; J. McLachlan, 2; L. Johnstone, 3. Ladies’ 100 vds. —Miss L. Bates, 1; Miss-Christen-sen, 2. Men’s 220vds.—L, Johnston, 1; A. Lister, 2; M. Clifford, 3.