SECURITY A MYTH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19698, 2 August 1938, Page 14

SECURITY A MYTH

TYRANNY OF THE STATE TAXPAYERS' BURDEN CRITICISM OP GOVERNMENT "Stability has become a legend and security a myth," stated Mr. H. D. Acland, president of the New. Zealand Sheepowncrs" Federation, when moving the adoption of the annual report at the federation's annual meeting in Wellington. To all sections of industry, he said, things generally appeared to be unstable, uncertain and uneasy, while, unfortunately, it would seem that an increasing number of persons were content to enjoy the fruits of the labours of others. Taking into account the taxpaying capacity of the community, the Government's programme must in the end prove unworkable, said Mr. Acland. In the previous record year of 192829 production value was £120,600,000 and taxation £17,832,000. Last year production value increased by about £10,000,000 to £13(5,100,000, but taxation had increased disproportionately by over £19,000,000 to £36,860,000. If the proposed social services legislation was passed into law the cost to the Dominion would be proportionately increased. Further dependence on the pocket of the taxpayer would be encouraged by unemployment provisions. The present policy, said Mr. Acland, was putting unemployment at a' premium and thrift at a discount, and in the event of a sudden drop in values of exports, it would -appear that the present scale of expenditure could only be maintained by imposing an increasing ratio of hardship on taxpayers generally, as a result of efforts to maintain receipts through taxation at a level impossible for the general taxpayer to find under average conditions of trade within the Dominion. "It would appear that unless wo are very careful, we may suffer severely from a tyranny of State benevolence, past the point of ability of the individual taxpayer to maintain," said Mr. Acland. He believed that the country's rulers would best promote the improvement of the people by strictly conlining themselves to their own legitimate duties: by leaving capital to find its most lucrative course, commodities their natural reward, idleness and folly their natural punishment; by maintaining peace, defending property and by observing strict econony in every department of State.