THE AMUSEMENT TAX.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 30, Issue 19, 8 March 1918, Page 5

THE AMUSEMENT TAX.

In reply to a deputation from the Council of Agriculture, to request that Agricultural and Pastoral Societies be exempted from the amusement tax provision of the Finance Act Sir Joseph Ward said:

“On the whole, the people of the Dominion was responding, he might say magniflciently to the additional burdens which were being forced on them by the war. There were some people who complained if they had to pay additional tax, whilst many others had to borrow money to pay their tax; and they were not complaining, because they recognised the necessary al burdens imposed by the war. Some people complained of the repeal of the profits tax, and urged that it should be continued. He told the Houses that they oould not rely on getting more than a million from the tax. Canada had repealed the tax because it could not get the revenue. We repealed it because we could not get our revenue under it. We could not get, he supposed, within two and a half to three millions of what we were getting under the present system. Yet there were people going about the country making all sorts of exaggerated statements as to the revenue that could be got from the tax. In many cases farmers had been exporting classes of stock which they would not do under ordinary circumstances, and some people seemed to forgot that a farmer required to replace his stock. A few days ago a department over which he had control had had to pay £4OOO for material for which they would have only had to pay £SOO immediately before the war. There were some articles which had gone up in cost 400 per cent. —articles imported into this country. Financially we were, fortunately, strong — stronger, he believed, than any other portion of the British possessions. In regard to the request of the deputation, he would not know the position until after the end of the financial year. hey could not make any alteration in 'ho law until Parliament would meet for the short session to deal with special important business. But he would lot them know the result of the tax at the end of the financial year; and, f the amount involved was small, ho hoped to be able to favourably consider their request.