THE BURDEN OF WAR.
In this country we have had but a slight experience of the heavy burden of maintaining the war. Wc refer, of course, to the financial burden only, for the dominion's* experience in regard to the loss of life and limb has been severe enough. The additional taxation which the Treasurer has found it necessary to impose has been accepted, speaking generally, with equanimity throughout the country, and it may he said with confidence that it will entail but little hardship and still less sacrifice, in the real sense of the word. That is to say, no one is likely to be compelled by the additional taxation to do without anything that is really necessary to his comfort and convenience. If the war continues, or if a call is made for greater intensity .of effort, we must he prepared to feel its cost more acutely. Indeed, the dominion would not be doing its duty cither to itself or to the Umpire if. while others were making real sacrifices, it continued to live and spend very much as in normal times. Already war taxation has been imposed in Britain in comparison with which that of New Zealand is light, and if the Daily Telegraph's forecast of the new taxation proposals of the forthcoming British Budget is in any way correct the taxpayers are to he asked to pay still more heavily. According to the cable which is published in another column it is expected that tile income tax exemption will he lowered and the rate increased by sixpence. In New Zealand the rates are to he increased, but the exemption will still stand at £SOO, and no one whose earnings arc less than that amount will pay income tax. In Britain the exemptions arc graduated. An income of £]GO is exempt from taxation, and a deduction of £IOO is allowed on incomes up to .£IOO. On incomes above £4OO the amount of exemption is reduced until it falls as low as £7O in incomes from £OOO to £7OO. It is believed that a tea duty of no less than Is per lb will bo. imposed, and it is not difficult to imagine bow such a tax would affect householders in the dominion. The duties on sugar, tobacco and cigars are to go up 50 per cent, in Britain, and none of these items has,yet been touched by the Treasurer of Now Zealand. The Daily Telegraph may not be absolutely correct in its forecast, but the probability is that it is somewhere near the mark, and while it is improbable that taxation will have to be carried to the same extent, in New Zealand wc must be prepared for increased burdens, and these burdens must touch all classes of the community.
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Bibliographic details
Southland Times, Issue 17533, 22 September 1915, Page 4
Word Count
462THE BURDEN OF WAR. Southland Times, Issue 17533, 22 September 1915, Page 4
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