TAX INCREASES

Southland Times, Issue 23897, 16 August 1939, Page 3

TAX INCREASES

To The Editor

Sir,—On looking up the value of New Zealand’s production during the slump period I find that for the year ended June 1932 the production value amounted to £83,000,000, and it rose to £97,000,000 for the year ended June 1935. For the following years, as the world emerged from the slump, the years ended June 1936, 1937 and 1938, our production values were £114,000,000, £136,000,000 and £135,000,000 respectively. These figures show clearly what an enormous advantage the Labour Government has had in funds with which to run the country, since increased production value means increased revenue from taxes. But in spite of the tremendous increase in the amount of money flowing into the State coffers, we unfortunately know that the Labour Government has levied huge increases in taxation and that there are greater increases to follow or repudiation stares us in the face. Now, sir, since the Labour Government has • taken us into our present sorry financial muddle while governing in good years, what sort of dire privations will we have to suffer during the local slump which its bungling appears to be creating for New Zealand?— Yours, etc., COMPARISON. August 15, 1939.