Te Aroha And Ohinemuri News. Published Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Evenings, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 1915 A WAR TAX.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXXIII, Issue 15630, 4 June 1915, Page 2

Te Aroha And Ohinemuri News. Published Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Evenings, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 1915 A WAR TAX.

I Tins week Mr George Goulu of Christchurch, took the Government to task for what he termed “ declining to take the responsibility for placing our war expenditure on a broad national basis.’’ Mr Gould is classed as a Reformer, and Opposition papers have therefore seized upon his utterances as being strong adverse criticism of the methods of the Reform Government. Commenting upon the the subject one leading journal says " Mr Massey is -afraid of the masses and therefore hedaie not tax imports, he is afraid of “ the farmers,” and therefore he dare not tax exports, he is afraid of the classes,* and therefore he da e not tax land and income. But there are ever two sides to a every question, and it may be found that both Mr Gould and the Opposition journals are perhaps “ too previous.” In the first place the general finances of the country are of an extremely

buoyant nature, while public subsciptions throughout the whole Dominion are flowing in as freely as they were at the commencement of the “great war.’’ This being so the question might well be asked—would it be a wise policy to bring in a war tax before such is actually required ? In the second place, assuming that a levying of war taxes may in due course become necessary would it not be infinitely better for the whole position to be threshed out in Par- j liament assembled preferably to the Cabinet assuming the full authority • for such levies, practically on the of the session. Now we come to the charges regirdiug Mr Massey’s alleged fear of ‘‘ the masses,” <l the classes,” and “ the fanners.” We arc of the opinion that guilder these headings the Government has very little to fear, and those who consider the question fairly and impartial'}’ must admit this. Should it become necessary to tax impoits, and we are not at all sure that it will, ** the ma-ses ” will have facts and figures to justify the levy in such a manner that in fairness of principle they will acknowledge that on account of the great war expenditure they are required to take up a portion of the heavy burden, Consequen* upon the very material increase of the prices for wool and meat, large laud-holders and also those receiving large incomes from other sources, could hardly demur regarding the levyitigof a war-tax, and this covers the allegation concerning ‘‘ the classes.” In the matter of “the farmers,” who this season have experienced a period of high prices, and have prospects of such ruling for some time yet, we feel sure they would not wish to shirk the responsibility of a tax any more than others refered to. To sum up the position quite the majoiity of those who have given the question careful consideration have doubtless come to the conclusion that in due course a war-tax will become necessary. This being so right thinking people will admit that the Massey Government is as competent as any other to ensure that such taxation will by equitably imposed on those most able to bear theextra burden,