UNEMPLOYMENT TAX

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 55, Issue 3928, 19 July 1937, Page 4

UNEMPLOYMENT TAX

FARMERS’ UNION ADVOCATES REDUCTION. A substantial reduction should oe made in the rate of unemployment tax, because of reported increases in employment and wages, the New Zealand Farmers’ Union considers. A resolution to that effect was passed by the annual Dominion conference at Wellington last Friday. Mr H E. Blyde (North Taranaki) said that if it was correct that employment had increased, and if those employed were receiving higher wages, it should not be necessary for tae tax to be so high. “We farmers feel the position particularly, because we have to pay the unemployment tax and then find that we are unable to get labour ourselves, he SS Mr R. H. Feisst (Auckland) said that the fund should be very considerably reduced, because as long as there was a fund in existence there would always be slackers. “At present taxpayers are contributing to a fund to prevent men working for them in the primary industry of the country, he said. He had been told by an Auckland unemployment official that more than 1000 single, able'-bodied men, suitable for farm work, could be found on the sustenance rolls in Auckland ill 24 hours, but they would not go to farms. , Mr J. Livingstone (South Hawkes Bay) said that the money should be flowing toward the industry which was producing the income of the country, to help it to employ labour, rather than into a fund which was keepm A ’delegate suggested that the Government be asked to devote 2d of the 8d tax to relieving the heavy burden of hospital rating. No action was taken in this matter.