THE COLONIST. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1915 SUMMARY NOTES.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13873, 15 September 1915, Page 4

THE COLONIST. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1915 SUMMARY NOTES.

Parliament.

,In the political sphere the most jnomentous event of the month has been the delivery of the Financial Statement by the Minister of Finance, Sir Joseph Ward. It reveals as the net result of the year's operations a surplus of £72,142. Up to March 31vst the war had cost New Zealand roughly £2,750,000, including liabilities outstanding at that date, and the rate of expenditure necessarily increases in proportion to the number of men we put in the field. The Minister estimates the additional amount required at £2,000,000 per annum, and new taxation proposals are ; framed' to yield £2.032,000 per annum. The chief taxation proposals are as follows:—-The land tax to be increased by the addition of 50 per cent, to the present rates of graduated tax on country lands. The increase in the income tax will be obtained by an extension of the existing schedule of, graduated rates from Is 4d to 2s, which rate will be reached at £5000, and the imposition of a supertax of thirty-three and one-third per cent, to the schedule rates. This will give a rate varying from 8d on the lower taxable incomes to 2s 8d on the higher ones. The income tax is to apply to income derived from land. Five per cent, of the capital value of the land will be deducted from the Assessment of the income, and the exemption of £300 will also be allowed. There is to be a war tax of 2$ percent, on totalisator dividends. The initial rate on telegrams is to be increased by 2d, the same sum to be i;dded' to the inland charge for cablegrams; the initial charge for bureau communications within a radius of 25 miles to be 6d for both subscribers and non-subscribeHs; a war tax of one-lialfpenny on all articles posted except newspapers. The railway passenger and goods rates will be increased to the extent of £360,000 per annum by the raising of passenger rates by eight and one-third per cent., and goods (excepting timber) by 10 per cent. An all-round duty of 10 per cent. ad valorem on motor cars, and 50 per cent, additional on cars made in coun-i tries which are now, or may be enemy; countries. Bicycles, which have hitherto borne a duty of 20 per cent, if Britishj and 30 per cent.. if foreign, will be reduced to the 'same rate as motor cars, with the same conditions as regards enemy countries.! A duty of 4d per gal r lon on mojior .' spirits : and kerdsehe.

Excise beer, which'has hitherto paid 3d per gallon by means of stamps attached to the casks Upon delivery from the brewery, will be taxed, by an entirely new method.. The Government's proposal in regard to the beer tax alters the system chiefly to ensure that lighter ales should be manufactured in New Zealand. The duty will be assessed on the quantity and with respect to the specific gravity of the worts pitched for fermentation. The worts of low gravity will pay a minimum duty, which will increase with each unit of rise in gravity. Spirits will be increased from 16s per •■ proof gallon to 17s per proof gallon. An excise fluty of Id per gallon on all non-alcoholic m beverages to be defined. Dutiee on assessable instruments mentioned in the second schedule of the Stamp Duties Act, 1908, are to be increased by 25 per cent. The banknote duty is to be increased from 15s per cent, to £1 per cent. The duty on bank cheques to be raised from Id to 2d. The duty on receipts to bo raised from 3d to 2d. Death duties are to be extended by reducing the exemption of £20,000 for. each child to £6000, and imposing 2 per cent, on successions over this amount. .A stamp duty of 5 per cent, on mortgages of land; on release, re-conveyance, or discharge of mortgage, a fixed duty of 10s. A new stamp duty en all sub-sales, of property. An interesting departure is the local flotation of a Public Works loan of £2,000,000.

proved effective and popular is the sal© by auction of the. national flag, which has resulted in large sums being subscribed in many places in the Dominion. . On September Ist a Union Jack I prasented by Mrs. Bett to the Sick and j Wounded Soldiers' Fund executive was disposed of in this way-a* "the Empire Theatre, and elicited spirited biddiDg, I being finally purchased by a number of members of the executive. The bidding i resulted in the sum of £1018 being added to the fund. The flag has been presented to the city, and it is intended to send it to London, to be carried at the head of the Dominion's troops when they reach England after the termination of .the war. It will afterwards be returned to Nelson, a,nd- will be, given a permanent resting place among the historic treasures of the city. Tho local Sick and Wounded Soldiers' Fund now stands at over £8000. At a conference of delegates. representing all parts of the district held on Saturday evening it wa.s decided to fall in with the scheme of national administration of war relief, funds initiated by the Wellington organisation. On Saturday last a novel effort was successfully carried out in Nelson for the purpose of raising funds for the purchase of Christmas gifts for the troops at the Dardanelles. It took the form of a flower sale and' gala, and was entered into with enthusiasm by the whole community. In the result more than £250 was raised for the object in view.

The National Reserve. Official recognition and acceptance of the National Reserve having been virtually promised by the Government, an effort is being1 made to strengthen i the movement throughout the Dominion, and with this object Colonel Porter, C.8., the Commandant of the Reserve, is making a- tour to'explain the objects of the movement and its claim upon those who are unable to take, their place in the firing line; The Colonel reached' Nelson on Sunday, and addressed a largely attended meeting next evening. He also visited Motueka with a view to the establishment of A corps in that centre. The Colonel was accompanied by Mrs. Porter, who is at the head of the National Reserve of Women, and as a result of her efforts a branch of that organsiation has been established here. The National Reserve in Nelson is already represented by a" strong and enthusiastic force, and Colonel Porter's visit should result in the movement receiving a considerable impetus. .