EXTRAORDINARY STATEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1918, Page 7

EXTRAORDINARY STATEMENTS.

BY HON.. G, W, RUSSELTi STATE MONOPOLY OP PETRCfi AND TOBACCO. ' PROTEST AGAINST AMERICAN NAVAL PROGRAMME.

By Telegraph.—Press Association.

Christchurch, Last Night; Speaking at Aranui school yesterday, Hon. G. W Russell said there lay before the statesmen of New Zealand the problem of how to pay the cost of the war and still keep the country prosperous, and our object must be to endeavor to create sources of income for the State other than from taxation. He said: "It seems to me that articles like tobacco, petrol, and things of that kind are goods that the State might easily declare a monopoly over, make a profit from their sale, and still sell the anises at a lower price than the public are paying for them now. When we were paying 3s 6d a gallon for petrol the same quality petrol was selling retail in the United States at tenpence a gallon. If the Government is prepared to adopt a bold course and take a monopoly over various articles there should be a material increase in the income of the State, thus lessening the need for taxation."

"Some people think this war is going to end all war," Mr. Russell remraked. "I wish I could think so, but I am sorry to say I cannot see any indication of it. What are we to think when we see responsible statesmen of the United States declaring they must have a navy second to none in the world? To my nund, this was the most saddening and ominous thing I have ever heard. Many of us thought this race for armaments and this building of dreadnoughts and battleships would cease. I look upon the American declaration with grief and sorrow. I hope the great nations will set about disarming, rather than burdening themselves with colossal fleets and armies."