ENGLAND OF TO-DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 December 1923, Page 5

ENGLAND OF TO-DAY.

“CRUSHING TAXATION." “England appears to be the most heavily taxed country in the world, and is generally in a shocking condition,” said Sir W. Bassett Edwards, who returned from a visit to England and France. Until he resigned two years ago, Sir Bassett Edwards was senior puisne Supreme Court Judge in New Zealand. He explained that originally it was his intention to revisit England, his native land, after many years’ absence. On arrival he found that under the existing crushing taxation system in England visitors from the dominions were compelled to pay 5s in the £1 income tax after six months’ residence. He was given to understand it was possible, by a number of involved processes, to have the difference Jn the English and New Zealand taxation rates refunded, but he preferred to spend his holiday in France. While France, generally speaking, was in-a prosperous state, unemployment and poverty were rife in England. It was pitiful to see the number of unemployed maimed men on the streets of London asking for alms. It was difficult to distinguish between the deserving and undeserving cases, but there were certainly thousands of war service men on the streets. Sir Bassett Edwards will remain in Sydney several weeks.