HEAVY TAXATION

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1935, Page 12

HEAVY TAXATION

DEMOCRAT PARTY’S CRITICISM.

PLANS TO ASSIST THE COUNTRY.

By Telegraph—Press Association.

Gore, Oct. 15.

The deputy-leader of the Democrat Party, Mr. W. A. Veitch, commenced a Southland tour with an address to a large number of electors at Gore last night He elaborated the policy of the party recently outlined by the leader, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, at Auckland, and explained how it was proposed to put the policy into effect Referring to the so-called vote splitting which the Government contended would arise as the result of the party making three-cornered contests, Mr. Veitch contended that most of the electors were dissatisfied with the present Government and were also opposed to Labour. Contrary to causing vote splitting, his party by a commonsense policy would afford the electors an opportunity of expressing their minds and voting against unpopular extremes as provided by the Government and the Labour Party. After strong criticism of the Government’s exchange manipulation and the continued enforcement of the detested sales tax, Mr. Veitch said that one plank in the party’s platform was to abolish both. They were a heavy drain on taxpayers. By abolishing both the Treasury in no way would be depleted. Contending that the only hope of the country lay in substantially reduced taxation, Mr. Veitch expounded the proposals of the party to this effect. The present Government and the Labour Party, he said, believed that they could create prosperity by collecting taxes and spending them, but they had failed to realise that the money paid in taxation was not available to the people to spend in any other direction. The Democrat Party realised that the country needed elbow room to carry on its business unfettered by heavy taxation. After dealing with employment and secondary industries, Mr. Veitch was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence.