AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 145903, 9 August 1917, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

FEDERAL BUDGET. A TAX ON SLACKERS. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. MELBOURNE, August 8. The Treasurer, in his Budget statement, said Federal receipts fqr the current year were estimated at £37,283,832 and expenditure at £37,283,832, out of which £'13;109,851 was to bo devoted to war. purposes from revenue. War loans rajsed or to be raised wore estimated at £70,233,590, and war expenditure out of loans at £84,051,230. The total war expenditure including this year’s estimate amounted to £212,741,509. War pensions totalled £2,637,168, and repatriation £1,000,000. Provision will have to bo made for raising £64,065,922 for war purposes. The new taxation proposals include an additional income tax of 10 per coat, with a minimum of £lO in-each ease of widowers without children, and unenlistcd single men from 21 to 45. This is expected to produce half, a million in the present year, and is to be devoted to the repatriation of soldiers. The War Time Profits Tax was estimated to yield one million in the two years 1915-1917.