TO MEET WAR EXPENSES.

Timaru Herald, Volume CI, Issue 15447, 9 September 1914, Page 8

TO MEET WAR EXPENSES.

To the Editor of the '-Timaru Herald." Sir.—Your report of the last- meeting of the Mackenzie Council states that a letter was road from the AYangnnui County Council asking the Mackenzie County Council's support to their propf.&al that the Government should pass a, Valiclatory Bill to enable each local authority to devote one-twentieth of its revenue to the purchase in New Zealand of food supplies to be forwarded to the Home Government. The- Mackenzie County Council unanimously decided to support this proposal. Mr AY. T. Smith, one of the Albury members of this Council, speaking at a patriotic meeting held at Albury on Frielay night, referred to this matter, and said It's Council were keenly anxious that this Bill should be passed. Ho said that "one-twentieth of our rates would be about £I2OO. but it would not be necessary to donate the maximum. Ho believed this to be an ideal way to raise money for the War Relief Fund." Now as a citizen of this Dominion. I wish to enter an emphatic protest against a Bill of this nature becoming law. It is placing a. dangerous and rjuite unnecessary power in the hands of local authorities. As a ratepayer of the Mackenzie County, I emphatically object that any of our rates be used for this purpose. Rates are levied for a specific purpose, and no public body has any right to divert or attempt to divert them to any other purpose than what they were levied for, unless by the unanimous and expressed wish of those supplying them. Further, the major portion of rates are used as wages for necessary public works, thus giving employment to a. very large number of our colonists. If this Bill became law. and a fair use made of it throughout- the Dominion, at least £IOO,OOO would be taken from the wage earners, thus throwing, a large number of our very b"st workers ottt of employment, and I think every reasonable man will admit, that this' is not a time to unnecessarily curtail legitimate employment. Unfortunately it is more than probable that we shall soon be compelled to curtail ottv expenditure whether we like it or not. The exceptionally heavy costs of this terrible war must disorgan'se the world's finances, and when our CoVtnial Treasurer again seeks the benefit of the financial market for the usual loans necessary to carry on public works at their normal rate. I am afraid he may find there is no money, or at such a prohibitive pr ; ee that he may h"s : tate at taking any for some t-'mo. This would mean * the partial stopping of public works, throwing a large number of men out of employment. Therefore. I think for the above reasons a Bill of this nature is uncalled for, and a step in the wrong direction. The vohmtary donations that have been made, and stil! are pouring in throughout the Dominion for our Expeditionary Force and AYar Relief Fund are a credit to the Dominion, but notwithstanding the enormous \ amounts that, have been collected in nioney and kind we must recogn'se, owing to- the growing seriousness of the outlook, and the more than probable long duration of the war, that it is our right and duty to put forward a still stronger helping hand, and that it is necessary to dev ; se some other means of collecting besides bv voluntary donations. In my opinion the time has arrived when a war tax should bo levied on all property and income, as after all this is the fairest way. Those who have got. most are justified in giving most. The "skinflint'' who is not get-at-able by voluntary donations would then be brought in line with his alreadv generous neigh-I hour. Donations to the Expeditionary Force and AYar Relief Fund published dailj- in the columns of the "Herald." make interesting reading, and give p fair insight into a certain phase of human nature. A'on will' see the working man earning about 30s nor week giving his two guineas, and alongside of him a gentleman who is paying largely to the graduated land tax giving a £lO horse, and there are any number of this r-'ass'whose names are still missing. Therefore, nothing but an income and pronorty tax can rerH. them fairly I sincerely hope, Mr Ed'tor. that you will use vour pow r in Hie. direction T have indicate:!. are iust slowlv bef'nninc to realise tb.it tin's is a I :.fe ant l d n at : h struggle for the British Empire Tf Great Britain noes under, so do we. It is better to cive nenrlv nil we have got to beln avert, this Teri'l>'e cainmitv a"dsi ; )l !>•» n fi--->e pe-nle. than eventn. nl'y be martially robbed mvl enslaved bv an alien co-ciueror.—l am. etc.. ROBERT GUTHRIE. Mt. Nessing. Sent. 7th.