TAXATION INQUIRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16736, 18 May 1922, Page 5

TAXATION INQUIRY.

INDTTSTRIAL ASSOCIATION DISCUSSION. Referring at last night’s meeting of tho Canterbury Industrial .Association to the recent appointment by the Government of a Committee on Taxation, the president (Mr W. J. Jenkin) said that when he first saw the personnel of that committee, he was surprised to I find that no Canterbury man had been i appointed. Upon making inquiries he found that two Canterbury men were asked to act on the committee and both had declined. He also found that the manufacturers were not represented iu any way. Farmers, sheep owners, commercial men and others Mere represented but not the manufacturers. He considered that the best way to overcome the difficulty

was to delegate the association’s powers to the Wellington committee. The Wellington, committee had got into touch with the Prime Minister and suggested that Mr C. J. Ward, of Wellington, should be given a seat on the committee. After some delay, tho Minister v>f Industries and Commerce (the Hon E. P. Lee) advised that Mr M ard had been appointed to the committee. PUBLIC MEETING TO BE HELD. The matter of giving evidence on behalf of manufacturers before the committee, was considered in committee. On resuming the chairman reported that the following motion had been carried:—“The incidence of taxation is of vital importance at this particular time to every tax-payer and it appears to be imperative that a more equitable method of taxation should be adopted than the one operating at present. In order that the representatives on the Taxation Commission to whom are entrusted the interests of the manufacturing and commercial industries may be properly advised. A public meeting should be called of tax-payers for tho purpose of an open discussion with the view of formulating resolutions of a constructive character and reasons therefore, so that Mr Ward and the other members of the commission may understand the views of Canterbury on this important subject, and that the meeting after passing the resolutions, will undertake to send representatives for the purpose of giving such evidence as the commission may require.”