CLEAN BOWLED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16820, 24 August 1922, Page 4

CLEAN BOWLED.

A STATISTICAL COMEDY. MR SIDEY WINS. (Special to the “Star-”) WELLINGTON. August 23. Tiie unpromising subject of the comparative taxation ner head in Australia and New Zealand produced quit*, a good exchange of repartee between Mr Sidey and the Prime Minister to- : day. Mr Sidey endeavoured to controvert Mr Massey s assertion that taxation in New Zealand was less per head 1 than in the Commonwealth. He declared that the reverse was tbe case 1 and that the Prime 'Minister was only able to produce a result to suit him b\ including Maoris in his New Zealand • calculations, a method which was pure camouflage. “ Oh you are quite wrong,” said Mi Massey wearily. Mr Sidev replied bv quoting rompar ative figures showing Commonwealth taxation of £l2 os per head in 1922, ■ New Zealand being £l2 14s 7d. including Maoris, or £l3 5s 2d, excluding Maoris. Mr Massey : You are wrong. T have the Commonwealth figures for -Juno and 1 ain the onlj- man in New Zealand . who has them. 1 Mr Sidey : Well T cabled to the Com- ! monwealth Statistician for them and here is his reply, saying that the Commonwealth (Federal and State) taxation total was £l2 s«i per head. (Laughter). Mr Milford : He got the latest figures after all. Mr Massey: No. That is for 1921. Mr Sidey : My cabled reply is August 21. 1922. The Commonwealth figure.! for 1921 were £l3 le per head. Mr Milford: You win. (Laughter). T>r Thacker: You take the Jack pot. Mr Sidey refrained from following tip his advantage, bnt proceeded to inform the House that last year New Zealand’s national debt had increased by £0 per head, while the interest, charge increased at a, still greater ratio than the debt. He regarded it as the most arresting feature of the I Budget that notwithstanding all the boasted economies of five millions the striking fact remained that our expenditure for last year was the highest in our history, and our estimated expenditure for this year was only £278.000 les s *. While it was true that? we were suffering from causes which were world-wide and affecting the prices of our produces it was also true that our troubles had been aggravated by Governmental improvidence and want of foresight.