The Wanganui Chronicle "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." THURSDAY, OCT. 11th, 1917. PUTTING ON THE SCREW.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17110, 11 October 1917, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." THURSDAY, OCT. 11th, 1917. PUTTING ON THE SCREW.

The important statement made by ■.Si*' Joseph Ward in the House of Repre*. sentatives on Tuesday should convince the people of the Dominion that the financial position of the country, while not actually dangerous, is such as to impose upon responsible statesmen the duty uf exercising the utmost prurtence in regard to all matters calling for the expenditure of public money. It should also bring home to the people themselves the necessity for greater economy and a more careful oversight of their private outgoings. The prospect of inevitably increased taxation—if not immediately, then almost certainly in the not distant futureis not pleasing; but it has got to be faced. As we stated yesterday morningj whatever methods the Colonial 'Treasurer may adopt to secura tlis money wliich he must have if the country is to continue to honourably meet its obligations, the effect of the added burden must be felt throughout the community. Ir, as Sir Joseph Ward appears to think, all the main sources from which it is possible to obtain revenue by direct taxation are already yielding up to their maximum taxable capacity, and that therefore there only remain the Customs duties upon which iv is possible to operate to any substantial extent, then, of course, the burden is going to fall directly upon the people as a .whole. We hope, however, that Sir Joseph Ward will exhaust every available means of extracting the additional revenue ho requires from those who are best able to provide it, before he finally applies the screw to the Customs duties; because undoubtedly any considerable increase of those duties, especially if applied to articles of common use, will press heavily upon a large number of wage-earn-ers to whom the problem of how to make both ends meet is already difficult of solution. We are aware that it is not an easy matter to evolve anything approaching a thoroughly equitable system of taxation. At the same time we contend that it ought to be possible for Parliament to devise some more effective method than at present exists for reaching the big incomes, not only of the large landowners, but of the large trading concerns. • .