LANGISM

Wairarapa Daily Times, 12 May 1932, Page 5

LANGISM

TAX ONJORTGAGES A STAGGERING PROPOSAL. l’ress Association Electric Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, Wednesday. Tlio Legislative Assembly was staggered wlien the Premier, Mr J. 1. Lang, introduced a Taxation on Mortgages Bill, under which by a tax of ten per cent on every mortgage upon land or any estate or interest therein, he aims to produce £7,000,000 revenue. _ The tax must be paid within fourteen days. Mr Lang declared that it would enablo him to satisfy the demands of the Commonwealth Government in respect of interest payments, and thus would remove the crippling embargo inflicted upon the wealthiest and most populous State in Australia. The invader must either bo paid out or thrown out, ho said. Those people of means whose patriotism led them to clamour that the invader should be paid out would now have an opportunity of living up to their beliefs, and the Go\ - eminent would do its part in providing the machinery with which this could be done. He made no secret of it that the tax was in the nature of a levy on the wealthier section of the community, who would now bo ablo to make a reasonable contribution towards the rehabilitation of the State to which they as mortgagees were largely indebted for their accumulation of capital. Mr B. S. B. Stevens, Leader of the Opposition, declared that if the Bill were passed it would most certainly end credit in New South Wales. The Premier was deliberately precipitating a financial crisis so that the Government could enter into possession of the industries and assets of those businesses and institutions unable to find money for payment of the tax. The debate is unfinished. Well-informed circles, declare that there is no possibility of the mcasuie passing the Legislative Council. UPROAR IN ASSEMBLY. SYDNEY, Wednesday. There was an uproar in the Legislative Assembly when Mr It. Weaver, Deputy-Leader of the Opposition, moved for a Royal Commission to enquire into the actions of certain members of Cabinet in entering into a conspiracy with a man named Captain Warncford, lately a member of the New Guard, to break the law by the recent assault on Mr J. S. Garden. Mr Weaver declared that Captain Warneford, acting under instructions from the Government and for a. payment of £6 a week, had organised a Fascist legion, embracing New Guardsmen, without the authority of the New Guard, culminating in the attack on MiGarden. The whole thing was a "frame-up.” The Attorney-General, Mr J. Lamaro, replied that it was quite impossible to grant a Royal Commission. He doubted whether Mr Weaver himself believed what he had told the House. There was not one word of truth in the allegations against Ministers, but the best answer was the fact that the men who had assaulted Mr Garden had voluntarily pleaded guilty. Mr Weaver’s motion was negatived on a purely party division. THREATS ON LIVES. (Received Thursday, 9.10 a.m.) CANBERRA, This Day. More than 100 men, mostly employed in the Commonwealth public service, have been sworn in under the Peace Officers Act. Letters have been received by Messrs Jas. Lyons and Stanley Bruce and Major Jones, Chief of the Federal Capital Police, making threats on their lives.