The Waipukurau Press. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. FRIDAY, MAY 27, 1932. BUSINESS AND TAXATION

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 130, 27 May 1932, Page 4

The Waipukurau Press. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. FRIDAY, MAY 27, 1932. BUSINESS AND TAXATION

In a recent issue the “Wairarapa Daily Times” (Independent Reform) has taken up a matter to which the “Press” has oftimes made reference, i.e. the need for greater interest in matters of taxation on the part of the business community:— “There is a noticeable lack in New Zealand of an organisation to protect the interests of the business people, at a time when certain sections of the community are clamouring for repudiation and an easement of taxation as far as they are particularly concerned. It would appear as if the business people throughout the Dominion are quite prepared to lie down and take every taxation kick as a matter of course. It is certainly wrong for any section of people to expect a Government to take over their liabilities, but if the Government is prepared to help the farmers it should extend similar action to others who may ask. As valuable as the farmer is to the Dominion, he could not exist without the business man and the consumer generally. The heaviest taxation is falling upon the commercial and working classes, and while the greatest dissatisfaction exists amongst them, the burden is being carried philosophically. If the business community desires to protect its interests, then it must wake up out of its Rip van Winkle sleep and organise in a direction that will secure for it at least bare justice.” A WISE DECISION Commenting in the course of recent remarks on the reduction to the penny postage, the Postmaster-Gen-eral, the Hon. A. Hamilton; said this was in accordance with the Government’s desire to reduce costs wherever possible. In doing so the Government might be sacrificing a certain amount of revenue, but it was hoped that the public generally would respond to the action taken and make the fullest possible use of the Post Office service. On the subject of telephone rentals, the Minister said he had also given this matter his careful attention, but was unable to make any substantial reductions in this connection. He had, however, decided to make a small concession to certain rural and partyline subscribers. Many country subscribers, owing to theii' isolation, were to-day being charged rental beyond their capacity to meet. He had decided for the present financial year to fix the rate for these subscribers at half the existing rate, with a minimum of £lO. This concession would amount to approximately £5OOO for the year. Regarding the telephone service generally, he said he would like to remind the public that New Zealand enjoyed the cheapest service in the English-speaking world. During recent years the benefits enjoyed by the subscribers had been increased enormously, especially in the longdistance call service. He asked the public to continue to make full use of this cheap and most efficient service and thus enable it to continue to grow and play its useful part in the buisness and social life of our country. The “Press” having advocated a return to Id. postage and a reduction of telephone rentals, welcomes the trend now in progress.