TAXATION PROPOSALS.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15320, 22 August 1923, Page 5

TAXATION PROPOSALS.

THE NEW LEGISLATION.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday.

A complaint that taxation is being piled on the cities while the country is being spoon-fed and pampered was made by the Mayor, Mr J. A. Flesher, in criticising the increase in the tax on local bodies’ debentures to 4s 6d.

In the whole of the taxation proposals, Mr Flesher said, the Government is putting a load on the towns' and exempting the country people. The towns and cities get no consideration. Local bodies had the power to raise money for housing, but if they were going to pay 22s 6d in interest on 5 per’ cent, debentures it was time the people knew what the legislation before Parliament meant. The municipalities were not to be enabled to get money at a cheaper rate. If that was not class legislation with a vengeance then he did not know what it was. The people in the cities and towns were being overburdened to relieve the people In the country. “Surely to goodness,” said Mr Flesher, “the Government realise that municipalities like themselves are working in the interests of the people If the Government would only give us £IOO,OOO for housing this city could soon spend it, but the way it is going on is only trifling with a serious question. The council ought to speak out, as the Government is simply confiscating taxation.” The Council decided to protest to the Government against the increase in the amount of income tax to be levied on local body debentures.