NO MORE TAXES THIS YEAR

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21037, 13 February 1940, Page 4

NO MORE TAXES THIS YEAR

Intimating that no further taxation was contemplated for the present financial year, the Hon. W. Nash in a statement at Auckland said that the preparation of the Budget for the year that begins on April 1 had not yet been completed. It was perhaps too much to expect the Minister to commit himself regarding the year that is to come, but the public will at least be thankful that no further increase is proposed in the little that remains of the present year, especially so soon after the receipt of their income tax demands with the 15 per cent, emergency levy added. With conditions as they are, taxpayers are looking to Mr Nash to afford whatever relief is possible in the Budget upon which he is now engaged. Everyone expects the war to remain a very heavy burden on the country’s revenues, and therefore the next Budget will be scrutinised with more than usual care to see whether every possible endeavour has been made to economise on non-essential expenditures with a view to relieving the taxpayers. There are several directions in which the expenditure by the State can be pruned substantially, and the country will be very disappointed if Mr Nash does not take advantage of every opportunity. Taxation is already too heavy, and if expenditure is continued on non-essential projects, the war effort must be impaired accordingly. Attention has been concentrated for some time on the Public Works Department’s policy. It is in that direction that the public will look for the greatest single saving in Government expenditure. The Cabinet recognises the necessity; hence the effort to transfer public works men to the productive industries and to taper off the works programme. There would have been more cause for satisfaction had the tapering process begun much sooner, but there is still time to effect extensive economy without carrying expenditure into the next financial year. New Zealand surely cannot contemplate expending anything like the £23,000,000 provided for public works last year, unless that work is found to be necessary for the prosecution of the war programme. Mr Semple is now engaged in a reorganisation of public works, and the success of his efforts might mean very welcome relief for the taxpayers, or at least exemption from any additional burden.