10% Sales Tax Suggested for Cook Is
p. 46 · Read in the full issue
Cook Is.
From Our Own Correspondent
Rarotonga, Aug. 5.
IN July, a further £550 was sent to N.Z. for war purposes, bringing the total for Rarotonga alone up to £1,050. In view of this fine voluntary effort Cook Islanders were surprised at the terms of an answering telegram from the N.Z.
Minister for the Cook Is. (Hon. Frank Langstone).
While thanking the C.I. people for their unstinted support he mooted the sugges tion that a 10 per cent, sales tax should be imposed on all N.Z. exports to this Group.
This Minister recently introduced in come tax to the Cook Is. which, while it will yield very little in revenue, compels native and half-caste traders to pay an accountant to prove that their profits are not taxable. In view of present economic conditions here, income tax is quite su perfluous and to bring in an additional tax would be a most unfair burden upon the Islanders, especially when prices are rising and the value of a day’s work has fallen to 2/-.
A protest has been despatched to N.Z.