CO129-582-7 Taxation 6-6-1939 - 5-2-1940 — Page 126

127

- 7 -

examples of the tax payable by such a man on various incomes

ignoring a possible surtax on the highest incomes, a matter which is still receiving the consideration of Government.

£400 per annum

50

455

2

£750 per annum

£1,250 per annum

1,225.

Before leaving this subject of income tax I would sa

The Taxation Committee

a word about its administration.

recommended that there should be a preliminary expert

investigation of the administrative difficulties; but

9

circumstances now render it impossible to secure the services

of an expert and Government had to decide either to go ahead

at once or to wait until after the war when of course the

urgent need would have vanished. It is equally impossible to

get an expert from home even to help start the Department and

we must do it with our own resûurces. Government is only too

well aware that that is a formidable undertaking and I most

earnestly crave the patience and indulgence of this Council if

in order to make this new departure a success in the short time

at our disposal we have to ask in the beginning for what may

I also crave seem an extravagant temporary establishment.

the patience of the public who will have to put up with the

mistakes and delays which we can hardly avoid in the early stages. I can only promise that we will do our best and

express a hope that we may receive helpful cooperation from

the public.

I come finally to the measures of exchange control

and other steps to safeguard our foreign exchange resources

which have been taken, or are in contemplation, on which Your

Excellency has desired me to make a statement for the

information of honourable members.

It will be necessary for

the home Government to make very large purchases for war

purposes from non-sterling countries including Canada, the

United States and the neutral European countries.

They will