2 APRIL 1932, Page 15

- TAXATION OF seer: VALUES [To the Editor of the

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Stu,- One of man's first ditties is to refrain front doing .1

which prevents his neighbour earning a livelihood. Puler ow- existing assessment laws men make a legal profit through having prevented others doing useful work on land that lies waste. This is an injustice against which every man has a

right to he protected. . .

The price of building sites keeps many pink of valuable land unoccupied ; each site which remains vacant when a price can be obtained for it is a natural opportunity for the employ- Ment of capital and labour. - The value of all such wasted openings for useful work is exempt from rates -and under-

taxed. Things have conic to such a pass in this country that the State must both reduce its expenditure and find means to increase the public revenue. It is inexpedient to increase the • direct or indirect taxation now levied on the occupation of property, on the production and exchange of commodities, on incomes, or on estates at death. In these circumstances is there any valid reason for continuing to exempt-the site +rabies of land from a fair contribution to the public revenues ?-