Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 - 1954), Friday 22 April 1927, page 8


PASSIVE RESISTANCE.

TO WATER TAX.

FLOUTING THE GOVERNMENT.

At a well attended meeting of the Rockhampton branch of the L.P.A., held on Wednesday next, a motion was pass-ed expressing indignation at the regu-lations of the new Water Act.

It was pointed out that it was in- credible that any Government would

actually impose taxation on improve-ments, especially in the Central Dis- trict, which would suffer in greater pro-portion than any other part of Queens-land, owing to the character of its cli-mate. Also, it was considered an act of madness to impose such taxation at the end of a severe drought, when farm- ers and stock raisers had lost at least

50 per cent of their stock and were be-ing driven off the land by excessive

railway freights, and new taxation such as the hospital tax.

It was pointed out that there was world wide recognition that the unim-proved value of land was the only de-fensible basis of land taxation, and that the new Act constituted a departure

from this basis. It was really a tax on energy employed in development of what after all ia really public land,

seeing that it bears such a huge propor-tion of taxation.

After a lengthy discussion, it was unanimously decided that all members pledge themselves to offer passive re-sistance to the operation of the Act by refusing to make the required applica-tions or to furnish any returns, or to make any payments el demanded by tbe Act.

Further, it was decided to invite all

other L.P A's. and kindred bodies to

adopt a similar attitude.

In view of other L.P.A's. joining up with the Graziers' Association, the sec-retary waa instructed to write to that body offering solid support to the oppo-sition of the tax, and asking that a publicity campaign be adopted, also that all LP.A's be asked to act with the Graziers' Association in this matter

as the central body would be required to fight the matter to the utmost.