The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-01-14
taxes N tIbIA Light
Minister Of Finance Answers
Charges Preferred by
Extremists.


Simla, India.-(C Correspondence OF
The Associated .Press.)-"So far from
the people Of India groaning under an
enormous burden Of taxation. India il
one Of the most lightly taxed coun.
tries on the face Of the EARTH" ac-
cording to Sir william Meyer. minister
Of finance for India, in response to
the charges, Of over-taxation preferred
by so-called extremists.
The total revenues. imperial and
provincial, for the current year. dur
ing which some additional taxation
was imposed, amounted to S6,500,000
pounds, Sir William said, and this sum
distributed among the 244.000. 900 peo-
pie Of British India gave a resultant
contribution per capita of only seven
shillings. He pointed out that in three
other Asiatic countries, Japan. Siam
and the Dutch Indies, the rate. per
head was much higher, being % shil-
lings in Japan. 13 shillings 4 pence in
Siam and II shillings 3 pence in the
Dutch indies.
The finance minister said the land
revenue has been one of the points
upon which opponents Of the govern
ment have been most bitter, it being
poverty by taxation. Sir William
stated that Of the total revenue Of
s6.5O0,00O pounds for this year, about
100000 pounds was derived from the
land, India being mainly an agricul-
tural country.
According to immemorial traditions
in India the state has always claimed
n share in the produce of the SOIL"
he continued. AT the close Of the
18th century the state share was COM
muted for fixed money, payment in
various tracts, mostly in Bengal, hut
over the greater part of India We re-
wise the money value of that share
every 80 years or so with reference to
the increase, or possible decrease, If
that should occur, in the value of the
agricultural produce. The state thus
takes to itself share of what is
known to economists as the unearned
increment. a policy that ought to find
favor with enlightened socialists
Theoretically, after making liberal al
lowance for cultivation expenses, the
state share is one-half of the result
tant net profit, but as a matter of fact
our recent settlements have been in
practice much more lenient than this
and the amount we take is much less
than was exacted by previous native
rulers. Liberal remissions are also
given when crops suffer from drought
flood or other calamities."
Other sources of revenue such as
opium. salt, document stamps. excise
duties on liquors customs, forest tax
postage and income tax were discussed
NTH Sir Williams declaration that nc
item showed basis for charges of over
taxation. AS to salt, for example, he
said, Italy gets more than we do from
its salt tax from a population one.
seventh of ours. Even with the in.
creased tax this year, it is still only
one farthing a pound, and that is less
than in 1905.
e'Our customs revenue was slight.
~ increased this year. with an espe.
cially high taxation on liquors and to.
bacco. but generally speaking our inn
port tariff is only about 7k per cent
levied for revenue only. The only ex.
port duties that we levy are on rice
tea and jute, the last two having beer
specially imposed this year.
Nearly 100000 pounds will be Sc.
cured by income tax this year. We
raised the previous rates in the cur.
rent years budget but we made ne
change in the taxation of incomes les.
than 5000 rupees Ga rupee is 80 centsl
per annum and out of the $4,000 per.
sons and companies assessable to in.
come tax, only the most prosperou.
$1,000 were affected by the new taxa,
ton.
'Posts @nd telegraphs give us q
gross revenue of nearly 100000,
pounds (the net receipts after deduct,
ing expenses being nearly 100000
pounds, but the Indian postal serv.
ice is probably the cheapest in tn,
world. You can get an ordinary let.
ter from one end of India to the othel
at the cost of a half penny Zone cent?
while for post card the charge /.
only half that, and short telegraph,
message costs only six annas (twelv,
cenfS)"