§ Mr. DUNCAN MILLARasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he would obtain from the Governor of New South Wales, for the information of the House, a report as to the working of the municipal tax on unimproved land values imposed in that State under the Shires Act of 1906, and of other 359 land taxes levied upon the unimproved value of land, showing the effects of such taxation on the building trade, on the rent and price of land, and generally on the development of the land in that State and on land speculation; and whether he would also lay before the House all official Papers relating thereto along with the Acts of Parliament, charters, etc., under which such taxation is at present imposed?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Harcourt)I have a Memorandum by the officer in charge of the Local Government Office at Sydney on the adoption of land values as a basis of local taxation. The Memorandum was written last year, and expresses the opinion that for some years to come figures will not be available to afford any very reliable indication of the effect of the system. I will place a copy of the Memorandum with copies of the Acts in the Library.