PROPERTY TAX.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 405, 22 June 1880, Page 2

PROPERTY TAX.

To the Editor of the Akaroa Mail

Sir, —With your permission .1 would, through the medium of yonr columns, make a few remarks with* reference to the public meeting called to the County Council Chambers to consider the-Property tax. As I was the only dissenting party to the resolution brought before the meet-, ing, I think that an explanation of my j opinion is required. Now, Sir,.-;we are well awareiof the. enormous debt of \he Colony. The electors have watched the Government make the loans, in fact we have been, one and all, consenting parties since no objec*. tions were raised to stop them. The time has come when every person, according to his means, will have to put his hand in hia pocket and bear bis share of the. payments to the public creditor. Now it is my opinion that the Property tax, witli a little alteration, is the best and fairest tax that can be imposed on the Colony. One very great objection to the tax is that the exemption is too great; were it reduced from five to two hundredpounds it. would reach I should think 100 per cent liiore people than it does at present, and reauh personb that are quite, able and should bear their share towards the taxation of the country.

It ig the opinion of a great many that an income tax would be more preferable ; it would catch the professional men such as doctors and lawyers, &c., that make a good income every year. I think it would be utterly unfair to tax a man like that since that income is got by his head work. If a man has bad the good luck to have be'en born with a good quantity of brains I fail to see the reason why that brain should be taxed. You might as well

az the man who works "f&t; \ his eight shillings a day, that man has" ah income - the same as .a professional man. With reference to the land tax, I think • if any person will give it a little consideration he will find-it a very unfair tax. By kindly inserting the above remarks" you will oblige; Yours, &c., , . ETIENNE E. LELIEVRE. 21st June, 1880.