A SUGGESTION.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2549, 25 August 1915, Page 10

A SUGGESTION.

Sir,—When war taxation is imminent I and economy in all things is desirable, [ venture to bring to public notice tho advisability of a national tax on dogs. At tiie present time' most dogs in New | Zealand are supposed to bo licensed, but the rates vary and are levied by a multitudo. of small local authorities, with the result that numbers of unregistered dogs exist, some of them a nuisance in every way. In England a 7s. 6d. license has to bo taken out every January 1 for. every dog over six months old. In proportion to our ideas of money in New Zealand, this could very well be made at least 10s., and should be levied oil all dogs kept as pets. The hard-working. and useful sheep-dog, the blind man's guide, oven the hunter's hound, might very well be excepted; but the dog kept merely as a possession should provide revenue for tho State. If the animal is really liked, if it has any pretensions to beauty, then 10s. yearly will not alfcct tho question; but if this small impost led to the elimination of some of tho useless, uglv, and flea-bitten creatures that ouo meets, known vaguely as "Jones's Dog" or "Smith's Dog," eo much tho bettor for health and sanitation. Most peoplo know of .some wretched dog who spends most of his life tied up in some backyard, a yapping pest to the neighbours, and of neither use nor ornament to his owners. Perhaps even 10s. a. year would make tho possessor of such a creature either keep him properly or pass him out. In any ease, the - community gains.—l am, etc., " ' . ' . S. E. WARNER, Wanganui, August 24.