TAXES OUR FOREFATHERS PAID

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2714, 8 March 1916, Page 7

TAXES OUR FOREFATHERS PAID

All things considered there is singularly little grumbling: about the burdens which aro being placed on tho people by reason of the war, for everybody recognises that the war must bo carried to a succcsst'ul issue, no matter what the cost (sa.vs a writer in the "Birmingham Weekly Post"). Afte? all 'the taxes are nothing like those our forefathers were called upon to bear. ,1 wonder what my lady readers would think if they had to pay a duty of 1M [ whenever thoy purchased ajiair of silk stockings; or wiiafc tho feelings of the householder would be if he were taxed for each window in his dwelling, a tax originally levied "to pay for tho recoinage of the gold coin." Even bachelors and widowers were taxed to enable If ing William 111 "to carry on the war against France with rigour-." At that time a clii)d could not be born, a person married, or even buried witliI out those immediately concerned having a tax to pay. During the PeninsuI lar war salt was sold in Birmingham at 4d. per lb. Later there was a duty of Is. 3d. on the humble but useful almanac, and at various times hair powder, soap, and bricks were taxed, while on each advertisement there was a duty of 35., subsequently reduced to Is. Gd. These were only a few of the burdens borne by our forefathers*" who were alsp subjected to income tax, though of a less onerous nature than that now levied. Parents received some relief, there being an abatement of 10 per cent, in the caso of those with four olive branches, while the proud possessor- of eight children got an allowance of 15 per cont- and tho father who had 10 and wore, '20 per cent., a concession he certainly deserved. Over and above these burdens were the poor rates, against which our present rates seem small.