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Dunstan Times, Issue 1013, 16 September 1881, Page 2

We issue to-day on a separate sheet the debate on the Gold Duty Abolition Bill (a reprint from “Hansard”), and which we recommend not miners alone hut all others residing on the goldfields to carefully read. The gold duty has ever appeared to us as an exceptional tax, and its abolition has been a kind of hobby horse that we have pretty well ridden to death, and if the Bill as assented to had been purely and simply for the abolition, untrammelled with conditions, we should have taken some little credit to ourselves for our persistent advocacy, but, to our chagrin, we find that it is hampared with a condition that makes us feel that our advocacy has been useless, and that our time could have been better employed. The condition to which we allude is—“ That the Act is to come into operation at the request of local bodies.” Now, what does this mean ? To our mind, and we think we will find many holding the same view, the Bill is a sham and a delusion. It has to be borne in mind that all goldfields revenue is the property of local bodies, and we ask if it is at all likely that local bodies will make so absurd a request when that request means a deficiency in their revenues, and in the face of the very distinct utterances of the Hon. Mr Eolleston—“That the Governwere not prepared to make up this deficiency. Therefore, it the question went to a division, ho hoped that fact would bo clearly and thoroughly understood.” In drawing attention at all to the subject, it is with the view that the rateyayers of Vincent County may come to a decision as to whether the Act should or should not be brought into force in Vincent County, and that that decision, whether for or against, be the test point at the coming general election of county councillors, as with that body will rest the question. By the balance sheet of Vincent County, for the year ending March 31st current, it appears that for the past year the gold duty was £2,521 6s 10b, being within a trifle of one-fourth of the entire revenue, whilst for the year before it was £3,042 Is lOd. These facts have to be borne in mind, and hence the greater the necessity for the subject being well and carefully gone into. In future issues wo shall deal further with the subject.