The Evening Star. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1874.

Evening Star, Issue 3662, 17 November 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1874.

The fiscal experiment of the imposition of ad valorem duties in lieu of measurement duties has now had a lengthened trial, and has proved beneficial to the country. There are, however, many in the Colony, and many more outside of it, who profess to consider the measure as one of additional taxation, rather than a fair and equitable arrangement tending to tax the population in proportion to their means, or at least their position in society. The change in the method of assessing the amount of duty payable on certain imports has produced a larger increase in the revenue than the Treasurer anticipated; and this, instead of commending the alteration as one that was much needed, has been made the foundation of a charge of duplicity by a class of politicians who, mistaking prejudice for principle, are continuafly on

the look-out for some ground, real or fancied, for blackening his reputation. We can readily understand that inhabitants ot other Colo .ies, not knowing our financial histor; , may mistake the measure as one merely of finance, and attribute P jlely to fiscal necessities. That it It is added much to the revenue is undeniable, but that proves the justice of the change that was made. It shows that whereas, prior to its being adopted, several classes of low-priced goods were enormously over-taxed, a large amount of valuable articles were admitted at a comparatively insignificant percentage on their worth. Two effects, therefore, have followed the alteration, assuming that the quality of importations is indicative of the class of consumers : the consumers of highpriced articles, thus supposed to be the richer of the colonists, have been compelled to contribute a full share to the revenue ; while the lower class of products have been relieved from what must have been an excessive impost upon their value. To the extent, therefore, of the consumption of goods bearing those ad valorem duties, a more equitable distribution of the burden of taxation has been effected. Wo still continue to hear objections against the alteration on various grounds. Little attention is due to those who see in the measure only a scheme for raising additional revenue. There were commercial reasons as well as equitable ones. It was hoped it would facilitate arrangements for intercolonial reciprocity—a scheme that has been nursed for years in the mind of the Premier; but which, like other tendencies towards protection in his mind, has, so far, met no response from the protectionists of the Australian continent. He has yet to learn that it is enough for New Zealand to mini its own business, and for its rulers to render it the cheapest country to live in by opening as wide a door as possible for imports ; so that the people, having a large surplus above the cost uf subsistence, may bo in a position to employ labor in the development ot the resources of the country. Acting upon that principle, what Victoria does in the way of taxing her own population, and thus paying an unknown price for raising up sickly industries, may very properly be left without consideration. Experience has proved that reciprocation is an expensive fancy, and involves precisely the evil it professes to seek to eradicate. “Trade with me, I will let your goods come in cheap ; don’t trade with me, and nobody’s shall come in cheap, ’’ is the effect ot laying on a heavy dutv to be re-adjusted when both sides come to their senses. In the meantime, the people, wishing to force an advantageous bargain for themselves, are tie pricing themselves of the very goods they want, or paying a self-imposed high price for them, because others are equally foolish. In commerce matters are managed differently. A merchant who wants goods buys where he can get a good bargain. He does not say ‘ I won t buy your tallow because you won’t buy my oil.” He says to himself, I want this tallow ; and if the price suits I will have it,” and although the other may not take Ids oil, he asks no reasons why. He manages his own business and does not trouble himself about the mismanagement of his neighbors. If they will not buy of him, he sells elsewhere, pursues his own course, and gets rich through minding his own business. Up to this time the reciprocity notion of the Treasurer has proved a failure, and it would be wise to abandon it and look only to our own affairs. We believe by so doing a very profitable reduction might be made in the duties ot many goods that would foster trade between the Colonies. Precisely a similar objection to that of measurement duties can be urged against the wine duties, for the high-priced and low-priced wines pay the same amount per gallon. Although it may be but five per cent, on tire high-priced wine, it is probably fifty per cent, on the first cost of the other. Perhaps now is hardly the time to revise the tariff, for whatever revenue is raised is re-in-vested mainly in reproductive undertakings, but a time will come when it must be done, and it is well when it is proposed that our ideas on the subject should be sound.

section should be levied, conditionally on the Koad Board subsidising the same, for the purpose of forming Marion, Smith, and DaVid streets. A committee consistin'* of Messrs Hugh Calder, Wilson, Wilkinson, Paxton, and Moss was appointed to carry ouo the wishes of the meeting, and confer with the Hoad Board in the matter.

The Sports Committe, who had charge of the arrangements for the recent fete at St Leonards, estimate that 2,700 adults and 1,000 children visited the grounds on the dth, while the sum of L4OO was taken for railway tickets. It is calculated that after payment of all expenses a sum of L2OO will be divisab-e among the various Orders in terested. The unfinished part of the programme will begone through at the Caledonian gr.uads on Saturday afternoon, an “ auld wife’s ” race fora chest of tea bein’ added.

Cur readers will remember the case of the boy Galt, who pleaded guilty at the late sea sioos of the Supreme Court to k-lling a calf at Kamodeu, and who was sonten-ed to s ; x months imprisonment. Me was to-day dis charged from gaol, Mr Caldwell, the governor, having received a telegram from his xcellency the Governor ordering the prisoner’s liberation. We learn that the pardoning if Gait was the last official act of his Lxre - lency previous to his departure from MVlington yesterday, Mis unexceptionable good conduct Whist in gaol wai the came of his early liberation. Work is to be commenced at the Clinton end. of tlio Mataura to *• lutha railway line this week. Twmty or thirty m m arc now on the ground ready to make a start. From 200 t) 300 men are expected to ha at work on this contract during the summer. The Bruce Herald’ also informs us that the Milton railway station is oxidbitin-* health - signs of progress. The sidings and other marks of comple-ion are well 'forward • the approaches are being raoidly formed, and an engine shed, 60ft by 20ft, will sh .rtly be put. up, the contractor for it having already commenced operations.

Messrs Sargood, Son, and Evven, who have lor some time past conducted a very extensive manufacturing business in the old birst Oonrch, Dowling street, have decided upon erecting a bui ding, sneci-iily on the sit ;. It will ba've frontages to’ ViT-.h street and Dowling street, and, as o-.el-120ft m length, and the building will I,p carried several stories in height, there is opportunity for combining ufc Iky with a-mhi-tco.ural beauty. In order > 0 secur sHi .se the firm have invited competitive designs both in Melbourne and Dunedin, and about a dozen have been sent in, each of which displays elegance beyond what is usuaiiv ■*onght m buildings for business purpose?. In such cases, choice is somewhat difficult and a decision has not yet h.,-eu arrived at’ .No matter which elevation is adopted, it will add much to, the beauty of the town, and we trn -t the example abut to be set by Messrs Sargood will be followed in future erections by our rising business establishments. The usual fortnightly meetim* of the Morningt m Total Abstinence Society a d Band of Hope was hel 1 in the District Hal! last evening. The President (Mr Morris) occupied the chair. The a 1 tendance was a great ’inprovement on any previous mee'ino ror a long time. The programme provided by too committee was an excellent one and augms well for the an cess of the mee’tbms during the summer months. The chief it.m of interest was a scene entitled A Bachelor’s Wants,” which was well rendered by two members of the society, one of whom sustained three parts in a manner which called torth hearty applause, aud proves bun tu be a most va'iiab e acquisition to tbc in--forming porii mof the society. The rest of the programme, consisting of songs, readings, red ations, and short addresses, was got t-irou hin a very effective manner. It is the intention of the c.mmittee to continue a course of dialogues aud dramatic scenes chuny of a nature partaking strongly of comedy, J

. question of the gauges continue to excite a good deal of discussion in th;nn'i»hboring Province, and at the n cent dinner of the Chr.steburch Agricultural Society, the Hon. It. Richardson, in replying; to the to ist of the Ministry, referred to it in those teuns : - When the country decided on goin- T in for a large scheme of railwa s it was conadored, on going fully into the q nation, that it would be impossible to construct those railwayvS on the broad gauge principle on accoir.t ( f the expenditure. The question imraediate’y resolved itself into what could be afforded. Then the question of speed came up, and it was to this particular pomt that he wished to draw attention the question of speed was really the one which they must look to. and it had been considered that a rate for the trunk lines of twenty-five miles an hour, for ordinary passengers and goods trains, and of sixteen miles an hour on the branch lines, was sufficient and as much as the country could afford On-the narrow gauge lines, trains could be run with safety at the rates of speed he had mentioned. He wished to mike this statement, because he felt that an erroneous impression prevailed on the subject, and he thought it right that he should take the first opportunity of endeavoring to remove that impression.”

ihe Artillery will compete for company re preseutatives at the Anderson’s Bay ran 4 to morrow morning. °

Mrß. Short will lecture at the Temperance Ha 1 to-morrow evening, on “Happy Homes,” and how to make them.” The haif-yearly meeting of the North Dunedin Rifles will be held at the Company’s drillshed to-morrow evening.

“ William Taylor, of Green Island,” should know that there is no Governor of Nelson. I eihaps Mr Curtis is intended j if so any communication addressed to “ The Superintendent, Nelson, will reach that gentleman.