WHARFAGE TARIFF.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 914, 12 June 1903, Page 4

WHARFAGE TARIFF.

(To the Editor Gisborne Times.) .Sir,—Mr Crank Harris gets on to firmer ground when he brings in f lic .subject of pumpkins and butter, but let it, first he understood on what imes it is proposed to go. If, would he fairer to allow the man who at a remote or recent period brought in a supply of pumpkin seeds to be allowed to send the product out free of wharfage than that a man who imported iron should be allowed to export it as (.lie same iron when made, up into tanks—a tiling that was actually suggested by members of the Harbor Board. But, where does Ihe ordinary merchant come in ? f was •shown an invoice by a business man who bad obtained goods worth Jive shillings. 'l’be wharfage came to as much nearly as the freight, value, and cartage all told. 11, look up a great deal less room than a tank, or a ton of pumpkins, or a fat, pig ; where is I,lie justice of such an outrageous tax on a business man. to he placed in turn on the consumer? If certain business people want to specially cultivate the coast trade, why

do they not. stand a few pence less profit, instead of trying to shove the burden on to those who already pay too dearly. Mr Harris says let the whole subject be gone into. That is only of benefit if the Board or whoever is to have the deciding of the matter, knows its intentions. The greatest anomaly of all is the way oidinary merchandise is taxed and the land is allowed to escape even the payment of its just share—interest on the loan money. Mr Eliott was quite right when he said the tariff was antiquated. What modern community would so allow land to escape its share ? fam with the man who says take the tax off the sheep, provided it is put on to the ground, those using the wharves be-

ing called on to pay only a fair due for such use of public conveniences. By putting (he main tax on the proper shoulders, all those speculative people who hold land for a rise and not for legitimate use, would have to contribute a fair share. Let Mr [ Harris take up some such creed as that, and leave the tanks and the pumpkins slain! l>v for a time. Before the Board resorts to such subterfuge as was proposed at the last meeting, they should deal fairly with producers and business people generally. If (he Board can afford to throw away a hundred pound or so per year on tanks and other articles for the coast, they can better afford to allow it on tlie district's produce, or on breadstuff's. A more reasonable way to deal wit 1 1 Coast Hade would he to offer a bonus, that is when we can afford it. When the Coast, people take to the use of the motor-car, they will have a chance. By the bye, why does the Farmers’ Union so badly want to reduce the taxation on that portion of the district which should now be bearing a

very large share of the harbor rate ? Mr Carroll says that the Maoris who are using their lands are going to pay for the privileges, such as the loading, for which Europeans have tq pay. If the Coast district was now hearing the proportion it was before it got the nice little handicap, 1 lierevenue from the Maoris alone would he large. It was then said the harbor was no use to them—other people said the same at this end, hut they were mean grumblers—and now the

i people at this end are asked to pay more, so as to let the Coast people make greater use of our wharves. I say, let ’em all conic, but do not keep on putting the burden on to one particular set of people. If the tariff is brought up to dale the land must hear its fair share, and if I had my way. 1 would dump double taxation on the man who does not use his land.—l am, etc., ONE WHO PAYS.