GOLD DUTY.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 811, 3 March 1871, Page 2

GOLD DUTY.

[to the editor.] Sir — Taxation appears to be not very well understood among the political and ruling portion of the population of NewZealand ; if understood the horizon of their mental vision is so contracted that it is almost a pity that Some one could not invent them a scientific instrument to develope the latent powers of their brain, and expand the range of their ideas at least far enough to comprehend the useful. The four members of the Assembly for the West Coast seem no exception to this ; not one of them has ventured to say that the gold duty is a direct tax on energy and enterprise, and therefore pernicious to the whole-people, and more especially so to us ; that a tax on gold means a tax on squatters, farmers, merchants, and a robbery upon the miner. No, this is nearer what they say, " I fail to see the advantages that would be gained in removing the tax on gold and inflicting heavier imposts upon articles of general consumption." None so blind as those who will not see, for if the same amount of money was raised on articles of general consumption the impost would at least have the merit of falling upon 240,000 people instead of, as at present, upon about a tenth of that number, who pay at least four times as much revenue per head as. the nine-

tenths for which we receive obstacles, disadvantages, and abuse. ' Now, if the powers that be must needs tax the raw producer, contrary to the opinion of all political . economists, .why not levy on wo6J, hides v tallow, butter, chrome, and coal when exported, for the production of any of these pay much better than the production of gold, especially now that the gold fields have yielded, all the easy got gold, and the residue must be got, if got at all, by an increased expenditure of capital, time, and labor. A direct tax upon two such qualities as energy and enterprise must appear to all a very bad system of taxation, and when it.is piled oh to the only section of the community who possess 9uch qualities, while the drones go comparatively untaxed, what must be the effect upon the interests of the Colony. His Honor the Superintendent of Nelson deplores the want of such qualities in the " old identities," and it is very much to be deplored, for with such qualities mixed with common sense, to say nothing of finding something to eat for the present population of a quarter of a million, they might make this Colony support ten million people, forty times the present population, in plenty. ; Taxation, to be just, should fall on every one in proportion to his ability to pay, the rich mau should pay his hundred pounds, and the poor man his pound, in New Zealand this arrangement is exactly reversed. Even if "every man in the Colony should pay his capitation tax of five pounds per annum in addition to the trifle they already payj the gold duty might be abolished at once, and for ever. Some scheme to equalise taxation craves the earnest attention of such of the Gold Field members as desire to elevate the condition Of the community. Our member north of Razorback is supposed to hold the opinion that " Change and progress mean revolution," so that the less we expect from him the less will be deceived. It is to be hoped that, by judicious combinations, the new member will be able to effect radical reforms in taxation, for they are much needed. Hoping you will find a corner in your valuable journal for this expression of opinion, I have, &c., Reformer. Caledonian Terrace, Westport, Feb. 22, 1871.