EUROPEAN AND AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XVI, Issue 2171, 24 July 1875, Page 2

EUROPEAN AND AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

» .- . • NEW VICTORIAN TARIFF. IMPORTANT CHANGES. ; [PRESS AGENOY.]_ \ .^ ; Auckland, July 23. : The Lewellyn has arrived from Sydney.; She left on the 16th instant. She brings the following European and Australian; news :— Paeis, July 14. The French National Assembly, by 335; votes against 310, annulled the election of; the Bonapartist representative of the De- i parfcment of Nievre. \ Madbid, July 14. The Carlists are being closely pursued: by Alphonso's troops. ; : London,- July 14. The official statement of . the Turkey Budget shows a deficiency of 4,000'dOO." Sydney, July 16. The Sydney Herald understands that, since the mail contract was signed, some difficulty has arisen from the fact that the solicitors of the American Company have expressed doubts as to the power of directors under their charter to enter into a joint contract with other parties. The English solicitors do not appear to see any difficulty in the matter, but a plan has been proposed for getting over the difficulty, which is not considered veryformidable. The New South Wales Legislative Assembly have agreed to the Legislative Council's amendments in the Marriage with a Deceased Wife's Sister Bill,, so that the. measure now only awaits the Governor's assent to become law. The price paid to Joshua Brothers for the Sugar Works, including 20 cargoes of sugar, was L 500,000. The Victorian Chamber of Commerce acquiesces to the proposal of the Brisbane Chamber for a conference on intercolonial reciprocity, and suggests that Melbourne, or Sydney if more convenient, should be chosen as the place of meeting. An entertainment is to be given at Sydney for the benefit of the sufferers by the recent floods in the south of France. The German Glee Club was the first to c offer aid. t New tariff proposals have been made in * the Victorian Parliament. The proposal \ of the Government is that there should be t a land tax, so that the wealthy might con- * tribute a fair share, and fix the the tax as * follows :— All owners of land from 321 " acres to 2000 acres to pay 4d an acre per c

annum ; owners of 2000 acres and upwards 6d per acre ; holders of land under 320 acres to be exempt from this tax. The product is estimated at L 150,000. It is also proposed to tax house property, property under the value of L 75 to be exempt; that of the value of Ll5O to pay 6d in the £, and over Ll5O to pay 9d ; -the tax to be levied cm owners, not the tenants. This tax is expected to produce LSOOO. It is also proposed to levy a duty on Banks, equal to 2 per cent, on notes in circulation. The Stamp duties are to be increased, and a tax levied on absentee holders of property to the amount of 2£ i per cent, and to place a tax of 5 per cent on all incomes from business not otherwise taxed. The Government propose to , remit the Customs : duties to the extent of L 230,000. The, Treasurer proposes , that L 200,000 should be set apart from the / land revenue for three years for the construction of railways, and to be used for , building sohools. He proposes too ask Parliament to borrow L 2,330,000 from the London market for the construction of railways and other public works. The total amount of the new tax proposedjwill beLsir,ooo. . . • . • The New South Wales Government intend to recommend the validation of the t contract, made by Cooper and Russell for i the San Francisco and New "Xbrk service via Fiji. : ' '. '; ■. ;'/ '. ;"" '..-'.'[■^ > ' ■ ■ ' ■'