THE FIVE THOUSAND POUND VOTE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XII, Issue 504, 29 August 1867, Page 2

THE FIVE THOUSAND POUND VOTE.

Ilx our resume of Parliamentary proceedings in our last issue, we noted that, in Committee of Supply, £5,000 was voted for preparations for the ex!peeled visit of the Duka of Edinburgh. We had not time to make any comment then on such a proceeding, hut embrace the earliest opportunity of stating our opinion. Heavily taxed as we are as a people, we say that our 'funds should not he appropriated for jany such purpose. Of this ,£5,000 | every man, woman, and child, rich or poor, is made to contribute an equal share, whether they ho willing or not, and of these who aie so forced to contribute, not five in one hundred will have the pleasure, such as it may be, of seeing His Royal Highness, for it is net at all probable that he will visit more than the principal ports of the colony. Here, then, we have a whole 'people taxed for the pleasure of a few. We wonder if a pretesting voice was found in the House against so unjustili -.ble a pt .oceWing, —if any could be held to say, “ Ibis is a local affair, and one that interests the rich and prosperous. Let the funds necessary fur the Duke’s reception be voluntarily provided by those who will receive pleasure and profit from his visit, and not lake the hard earnings of the sons of

toil for pagentvy and show.” No doubt those interested would have contributed handsomely to such a purpose, and the sums required for the recep-

tion beru easily round. More than this it would have afforded the public a fine opportunity of displaying their loyalty and one, we should say, of which they would have been proud. Be this as it may, we are sorrv to

see that the guardians of ths publi-r purse, in these days of grinding taxation do not scruple to waste the revenue of the colony by such a vote as the one in question.