King Country Chronicle Wednesday, August 3, 1910 TOPICS OF THE DAY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 282, 3 August 1910, Page 2

King Country Chronicle Wednesday, August 3, 1910 TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Readers of the "Chronicle" will have noticed a change in the name of the Maniapoto Tuwharetoa Land Board recently, and will have wondered what, the cause is. It seems the Waikato and King Country districts have been amalgamated under the title of the Waikato-Maniaporo Land Board, and two of our local representatives, Messrs Seymour and Popcne, have been dispensed with. The result is that Waikato representatives anbrought from that district, to adjudicate upon matters about which in the nature of things, they can know very little, and men of tried experience, with long and intimate knowledge of tie district are removed. In amalgamating the Waikato and Maniapoto districts it would have been much better had the change in the personnel of the members been diiferently arranged. Nearly all the work of the Board will concern the Maniapoto section, but as now provided, no King Country members are left on it. Why, at least, was not Mr Seymour retained on the Board. From his long residence in the district and his experience on the Board, he had exceptional knowledge of matters to be dealt with. Another point, is the question of the Board's sittings. It seems it is to sit here for a short period and then adjourn to Auckland. Why? Are persons interested in its business to (ravel to Auckland again, as formerly? It it is less than a year since the change

was made giving' regular sittings at Tc Kuiti. and it would be a most retrogade step if any attempt were made to upset the present convenient and sensible arrangement of holding regular sittings in Te Kuiti and Taumarunui.

An interesting compilation has recently been prepared, showing the effects of the revision of customs taxes in the '.en years 1 599 and 1009. On articles of luxury, such asfuis, pianos, tobacco, fancy goods, perfumeries, beer and spirits the taxes in 1599 produced £896,9:10 and in 1909 £1,510,2(57. On articles for use which cannot be successfully manufactured in New Zealand, such as cotton goods, kerosene, glass and paperhangings, there is now no duty, and similarly, currants, raisins, rice, salt, sugar, tea and treacle are to-day on the free list. A calculation is made allowing that A'7lf),Till would have been paid the Government in 1909 had these latter articles still been taxed as formerly. The saving to the consumers would therefore appear to be obvious. But a little reflection shows that while a people may be able to control a Government, a Government has a difficulty in controlling Trust--, and although the duty has gone from articles like sugar and kerosene, the price ha? gone up and is higher to-day than it was when duty was levied. The average household uses linoleum, glass and cbina, timepieces,lamps, mats and matting, and must at sometime or other purchase chemists' supplies. These latter show formidable rises in price, infant' foods being the only article now on the free-list, and the rest of the articles just mentioned have greatly increased in price. If a family is prepared to live without any of the comforts associated with civilised life, theji it may escape heavy taxation, and as far as the State is concerned, pay little or nothing on such articles of consumption as it uses. But the Trusts will still have their share and the worried householder will look in vain for some superhuman intervention to ease his particular "White man's burden."