CURIOSITIES OF COLONIAL TAXATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 49, 18 February 1881, Page 3

CURIOSITIES OF COLONIAL TAXATION.

Even that driest of all dry blue boots, the official return of import duties le\ i'll abroad upon the produce and manufacture s of the United Kingdom, contains boiw. entertaining reading. We learn from it for instance, that British Guiana must lo endeavoring to create an " unrivalled br<v < . of horses of her own." Influenced by this ambition the colony imposes a duty of £20 16s Sd on every imported stallion under 14 J hands high, whereas those above that height are admitted on payment of £1 9s 2d each. The evident purpose is to fill the settlement with big horses. Barbados seems to be of a different way of thinking, and to prefer ponies, for the duty on horses about 13£ hands is quadruple the rate levied on those under that height. Democratic Victoria shows its dislikes of aristocratic appearances by imppsing a duty of 2s 8d on "dress hats," while admitting more plebian head-gear at J_ much lower rite. Canada has no particular distaste for foreign hats, but evidently considers foreign clocks objec'ionable, as they are charged with an ad valorem duty of 35 per cent. It would therefore appear that the Dominion entertains some hope of building up a clock-making industry of her own, after the example of the United States. As might be expected, Victoria shows a strong aversion to p-ivate carriages. Bnt curious to say, she dislikes some sorts much moro than others. Thus a wagonette or a four-wheeled buggy is passed through the Custom House on payment of £20, but a barouche, brougham mail phaeton, or drag must pay £50. New Zealand and Tasmania both object to English pickles and sauces, and indeed, all through Australasia these condiments have to lay their account with hostile tariffs. Jamaica has no feeling of that sort, English dried fish being her pet aversion. Thus," pickled alewives, " whatever they may be, have to pay half-a-crown a barrel, while smoked salmon is taxed to the extent of 18s per cwt. India is almost equally unkind towards British fish, bnt makes exceptions of any " fish maws, beche de mer, and shark fins " that may come to her via the United Kingdom. English pork is banned by South Australia and British Guiana, while the Cape of Good Hope exhibits a dislike for perfumed soap. Canada, which lays heavy fiscal burdens on almost all descriptions of British produce, is particularly inimical to perfumery and toilet requsites. If a Canadian belle wishes to render herself "beautiful for ever," she will have to pay the Goverment 30 per cent ad valorem duty on the cosmetics she uses for the purpose. Evidently there will be a "Women's Eights" question in the Dominion before long if this iniquitous imimpost iB not abolished. — English paper.