TAXING THE BACHELOR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 488, 2 October 1909, Page 3

TAXING THE BACHELOR.

The bachelor is more heavily taxed than any other member of the community (writes J. AshbySterry in the London Graphic.) He has to suffer all sorts of inconveniences, aud snubs that would uever fall to the lot of a married man. He is always asked for subscriptions to every kind of charity because “ a bachelor cannot have many calls on his purse, you know;” he is generally accorded the worst aud most draughty bedroom at a country house ; he is expected to stand at the back of an opera box, and he is invited at the last moment to fill up a vacant place at a dinner party. If a convoy is required to take a rich old aunt to see the sights, the bachelor has to be on duty ; he is also expected to ride outside on a wet night if the carriage happens to be unusually full; he is counted upon to find tickets for the theatre for country cousins, and hostesses will -never forgive the least infringement of etiquette on his part in the way of calling or leaving cards. You will find that the gentleman who gets outside an omnibus on a pouring wet night “to oblige a lady,” is, in nine cases out of ten, a bachelor. Indeed, there are few people in the community more generous according to their means, more unselfish, and more selfdenying than this much maligned class. Why then should it be taxed? If a tax is required, let it be levied on the pampered, petted, over-indulged, usu illy ungrateful, married man.