GOLD DUTY ABOLITION.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 277, 26 June 1874, Page 3

GOLD DUTY ABOLITION.

The power and functions - of Progress Committees on Golufields ought to be strengthened and extended. Why not have something aualagous to highwayrates, with a surveyor of district roads who might have power to report upon the efficiency or otherwise of such roads. In. this, way all homesteads, according to. their value, the miners' homesteads as. well as others, would have to contributetheir quota to the public burdens; and the task of providing a contingent to Government subsidy would not be left to the* willing few, but would include the just share of the entire community. We donot advocate this to-the setting aside of the Government subsidy, but as meeting the case of loss to public revenue, if such, loss should arise from the abolition of the gold duty. For our part, we are.-con-vinced that the tax is altogether .unjust to the miners. It would be as correct to tax every carpenter, bricklayer, blacksmith, tailor, shoemaker, and farmer, . &c, somuch per cent, on all their profits, as : to tax the miner on his findings of gold > and until this is done, or the tax abolished,, we hold it unjust. While, therefore, we received the 6d. reduction, we could scarcely say thank you to the Government, had they consented to it; but as it has been wrung out of their hands, we both pity and despise their niggardliness.— ' Tuapeka Times.'