THE BEER DUTY BILL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 203, 26 August 1880, Page 4

THE BEER DUTY BILL.

' of romantic nonsense has been written about the Swiss chamois and tbe jperil of hunting it, whereas the truth Ja: that women and children hunt it, ahd 'fearlessly; indeed, everybody hunts it; the hunting is going oh all the j jtitne, day and night, in bed and out of iti It is poelio foolishness to hunt it wijth a quo ; very few people do that-- -[here is not one man in a million wbo cab hit it with a gun. r B is mugb easier to catch it thhn it is to shoot it, and only the experienced .hatnois hunter cbu do ; either. > Another common piece ojF exaggeration is about the scarcity of the chamois, It ifl the reverse of scarce. Droves of 100,000 chamois are not unusual in the Swiss hotelr. Indeed they are so numerous as to be a groat pee.." Travellers in other' parts of tbe world besides Switzerland will recognise tht truth of tbis zoological excursion, *_W»H». Km.iiin ■ mi wm ii ■-■ .1 .wow . ' THE BEER DUIY BILL. The "Post" of Monday gives the following summary of the previsions of, tbis Bill, in which, however, certain' alterations have been made in committee, such as reducing the tajx to threepence per gallon, and providing tbat a brewer is to enter into a bond equal to twice instead of three times Oieaen'outft of the ;'ta__.he ( willi'be liable to pay in any oae month, that he! will pay the. duty and comply with, the requirements of the Act :— The Act is deemed to have been in operation uj_on the 9vb of Juoe .lost. The administration ia left with the Customs department, the Commissioner being empowered to make regulations with penalties up to £50. Brewers are obliged to obtain a license, for which an annual fee of £10 is to be paid; the penalty tor commencing business without auch license is not less than £10, nor more than £200. A brewer is also' to enter into a band, in a sum equal" to* three times the "amount of U.e lax he will be liable to pay ii any one month, that ha will;; pay the dujy and comply, with the requirements of the Act. Stamps are to be prepared, but in the meautime the duty is to be paid in cash. Tbe stamps are to be affixed on the plug or stopper of ihs tap-bole of tbe casks of beer. Boer upon which the duty is uot paid ie liable to forfeiture, and various penalties for neglecting to affix and properly caocellipg stamps, &c, &c, are provided. Brewers are compelled to keop books in which tbeir daily business, the materials used, &c., are enteted, and the booka are to be open at all times to the inspection of the Collector of Customs Tho penalty for the evasion of duty is not lessUhan £50 nor more than £100. The penalty for not keeping books is not to exceed £50. It any person shall have been compelled to pay duty under this Act in respect of. any beer he contracted to s.ll or deliver under any coDtract entered into prior to th. 9>h June, he shall be entitled to add so rauch money to' the contract price as he shall have been compelled to pay for duty,„a.nd qpayfeue for and recover the same accordingly. This power, bow-ever^is-not to eubsist. longer than nine .months. from the said 9.h June. _wi_EH_B_a-gSH?_wff«s*y»a__^