ROYAL RAPACITY,

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1314, 9 June 1883, Page 4

ROYAL RAPACITY,

k more the congenial task is ift; • “ ed upon us of referring to the parity of royalty and the fatuity of the British taxpayer. It is a belief devoutly held by all ignorant people; that royalty as maintained in England is a cheap article at the price. In vain is it pointed out that the Guelphs take all they can get, and give nb public service of any value in return. It is quite useless to show that the royal family breed like rabbits; and that _ princes and princesses, unlike rabbits, cannot be eaten, but must be maintained at vast expense. In these columns we referred last month to the scandalous misuse of public money in repairing the Queen's private yacht at a cost of about £OO,OOO. The proceedings of parliament have since then disclosed other claims, equally impudent and unjustifiable, upon the taxes. The nation is called upon to provide £740 for the '• conveyance of distinguished persons" during the financial year. Every “ distinguished ” 1 party or person required a special packet, and the details show that between November, 1881, and September, 1882, the Duke of Albany crossed the Channel four times, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught three times, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh twice in company and once separate ; the Duke and Duchess of Mecklenburg, once in company, and the latter once by herself; the Prince and Princess ot Waldeck twice, and the King and Queen of Greece once, each trip at a cost of £4O! Why should the nation be required to pay the travelling expenses of the Meeklenbergs, Waldecks, Ac. ? They visit England on private family business, and it is sheer imposition to charge such items in the public accounts. If this sort of thing is allowed to go on, the British taxpayer will find the bill for a new bonnet for her highness the Princess of Schweinkopf appearing among the details of the national expenditure. The childish ceremonies which are to royalty its breath of life cannot be gone through without the aid of the taxpayer. Her Majesty being graciously pleased to confer upon some foreign potentate the dignity of Grand Knight of the Order of the Golden Warming-pan, a “ mission " is fortwith despatched to carry out the important work. The noble- « man and his retinue visit the Court of the favoured monarch, “ instal" him, enjoy themselves, and then Come home. John Bull, of course, pays the bill in a most lamb-like fashion. The “ installation of the Kings of Saxony and the Netherlands as Knights of the > Garter " recently absorbed the sum of £B7B 6s. Bd., drawn from the national revenue. While royalty remains in the land these foolish mummeries will be paid for by the people.