South Canterbury Times, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1881.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2466, 12 February 1881, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1881.

Thhi:e is a kind of domestic animal Unit was introduced to New Zealand by an early explorer long before the acclimatisation of rabbits and sparrows and linnets was thought of. It has taken kindly to the country, and where fern roots are plentiful it has fattened on the products of the soil. In its new conditions of life it has displayed one striking peculiarity—a tendency to grow long-headed. Now long-hcadedncss usually signifies wisdom, hut in this instance the wisdom developed partakes of the nature of hereditary instinct, quickened by change of climate and circumstances. Omnivorous in its habits it is always on the look out for fresh foraging grounds. It inherits a very mild disposition, and it cares little for surrounding objects so long as it is allowed to fill its capacious maw and fatten in peace. Rabbits may devour the settler’s grass, sparrotvs may thresh his grain, but this contented brute displays no sign of irritation so long as they do not attack his fern-roots.

The perspicacious and long-headed epicureans of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce have just been made conscious of the fact that their fern roots have been attacked. At the halfyearly meeting yesterday Mr W. .1. M. harnnch in the opening speech referred to the growing prosperity and the return of confidence in business, and advocated the repeal of the pn-operty tax and the re-imposition of tea and sugar duties and school fees. As a convincing proof of the “growing prosperity” that Mr Larnach alluded to, a telegram from Dunedin states that “ eight declarations of insolvency have been filed during the week.” Tin’s, wo presume, is a satisfactory symptom of the good old times returning. and it demonstrates beyond a certainty that the silver lining on the clouds of commerce arc not mere splashes of white-wash. Rut to come to the fern roots, Mr Larnach thinks that the property tax ought to be repealed. In this opinion wc believe he has the support of ninety-nine per cent of New Zealand’s population. If he had paused at this stage his sentiment wcnld have been applauded to the echo. But Mr Larnach went further. He did not intend that the revenue should suffer, and he was not sufficiently satisfied about the length of muzzle of the political longheads to leave revenue compensation an open question. In place of the property tax lie suggests the rcimposition of tea and sugar duties, and school fees. There is nothing novel or startling in this suggestion. It is a very old ballad. It was sung several months ago by Mr Peter McCaughan, of Riverton, and a number of other unpromising exotics, who have grown racy and redolent of the New Zealand soil, Mr W. J. M. Larnach has a good deal of soil on his hands which the Government has been cordially invited to open up and improve with railways. The tea and sugar duties and school fees would not diminish the profits on these speculations. Tiiey r might affect the children and their parents —they might operate as a brake on intellectual progress,and a ban on social comfort—but they would not affect materially the profit and loss on the Gatlin’s River run or the patriarchal principalities of Southland.

Mr Laniacli’s fiscal policy corresponds with the omniverous instincts of Captain Cook's original settlers. Every thing else may be devoured so long as the lern roots arc untouched. The burden of taxation rests heavily on the shoulders of the propertied classes. Mr Larnach suggests that the load should be divided between the schools and the breakfast table. Education, the comforts and commodities of life, arc nothing so long as big unimproved estates —the fern-root plantations—are improved by public works and are nourished by the consolidated revenue. There is no give and take in the grab-all policy. It is a case of take all you can get and give nothing in return.” But we think we can assure Mr Larnach that although he has taken up the McCaughan chorus the colony is not in a humor to submit to the substitution of tea, sugar, and education duties for the present property tax. The people have had enough of the wrong end of the taxation rod ; they will insist upon the application of the right end. The fern-roots and their long-headed proprietors have stood in the path of settlement long enough. They must give way before the onward march of civilization.