What it Does and What it Spends. Dunedin, Sept. 1.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 218, 3 September 1887, Page 4

What it Does and What it Spends. Dunedin, Sept. 1.

-Mr James Mills, speaking at Port Chalmers on Tuesday night, argued against a special tax on colonial shipping- Ho said for ithe kindly manner in which his op.pouenfc -had spoken of him, ho wished to thank him, but he understood that he Jhad been endes,vo«ring to raise a little feeling against the Company to which ho (Mr Mills) belonged, by declaring his intention to get ships made subject to tho property tax, to abolish subsidies, and even to closo tho Victoria Channel. With regard to the property' tax, he feared it would be unworkable, as it could only lie levied on locally-owned ships, and might have the effect of driving their owners to register them elsewhere. Otherwise, by being subject to this, they would be at a dis-advantage in competing with cteamer.s on the coast registered elsewhere. Wo had now on the coast steamers from both Germany and New South Wales, and we had also sailing ships doing coastal work sailing from Germany and America, and we had also bteamers from abroad, both American and English. To render such a tax consistent it would be necessary to protect locally-owned ships, and provido legislation that none other should be allowed to trade to our ports. This would be very satisfactory provided other colonies should not retaliate. In that case where would be New Zealand? Steamers would not be allowed to visit Australian ports, nor would Australian steainci s be allowed to visit New Zealand poits. This would not work -well, though, no doubt, it would be quite proper from a protectionist point of view. Hi^ hearers had no doubt &cen how recently the Victorian ship owners demanded from this Go- % eminent some share in the benefits to be dei i\ed from the policy of the colony, and they asked that locally-owned vessels should enjoy exemptions from port dues, and also iecei\c a bounty. This had been refused, but he confessed that he could not see how they could with any consistency continue to do so. He would like to say, however, that although the property tax was not levied on ship?, the Company did not escape fiom contributing their fair share to the government ot the colony. They paid, of course, property tax on all their pro perty other than ships' stores, merchandise, etc They paid in Customs duties on supplies bo leso than £6,000 or £7,000, and in .light dues, some £5,000. They paid no less a sum than £12,000 for pilotage and poit dues, notwithstanding that they never, or very rarely, utilised the pervicos of pilots. He could mention many other sums to show that the Company contiibuted very considerably to the support of the institution of the colony. (Applause )He made bold to say that the Union Company was the greatest local industiy in the colony, and as such deserved every sympathy and consideration both fiom the people and the Government of the colony, becing thai it was such a large employer ot labour, and that by irs large expenditure it afforded a great deal of assistance to many deserving industries. The total expenditure last year amounted to about £600,000, and something like fc'so,ooo per month. The total number of employees ashore and afloat who were under monthly engagements was 1,500, representing, with families and belongings, 5,000 souls. Of mechanics, labourers, local carriers and others, there were from 500 to 600 who depended upon woik from the Company, representing, with families, etc., probably from 1,500 to 2,000 persons. They supported directly nearly 7,000 persons, "besides, indirectly, the tiade&men, labomeis, etc., with whom they dealt. Of their expenditure, £200,000 went in wasres and labour ; £40,000 in repairs and maintenance (largely labour) ; £60,000 in victualling alone. In connection with the latter item the Company used in one year no less than 2,000,0001b of meat, equal to 40,000 sheep or £15,000 worth of dairy produce. During the last six months they had carried 80,000 tons of West Coast coal, or equal to 160,000 tons in the year, and their steamers had consumed no less than 120,000 tons of coal themseh es. These figure* were very instructive, and w hen it was considered that the greater part of the money was expended in the colony, it would be admitted that the Company deserved to rank as a local industry, and that it would be inadvisable to do anything to divert any poi tion of the expenditure away from the colony. (Applause). _________________