A TAX ON BACHELORS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2588, 30 November 1893, Page 3

A TAX ON BACHELORS.

In both Canada and New South Wales a special tax on bachelors is being discussed. In the former colony, the decline in the marriage rate is urged as a reason for the tax, and it is proposed to make it from £2O to £IOO per anum, according to income. Whether taxing men into matrimony would be a success ia at least questionable. Iu New South Wales, however, no such pretence is made. The proposal is merely the outcome of the finaucial position. More money must be raised by taxation. If increased Customs duties are levied on the necessaries of life all heads of families will suffer, while the unmarried will go comparatively free. The bachelor, it is argued, pays only the indirect taxes on what he eats aud wears himself, whereas the married man has to pay for what his wife and family eat and wears in addition to his own special burden. Therefore to put the two on an equality a special poll-tax on baehelor is proposed. Such a tax was actually carried once iu New Zealand. Mr Charles Brown, a one-time resident at Auckland, thus narrates the incident : " It was before the abolition of the Provincial Government. The Province of Auckland had passed an Education Act, and, not having the funds to carry it out, resolved in its wisdom to obtain them by imposing a poll-tax on all adult males. The bachelors, not unnaturally objected to paying for the education of other peoples' children, and opposed a passive resistance to the Act. The Government issued summonses, sold the furniture of a Catholic priest or two, and, afier two years' trial, finding that the co&t of collection was considerably in excess of tbe gross amount realised, dropped the tax. 1 don't think the measure was ever repealed, but I know that I was one of the bachelors who never paid the tax." We imagine that any attempt to levy such a tax now would be as much a failure as it was in Auckland.— Hawke's Bay Herald.