THE GOLD DUTY.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2898, 30 May 1878, Page 2

THE GOLD DUTY.

(tuapeea times;) - At the last meeting of the Tuapeka County Council, Mr WY D. Morrison proposed :—•" That this Council is of opinion that the Gold Duty should be altogether aboi'shsd; ar.d 'ste<\d, thcit

the County Act aod Eating Act be so amended as to give the County power to levy a rate on mining property, as on other propei ly within the County: That the Clerk be instructed to draw up a petition embodying the foregoing resolution, to be placed before Parliament at it 3 next sitting." In speaking to the resolution, the proposer said that he had a desire to see miners on the same footing, in respect of taxation, as any other class of the inhabitants. It was notorious that their burden of taxation was heavier than that imposed on the agriculturist or the holder of landed property; and ie was just as well known that the amount contributed by the mining industry generally towards the County funds was larger than that contributed by any other industry. In these matters he did not speak from hearsay, but more, from a practical knowledge of the subject. For some time he had worked at the Blue Spur, and he could say that indirectly the tax was unjust and iniquitous. He would go further and show the actual amount contributed by some of the claims. To his certain knowledge, one claim at the Spur- during last year, paid between £130 and £140 a& duty on the" gold it produced. In some claims, it so happened that-more was paid in taxes than was actually divided between the shareholders. The Table Hill Company's reef furnished an instance in point. Then, again, when they took into consideration the amount expended by the larger companies in opening up their ground, and the expenses that were continually being incurred both directly and indirectly, the r ardship of a special tax similar to the Gold Duty was more and more apparent. Another objection which he would urge was the inequality of representation. With the miner, unless he has property equivalent to a monetary value of £50, he is unable to exercise the privileges of the franchise. Now, with any industry other than mining, representative power equivalent to the amount of property held is . given. A similar concession should be granted to those engaged in the mining industry, because it was decidedly unfair to lax any class to such an extent if they were deprived of privileges bestowed upon others deserving of less consideration. la conclusion, Mr Morrison remarked that the mining communities throughout other Counties were agitating in favor of the abolition of the Cold Duty, and he did not see why the" Tuapeka County Council should be behind in the consideration of this all-important and all-absorbing question. Mr Brown remarked that the arguments of the member, for Clarks were deserving of attention. He considered that the question was one which should be submitted to the proposed conference, for the purpose of dis t cucsing and consideiin 1* it in-its various aspects. .

Mr Clayton seconded the motion pro forma. He remarked that in so far as taxation was concerned, the miner's had a Leavy burden imposed upon them. That their voting power was limited was also a notable circumstance; but, on the other hand, the agriculturist was taxed on an entirely different basis. He would suggest that a clause be inserted in the resolution urging the, rdvisability of placing mining property on a similar basis as freehold in respect to tatalion. Were this done', he'was inclined to think that litigation wpnld become less frequent, and it would tend to conserve and place the industry on a better footing. The Chairman considered that it was an injustice tothe miner that a direct tax should be imposed upon the gold he unearthed. In many cases, however, the circumstances differed. They were welt aware that the Gold Duty did not fall so heav'ly upon the poorer class of minersit was the large clainiholders who feel its effects to a greater or less extent. He did not think that miners were so much opposed to the tax when the industry was in a primitive state, but now when the population was mora settled, it was a matter that deserved earnest consideration at the hands of the Legislature. Mr Honner to a certain/extent agreed with the purport of the resolution. He would very much like to sec the Duty abolished, although there was no occasion to grumble, as the Government were reducing the tax gradually. Mr Morrison, in reply, urg-d the necessity of a tax similar to au income tax. The miners were always favorable to contributing their fair share of the taxes, but he considered there was no special reason why they should be unjustly or unnecessarily t?xed. The resolution was then put and carlied.