ABOLITION OF THE GOLD DUTY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 178, 6 July 1871, Page 5

ABOLITION OF THE GOLD DUTY.

On Friday last a preliminary meeting of those desirous of devising means to abolish the duty on gold, was held in the Commercial Hotel, Lawrence, for the purpose of framing resolutions to be submitted to a public meeting, which had been arranged to be held on the following Wednesday (yesterday). Mr. W. D. Morrison occupied the chair. The public meeting took place last evening after we had gone to press ; a full report of the proceedings will appear in our next. The following petition was laid before the meeting for approval : — The Honourable the House of Representatives of New Zealand in Parliament assembled. The petition of the undersigned gold miners and residents of the Otago goldfields, Humbly sheweth, 1. That your petitioners are residents on the Otago goldfields, and are either directly or in : directly interested in gold mining put suits. 2. That by virtue of the provisions of the Gold Duty Act, 1868, the production of gold is subject to a tax of 2s. 6d. per oz. 3. That gold mining is also subject to special taxation by means of miners' rights, licenses, and otherwise.

4. That the said export duty on gold being a tax on the gross produce, without regard to the cost of production, operates to retard the developement of the goldfields and to limit the production ot gold ; as upon all the capital expended in providing water supply, blasting powder, and material necessary for carrying on large mining enterprises the special tax of 2s. 6d. in the oz. has to be paid, which alone might afford a reasonable profit on the investment of capital. 5. The Legislature having sanctioned the subsidising of the production of the gold by meaus of the proposed loan for water supply, it would seem unreasonable at one and the same time to tax and subsidise the same industry.

6. Resolutions have from time to time been passed in the Provincial Council of Otago in favour of the reduction or abolition of the said duty, and during last session of the Council a resolution in favour of its reduction was carried.

7. No such tax ever existed in California ; and the Australian Colonies have now abolished the export duty, considering it impolitic and likely to retard the advancement of the state.

8. The only special expenditure on account of goldfields at present existing in Otago is the escort of gold ; the mining population being entitled to the administration of justice, police protection, and other functions of Government in common with and out of the taxes they contribute jointly with other classes of the community, and are not entitled to pay for them specially. 9. Your petitioners are therefore of opinion that the time has arrived for an immediate reduction of this tax, with a view to its final abolition.

Your petitioners therefore pray that your Honourable House will be pleased to take the prayer of your petitioners into your favourable consideration, and afford such remedy as tc your wisdom may seem best. — And your petitioners will aver pray.