The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, MAY 26, 1879.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 169, 26 May 1879, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, MAY 26, 1879.

Tub special returns in tlio Land fax Department are now in. The value of the taxable property in tho various Land Tax districts has been returned as follows Auckland, 3,235,000 j Ilawke's Bay, £3,899,079 ; Wellington, £7,983,361 ; Nelson, .£300,000 ; Canterbury, £15,790,000 ; Otago, £16,800,000; giving a grand total of, £50,707,440, on which the tax of a half-penny in tho £ will yield an annual rental of £105,025. This sum answers to the estimate made by the Colonial Treasurer, who may so far be congratulated on the exactness of his calculations, The expense of valuation and of collection have been under-esti-mated, and will for the first year amount to a very heavy percentage on the recipts. We notice that the Wellington Evening Post is a little jubilant over the tax, and argues that-

Whether the tax ho made_ a penny all round, or a graduated scale be introduced, it may safely bo taken for grunted that the fifty odd millions' worth property which is now found to be fairly taxable, will soon be made to contribute ft good deal more than £105,625 a year to the The cost of collection, ivcnecd scarcely point out, will not be absolutely any greater with a heavier tax, while relatively, of it will decrease.' The Government is now in possession of an enormous amount of most valuable information regarding the landed estates of the Colony; and this information nuiy be turned to good advantage in otlier respects than for taxation purposes. In framing a buiVet for the coming year, Mr Ballance mil now have accurate and reliable information to go upon, where last year ho had to _ proceed almost by guess work, That lie will lie able to turn this information to good account may fairly be expected,

No doubt our contemporary regards landed proprietors generally as bloated aristocrats, who may be bled with advantage both to themselves and the country. At the present time this class of settlers are perhaps as badly otf as any other, What with the low price of wool; what with interest on mortgages, and the cost of necessary improvements, landholders hold almost as little current coin of the realm as journalists. They cannot, without a strain, lind the means to defray ordinary highway rates, and the half-penny in the £ charged as a Land Tax is it seiious matter to them. Till tilings are much better than they are now, no Colonial Treasurer could possibly raise the tax to a penny, Nor is it to the interests of the Colony as a whole that land should be made a milch cow of. Owners of land who reside upon their properties usually sink any spare profits which in good times are realized in improvements on their land, and additional taxation only takes money which is being admirably expended into an-1 other channel, where it will be less reproductive. A tax oil land may be popular, but it may also be a somewhat doubtful advantage. What we need more sorely at the present time than aught else is a plentiful supply of capital streaming in to the Colony for investment through innumerable* private channels. It is evident that any tax on land, which is the main security for such advances, must tend to check the enterprise of investors, and that before the present half-penny rate is increased it will be wise to find out how fill' it has influenced capitalists in contracting advances to the Colony. The public have not yet been favored with full and explicit reasons for a remarkable change of front which has, within the last few months, been manifested by the banking institutions of the Colony. They have yet to learn some secrets on this subject, as the ostensible reasons wlucli have so far been so plausibly [Hit foitli only partially account for tli« prevailin" depression. Among the minor causes which have tended to create a panic of late amongst us we strongly suspect maybe reckoned the Land Tax.

.The stores throughout the district observe to-day as a holiday. Tenders have been accepted for a ,'nenr, police station at Grey.toivA • The Georgia Minstrels are about to visit the Wairarapa, they play at Greytown on Wednesday.

Tho Amateur Dramatic Company, at Carterton, ,is expected to make its bow to the public in a few days,

Messrs Watson and Winteringham, saddlers and harness niakors, open to-day. in the premises adjoining the' Council Chambers, Masterton. The great Huxley, of Wellington, has illustrated, not concluded, a remarkable business career by calling a gathering of his creditors.

■ We reported tho other day that Mr A. Falloon had called a meeting of his creditors. We are glad to learn that he has arranged to pay then in full. It will be seen from our telegrams that the Hon, Mr Shcehan is again suffering from his throat. Two years ago lie was laid up for a week at Greytown with quinsey.

The Yen Archdeacon Stock at St. John's Church, Fcathci'ston, yesterday morning, and St. Luke's Church, Groytown, in the evening. To-night the Rev Gentleman lectures at tho Institute, Greytown, on astronomy.

Judge Mansford visited Greytown en Thursday lust, but as on his former visit 'there were 110 cases down for hearing, and lie returned to town all the better we trust for a run up country. We learn from tho Secretary of the Wairarapa Hospital that the various boxes distributed about the district have not yielded a very large return, Jones' Foresters Arm's Hotel heads the list with £2 3s 9d. The Marquis of Normanby Hotel box tails it with lis. There was a shilling in a box at the bank, at Greytown, which we presume was conscience money.

At a special meeting of the Waiohino River Board, held on Thursday evening lust, it was reported that the Board had been successful in obtaining a loan of fCOO from tlio Government. Several accounts were passed for payment, This was the only business.

The meeting of the Masterton Brass Band, to have been held on Friday last, fell through, only the members of the proposed band and' two Trustees attending. The Volunteer meeting and the ball at Olayson's wore probably the reasons of the failure of this meeting.

A severe accident happened at Tauhevcnikau 011 Friday last, to Mi* Collins of that place. Ho was riding after a runaway horse and was thrown off, coming to the ground with sucli violence as to render him insensible. He was conveyed to his home and Dr Spratfc was sent for, who quickly arrived and did all that was possible for the relief of the sufferer, but lie was still.insensible up to our latest advices, • . .

Mr Davis, the photographer, notifies that he will open in Oarteiion for one week only. We can advise all our Carterton friends who require really good photographs to give Mr Davis an early call. He has given perfect satisfaction wherever lie has taken portraits, turning them out in a style equal to those taken in the Empire City. In taking children lie is more.than usually successful, and will, no doubt, be well patronised on this his first visit to Carterton.

On Saturday last a severe accident happened to Mr C. Mcreworth, of Carterton, while he was engaged in erecting a •'allows on which to suspend_ sheep carcasses. One of the poles forming the scaffolding bmkc, and a splintered end of it entered his thigh. The injury sustained was a severe one, but wo hope the sufferer will soon bo able to recover from their ill effects.

On Friday last Constable Scale took down to the Wellington Lunatic Asylum n Dane named Christian Neilsen, recently in the employ of Mr W. W. McCartlle, For some time past the poor fellow has exhibited unmistakable signs of aberration and as it was probable that he might resort to self-destruction, Mr McCartlle was compelled to lodge an information against him.

The soiree held under the auspices of the Greytown Horticultural Society on Friday evening last was very fairly attended, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. The dancing was kept up till between four and live o'clock, to the music of Messrs McKenzie and Mills. Looking at it as a social gathering, we can with confidence pronounce it a success; but we fear the committee will, looking at it financially, not. feel the same gratification. Yi e arc sorry for this, as the few working members of the committee did all in their power to make it as successful as possible, as they were anxious to .clear a few debts duo by them. The Greytown Rifle Volunteers mustered at the Town Hall on the Queens Birthday for the purpose ,of firing a feu de joic'in honor of her Majesty, which was very well done, considering it was the first time this Company had been called oil to do so ; after which they proceeded to the butts to lire for prizes. There was' a very strong north-west wind, which was the worst wind they could have had for good scoring, but they distinguished themselves creditably. The third class fired iirst for the third prize at 100, 200 and 300 yards. The three highest scores being Sergeant Avery, 4G; Private Lewis, 40; Private O. Ivempton, 34 Avery received the prize as lie made the largest score at the longest range. The 2nd class then iired for the 2nd prize at 200, 300, and 400 yards. This was a splendid match between the undermentioned three, who kept very close for a rood while Private Humphries—lß,ll, 15, total, 50; Private E. Kempton-18, 17,10, total 4D ; Private F. Barrett—lß, 15 11. total 44. The Ist class then tried conclusions for the Ist prize at 300, 400, and 500 yds with the following result Lieut. Porter—l6,l3,l2, total, 41; 1 nvato Varnham —l9, .12, 2, total, 33; Sergeant Perkins —13, 9, 9, total, 31. A moetinn 0 f the Masterton Rifles was held on Friday, May 23rd, at the Town Hall, for the purpose of swearing m members, election of officers, &c. Thirtyeight members were sworn in, and Captain lluck was elected Captain; Mr E. A. b. Wyllie, Lieutenant; and Mr Donald Donald, Sub-Lieutenant. A committee was appointed, consisting of the three officers and Messrs Lynch, McDull, Bowater, and Cowan, to draw up rules and to report in a week. Ml' Sidey's sale of household effects, photographic apparatus'; photographs, etc., came off yesterday. There was a fair attendance, and moderato prices iveie realised. It must have caused a peculiar sensation to a number of gentlemen present to see'their likenesses, perhaps nicely framed, put up, and knocked down for sums ranging" from 4s. fid, upwards, for many of them put their hands in their pockots and bought them in. The sale was in this respect, a novel one.—New Zealander,

Two passengers,' incautiously alighted from the last down train at the summit tunnel', on Wednesday, were left behind. Fortunately for .them they managed to obtain seats in a goods train which started a little later in the evening, and which went as far as the TJppor Hiitt. A walk from there to the Lower Hutt enabled them to catch the last train for town.

The New Zealander states that a mounted constablo is about to be stationed at Masterton,where a new police station has been erected. If this is true it is a step in the right direction, as there will by this means always be at least one Constable in the rfown, We think it would havo been better still, to have appointed yet aiiotliov Constable, as the district is too large for even two to properly attend to.

" Tho Sheep Act, 1878," has been an infliction and a trouble to the possessors of ovine stock for some time past, and few owners really at. the present time are conversant with its provisions. For the convenience of those interesetd a pamphlet has been prepared under the direction of the 'Colonial Secretary, containing the Act,' together with all proclamations, Orders in Council, and 'Gazette notice. It also gives the regulations and forms to be used under the Act, and a most useful memorandum on the parasitic insects which infest sheep, The pamphlet will be a great convenient and assistance to sheep-owners, and can be obtained through the Sheep Inspectors,, at the moderate charge of two shillings, With reference to the date Murtagh-Tait case, a. Wellington paper,says :-It seems that we havo not yet heard the last of the famous Tait and Murtagh cases, hailing from Masterton. Those who take an interest in these strange proceedings may remember that Murtagh retained the racehorse Harkaway after all the other differences had been amicably settled, and entered him for several important races in Cahtcrbury. One of these is to be run on Saturday, and we learn Tait intends leaving for Christchurch per Tararua today, in order to see whether it is possible to obtain possession of the horse, and in case of good luck attending his running, the amount won by liini. The case should prove an interesting one, for 110 similar one lias ever occurred in New Zealand.