CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1456, 14 August 1883, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

COUNTY TAXATION,

(TO THE EDITOR.) ; Sir,— It is not in the least surprising read of the lute indignation meeting held in Masterton re increase of taxation. ■

My last year's rate was £7 15s; it has jumped this year to .£l2 12s s|d (this ia in the Castlepoint Highway ' District). A further demand of £1212s 5Jd is made by the County. How it is done is not quite intelligible to me. • ■•'•• No doubt it has heen done by -sohio' advertisement which I have not seen, I therefore think a remark made ; by a speaker at the late meeting is worthy.' .ot consideration, " That ratepayers should be, informed direct that a : = double taxation is.intended;" ' v ~ ' , Now, eveiyond .mußt acknowledge- / . that, an advance from £7lss to £2s'/ ■ ■ 4s lid: for road purposes (I leaving the income tax .out ot tire "*" • question) is too great a jump, and must bring trouble with it. Sound judgment could not have been used in ' adopting this course, except we are to have value font. It may be said the public works policy or my own industry has raised the value of my property, to such an extent, during the last year •• as to warrant this. But, sir, I Mve : ' no railway within 50 miles oif my ■ - place, nor have I even a road, but simply a track, impassable in wet weather

I often consider of the wis# taxation ; ; that existed uiidei' the old provincial aystouij viz., t-hoso \vio benefited moat 1 - by ;uiy,vpa^. J paid most; twopence, >.*< fourpenco) or sixpence per aero accord- •>' ing to distance from the iiewly : iiiade ' ll Wd.'Whatbecomcß of the funds,is, ■ and alw&ys lias b'eeu, a puzzle. No • Moubt, all the money raised and what has been handed over by. the Oovemment has been spent, but has it been spent wisely 1 What is there now <0 show in this district for such vastsuins of money that lnive been collected} Twelve years ago. I paid eight shilliugs per bale for carting my wool to Castlepoint, after this, ten shillings, lastly, eleven shillings, and these only; two-and-a-half cwt.. bales: this is* under' ' Highway rule.. This extra taxation may have a beneficial effect in one way, inasmuch as it will, no doubt, make ; ratepayers look after their affairs-' butter.

. As. to which would be best, County or Highway' rule j In.one Comity, ,■■■'< Wairarapa = West/ 'the Peatlieraton " District, say the Highways, are earned 011 in a manner that gives • great satisfaction to ratepayers: rates ' are wisely, and economically spent. ■',... The Wardens do not consider their duties to consist in simply attending a meeting of the Board onco a month, Hiid bo a sort of Legislative Councillor. ' Each Warden supervises the work 111 ■ his own Ward, thereby giving himself ■'< and his CO-ratcpayers satisfaction, and '■ a great saving is'thereby effected. Certainly we should look .well before we Vote monies for staff, purposes for : the sake of show or friendship. lam a thorough County man,in principle, aud 1 hope before long to see the •>' powers of Counties greatly increased, '■ giving' them powers over various :i thiilgs ; in fact, they ■ should take the place of the Provincial Council, except- ! ing having power ovei- the laud. But ■' ' out of this they should have some , portion, or be allowed a capitation of,. say, \£l per head from generalrevenue. ' ' ■

, HighWay Boards, as a rule, have done much good work, For this reason,' I say let well dono alone j let the County either furnish or allow them to raise rated to carry on their good work till the systom has run itself out, or, as some would say, " fulfilled its dostiny." But were I called upon to vote on this question in the East Wairarapa 1 feel I should be disposed to vote for disposing of the Highway Boards altogether. Past experience teaches riio tliat the County in this; district' would do better. I think also some facilities for landing goods at Cashpoint would have been given before this under Counlyism, Things are now exactly as they were in primitive times, whon oiie-fortioth of the traffic did not exist \ every other place that I know of has a jetty. Foxton, for inslance, his had a landing place for years past, It is always hard to get old-fashioned people to keep out of tho old rut,

I am, (tc„

C. [Our correspondent in speaking of his own rates would have made the ■ matter plainer if he had given the area of his property and its carrying.' capacity.—Ed. W. D.]

MEAT EXPORT. >C I | TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY. | * ' Sir,--In your leader of tho 7th inst. commenting on tho recent Featherston meeting called by Mr Donald in the interests of the Wellington Meat Export Company, you express regret at being compelled; to differ with myself as to the line of policy adopted by the . : Company.. The reason you give is that whereas the prospectus of two years' ago declares that " the promoters confidently rely oil the assistance of all in carrying out what must not only be a profitable undertaking toshareholders, but also have an immense effect on the prosperity • of the whole colony, by a large increase in the market value of its main products," this declaration, you say, must now be modified to read : " A profiteble undertaking to share- - V ; holdere who are shippors, and even in ../ j this amonded form it will not bo accep- ' ' " ted unquestioned." The interests inbeing of such importance, I think |it is unfortunate you did not give the facts upon which you have feed the statements I have quoted,. Let us; see ■ how the case really stands, .Tjie latest shipments l -of frozen meat ; from the colony per British Kiug, Fenstanton,':and 'British, Queen: prove conclusively mutton 'is'wortli lb in the ; •Londoti market, ffom 8d to •■■■' ; 92. There is ajso; aaset of at '' least 5s 6d io 6« for skins and loose fat. The actual account [ sales shew that to 3|d pei- lb.will, cover #!• expenses, including insurance against, all risks whatever. How, then, &#!- you question the profitable nature qf • • hlr'

this, liritlor takiiig W J< shnvelioldei'swlio a );° liberal fulfihtciit ot the prediction you have quoted from the pros'pebtus, .viz,,' « The .immpn.se effect; t|iis ■ (lhdettaking will have Onthe prosperity of tho whole colony„by a in the market valhe.of its nmiir products?' : : Lot ns now sue us to <( sliaveholfe. who »re : -'not. .shippers.-'! Tim. oiily xnferaicu to'ibti froinjyOiu* k'ddor. is thi\t K; c(iiitmry, to tlur declaration quoted iruni the oi'ijjiiiiil juospfctiHs', the directora* kvu not liiideuwiml to nmko the biisitiess a profitable one to tins class of shareholders. The dinetors hiiving again artd>gairi*% e ijs (! <i , tlicu' ihtoiitioli. of -workhigcsoii ilm sound business principle .'of soijiiVing » fair dividend on tho'company's capital, I am quite at a loss for facts which would bear out your assertion,. .It " ; i f quite that a opinion v. listed /as to the - charges • leViitl per l.ady Jocelyn, bfii'l altoge.tlior deny that,this involved any departure: what over from tlie policy so ftequently .and definitely indicated. The best proof of this is, that the charges to be levied on next month's shipment per Doric aro rather over, than under those made by either the Utago or, Canterbury companies, Shortness- of time compels me to . defer. penning you a fow lines on the' questionof ' local slaughtering, but with 'your; permission l'will try to do so in a day or two, .' lam, Ac, . W, C; Buchanan,/,