SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878.] TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1894. A SMALL BIRD TAX.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4659, 27 February 1894, Page 2

SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878.] TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1894. A SMALL BIRD TAX.

The Premier, in hi 3 Shannon speech, said it was a well known fact that, in the South Island particularly, ruin almost stared many of the farmers in the faro owing to light crops, bad weather for harvesting, the d-preda tioos of small birds, and Ihe low prices obtained for grain. He advocated a reduction of twenty-fivo pr-r cent, in the grain rates on these grounds. What this concession means we do not know, but we should say that thirty thousand pounds would be a low estimate ior i', Assuming that thirty thousand pounds be the Bum whioh the Premier desires to be con ceded tp the southern farmers, we find the potion to .be this; tliut the, colony must bo taxed ior this amount for four reasons, The first and more important is because there have been light crops, the dpcorid bad weather, the third sraall birds, and the fourth low prices, Now whether it be a light crop tax, or a low price tax, there is a grave objection to ibis new plan of making the taxpayers of the colonj pay all penalties. If railway rates were lowered when crops were light, they ought to bo raised when crops were heavy; if the State is to pay the damages for birds it must also be responsible for losses by the Hessian ifly; if bad weather is an argument for cutting down freight, good weather would demand that it should be raised, the barometer giving for each season a special scale, Nothing can be more absurd than to run our railways on a system of this kind, nothing more unjust than' to make taxpayers re sponsible for small birds, low prices, and ba(j weather. Wp very much regret that farmers down South are suffering, but the remedy proposed is a wrong one. If they cannot make wheat or oats pay it is better that they should try other crops than that they should be bolstered iip by a tax levied on the Colony. The Premier does not attempt frj show that the railways can be made to pay if rates are put down 25 per cent, he does not asßert even that present charges are excessive and it must follow that every concession made must be followed 'by additional taxation. If onpe the Commispioners begin to out rates where will they end ?■ Are the [ farmers the only persons about whom Mr Seddon is anxious, If we mistake not it is bis polioy to increase expenses on our .'railways while he reduces revenue,; to augment the sakiesofetnplojis, while hedirainishes' the fond from which they are paid. '■■■-. '■• ; •'■.- ■"