"OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1873.

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 194, 7 August 1873, Page 2

"OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1873.

r J ii j: imposition of the proposed new tariff is m9e ing with the mo'-t stremous opposition from commercial men, as lepresci ted by their Chambers of Commerce throughout the colony. In another column we publish the putiiion of the AucL'aud Chamber Not beinj; unnvi tsint wilh the value of trouds, vw; arc boui a U> t.ike tae statements continued in the pctilion l<>r giunte.l. Ir, appears that tin*- pr"{)o-»ed d' t ; es wild > ild ad I fiora 50 to 120 per cunt to il edutii's bithiito levie!. Piesuming that the above ti urcs are cv ivu*, Mr Vogo! mast huve b«en Idi oiiii, untl^r somti »^r nga }ia.llacin.itioii when he stated — "al'owingfor the differerce it is oeitain will be made 'u the declarDd valmofim-

ports, and for the giadual falling off of" some impoitations, we think that the alterations we propose will not inorease the revenue." When the ieporfc of the first meoting held in Auckland reached us, we were inclined to believe that the speakers had selected some very valuable articles in order to make the increase by the proposed taxation appear as large as possible. The petition before uSj however, points out that ironmongery, drapery, groceries, oilmen's stores and saddlery would have to p.iy.as we stated above,lrom 50 to 120 per cent, more iluty. No doubt extreme values have been used to establish the above calculation ; also, that the Colonial Treasurer is right in believing that the valuation pat upon goods for importation would be considerably below their 'actual value. Allowing this to be the case, it is to us impossible toconcoive by what process of arithmetical manipulation the Ministry has arrived at the conclusion — "On the whole, we only estimate the Cv- 1 >'"i<* rpvenue with the proposed ad valorem duties i i loiix., .it what we might reasonably expect it v hi Id yiell with the present duties." Either Mr Voqel Ins immensely over-estimated the dishonesty of our traders, or the Auckland Chamber of Commerce has wittingly pub forth a frothy statement. Every settler in the colony is interested in the proposed alteration; otherwise we should not have devoted space to its consideration, but have left its discussion to our contemporaries who represent commercial communities. We can scarcely believe that Mr Vogel could have thought it possible to deceive those whose business necessities compel them to be conversant with the matter under discussion ; otherwise we would be inclined to the belief that his object was to place himself in a position to come down with a statement at the commencement of next session, which would show a large increase of revenue, and consequently enable him to dilate upon the prosperity that his policy had brought to the co'ony.

Now that the Assembly is in session, we take the opportunity of again calling the attention of every member who represents a country constituency to iho fact that there is no means of compelling payment of the rates by owners of land whose addresses viii unknown. As a remedy, we would suggost the passing of a workable Act which shall mske the laud liable for the rates. This, of course, is impossible, unless a sum of money is set aside by eil her the Provincial or General Government for tlie piiyment of rates due by defaulting landowners. Is it a fatf, as we often hear stated, the House is so full of land jobbers that it is impossible for the main body of the settlers to get justice at its hands ? If tli is be the case, we trust that every constituency, will make it a sii'e qua non that any gentleman, in order to secure his return, shall bind himself to support or bring in an Act to make non-resident landholders pay some proportion of the cost of improving their ow n land, and not leave the whole of the onus to fall upon those who are of some use to the colony, which they are certainly not.

We are glad to be able to announce that Messrs Mackaj and Clarke have returned safely from their expedition to Taupo. We are not in possession of any intelligence as to their pioceedmgs, but presume that an account of them will shortly be published in the shape of a parliamentary papoi. We are glad to learn that the plants offered yesterday by Mr Kuox (from the nursery of Messrs Maion) sold readily at good prices If the settlers continue to purchase at the rate they have done for the last two years the appearance of the country cannot fail to be greatly improved in a short perioi. A serious coacli accident took place yesterday morning on the Kyber Pasi Koad. About half-past eight o'clock, Mr Quick's mail-coach, drawn by three horaes, was proceeding along Kyber Pass Rjad to the Waikato. The driver, Mr Smith, saw the traction engine belonging to Mr Dornwell standing in the middle of the road, a short distance from the Captain Cook Hotel. The engine had apparently been standing for some time, and had in tow several loaded trucks. As the driver of the coach neared the part of the road where the engine was standing, he expected that the driver of the traction engine would remain motionless until lie had got past. In this he was disappointed, for just as the horses had almost got abreast of the engine, its driver set the machine in motion by opening the valve, when out rushed the pent-up steam, making such a noise that the horses got frightened, and tried to rush off the road out of the way of their puffing competitor Smith, the driver, did what he could to keep them in check, as some female passengers were inside the coach, and some male passenger outside. For a time Smith expected the coach would be capsized, but, fortunately for the passengers, the pole and the harness naving given way. Two of the horses are badly cut and bruised, and the harness is a complete wreck. The forepart of the coach is als» strained and wi" require a considerable amount of -epairs before it can be again used. A messenger had to be sent into town to Mr Quick's stables to report the occurrence, aod another coach was sent out with a new set of hoises and harness, and on reaching the spot the mailbaps were transferred to the new coach, and, after a delay of an hour and a half, a staru was again made for the Waikato. After aome trouble the disabled coach was taken to town. — Cross. Wby ''s it (aski \he Tuniru Herald) that the public for the most part hold curious views as to the nature and value of newspaper property ? Why is it that the newspaper proprietor is heated in different fashion to other business mortals ? No one would dream of asking the merchant for a bag of flour as a gift, but there are many who unblushingly as'c the newspaper man for a free paper. Managers of Mechanic's Institutes aie the greatest sinners in this respect. If a paper is worth having it is worth paying for, is a maxim we ourselves have of late religiously followed, and in carrying it out we have revised oji- free list heavily, dwindling it to the smallest piopoi-tions. A free paper is by no means " free " to the man whose capital produces it, but means m the twelve months a very appreciable outlay in actual cash besides that expended on clerical labor, and when some dozens of copies are down as ' dead heads " the loss entailed to a, business is large. J)esvles this ta*c on good nature and pocket, the newspaper p<oj) iei,<>rmusfc stnnd the lacket of another J0.,-3 a lost to which other businesses are not liable. Wlieu iron rises or sugar is hi f ,h, it is the customer and not the merchant wbo I'pi 1,0 t > v i re (''Terence ni cos!. T»ut tae newspaper owue" caunot so regu'aLe the miiketas botweci himself aud bis customeis. The price of his paper is fr:ed, and is in a manner unalterable, and placed as that price is at tin lowest limit possible, he stands in the unenviable position <>r beiog liable to lose, and varely if ever to gain by any dif-fe-euce in that puce which ruled at the outset; and, of course, a rise in the coit of paper or printing material in to lrm a direct and substantial lobs. For many months pjsb, bi>Lh paper and pi i'ltin^ material— the former espe . "i'lv— have risen considerably, and we but name this fact | is our renson for reducing our frea list, and as a hint that we may very possibly reduce it still further The election for the Ray of [alan.ls has resulted in the return of Mr Williams. The number of votes recorded for each candidate were— Wi 1 iama, 1 19 ; Lundon, 85 ; and Macfarlane, 30.