Correspondence.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1035, 11 February 1879, Page 2

Correspondence.

(Our correspondence columns are impartially open to all y but we do not m any way identify ourselves with opinions expressed therein.) Sib, — The remarks are judicious, which you, and writers m the Auckland ' Herald,' make about " the bits of blue paper" which are being served by the new Land Tax Department, m such vast profusion. Every person throughout the Colony, whether he ownes or occupies a thousand acres , or does or does not own or occupy a cabbage plot, receiving two or more, m the expectation, no doubt, that a harvest of information may be gathered, from which to manufaoturo a partial and most unreliable and unsatisfactory " Doomsday Book," to enable " the special guardians of the human race " to bring grist to their mill, by unfairly taxing a, section only of the European inhabitants, more especially country settlers, who are sinking their money, and devoting their lives m the toilsome struggle to make the wastes productive of food for man and beast, and increase the permanent worth and wealth producing power of the colony, where it would pay many of them better to lend their capital at seven to ten per cent, interest, and amuse themselves by travel abroad, or, perhaps, m ornamental gardening, or m getting somo billet or, say, profession, and adding to the drones of society, or m going into politics, to work some point or perpetrate some publio political swindle, or prate about posterity, travel m State yachts, at the State's cost, and drink £1,200 or £1,700 a year. You published some sections of the Land Tax Act, but not 21_ and 22, under which authority, it is said, "the bits of blue paper" are distributed, but you will see, by these clauses, which I subjoin, that no pro vision is made for " bits of blue paper," to be filled up with information which few colonists possess, and which, to do correctly, would defy the comprehension of even a professional man. Difficulties seem to have arisen m working out their theories, which the " Guardian of mankind m general, and Maories m particular," never appear to have contemplated, when they got the Land Tax Act passed, and hence the wonderfully ingenious device of " bits of blue paper," by which not only is the money of the European colonist alone to be taken, but they are, as it were, by this infliotion of vexatious duties, tortured into becoming their own executioners. The valuer- (and he will not lack exercise) may enter, at any time during the day, upon the land or premises, to rate the same, and may ask the owner or occupier questions, but where is the authority to compel him to fill up the blanks m a " bit of blue paper," and return it five days after date of notice, when I know cases where the " bits of blue paper " was not received till seven and eight days after the date of the notice* — I am, &c, Colonist. February, 1879. » \L^^ Sir,— ln your article of Saturday's issue referring to the Karroos Bridge, you call Mr Breakell " the engineer." Now, m my opinion, the engineer of any work raean3 tho one who designs the plans and lays it out. In referring to the Narrows Bridge iv future, if it is necessary to use the word "engineer" at all, will you please use it m connection with my name. I do not object to Mr Breakell being I called "an engineer" or " the supervising i engineer," but he is certainly not the engineer of the Narrows Bridge, and I am sure Mr Breakell does not desire it to be so understood. — I am, &c, J. Briton.