TAXING BACHELORS.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 149, 25 June 1888, Page 2

TAXING BACHELORS.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Are the people of this colony going mad ? Do they wish to ruin the colony altogether? They are cryiiig out about people leaving the Country and about Wanting more settlers, arid yet are doing What is Calculated to drive people away and to hlndel' settlement. I allude to the stupid proposition of taxing bachelors because they are such, And also to the repeated attempts to saddle the country with female suffrage. Why, l-ather than prove incentives to matrimony, these things are in a direfctly opposite direction. What is the use 6f taxing a man for being a bachelor when there are, perhaps, scores who are Such from prudential motives, ohe being that they cannot afford to keep a wife, and the other tliUt they do not care to enter the married .state with such partners as it is sought to create at the present time by giving females thfe flahehisG and ti-airi-ing them to dominate more than they do now, and by placing them in & false position. What man worthy of the name would be willing to live under such a government, or in such a country where every woman over 21 years, no matter what her status or character, would be eligible as an elector, for a seat in' the House of JW'/xrepresentabives ? Why should this be palmed on the country when 80 or 90 per cent, of those spoken to on the subject are against it 1 We respect and admire woman in her proper sphere, arid abhor her out of it.—Yours, etc.,

Constant Stab Reader,

The Gas Company at Christchurch have reduced the price for city gas lamps to £5 per annum, while Auckland Corporation are paying nearly 50 per cent. more.

The Right Rev. Dr. Luck, Bishop of Auckland, has furnished Mr J. M, Grace With a testimonial .in connection With his canvass on behalf of the " Early History of the Roman Catholic Church." His Lordship observes: " The Work cannot but prove highly interesting and instructive to the general public of Auckland, and in an especial manner to the Catholics of this city. It is entitled.'Early History of the "Catholic Church in Oceania/ arid is a literal translation of a report prepared by the Right Rev. Bishop Pompallier himself, containing a most- ihtereistirig account of his toils and labours in the discharge of hiS Apostolic ministry in NeW Zealand* arid sortie of the islands of the Pacific. I canriob too highly recofn'mend this publication, and trust it will meet With a large sale amongst the members of the Catholic Church ; and that the publisher's enterprise, in undertakirig the publication of a book which fbrms srieh d suitable soiiVenh- of the jubilation year of the Catholic Church in New Zealand f will meet With the success ifc so highly deserves."