THE LICENSED VICTUALLERS AND THE BEER TAX.

Press, Volume XXX, Issue 4094, 10 September 1878, Page 3

THE LICENSED VICTUALLERS AND THE BEER TAX.

The following petition will shortly be for* warded to Wellington by the Otago Licensed Victuallers: : — , .

To the Honorable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives of the colony of New Zealand in Parliament assembled. ' The petition of the undersigned licensed victuallers and others resident in Otago in the said colony being persons interested in hotel properties, humbly showeth that for the reasons herein set forth, your petitioners pray your honorable House to reconsider the measure now in force relative to the impost of three half-pence per gallon upon all beer brewed in the said colony. Ist. That by the existing imposition, a matter of grave doubt arises as to the policy of any tax being imposed upon any local in-

duefcry. 2nd; That no tax—so far as your petitioner! are aware—has hitherto been levied upon any other manufacture in the said colony. 3rd. That the amount invested in hotel

properties in New Zealand extends to many hundreds of thousands of pounds, money invested on the faith of the existing law being maintained in its integrity, the investors never thinking that the Government in ite wisdom would levy such an impost upon your petitioners, who are already tbe most heavily - taxed class of traders in the community.

4th. That the tax is vexatious and oppressive, and will eventually fall upon the bone and sinew -of the colony—the working classes —whilst at the same time the duty upon .wine has been lowered, thus creating class distinctions.

sth, That your petitioners respectfully, submit to your honorable House that the sudden infliction of the said tax without notice was an act of injustice, as your petitioners were thereby deprived of an opportunity of petitioning against the same. 6th. That your petitioners most respectfnlly say that the manner in which the said tax must be. levied is annoying, as your petitioners' premises must at all times be open to the surveillance of the officers for that purpose appointed, and that in the existing financial state of the colony bo such tax is needed. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray your honorable House to take into consideration the propriety of imposing the said tax, and that it shall not become law. And your petitioners will erer pray, <fee.