PROPOSED GUN TAX.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13743, 26 May 1910, Page 4

PROPOSED GUN TAX.

The case in favour cf the imposition of t\ x nun license was stated by Dr. Moorhnnse at the meeting of the Acclimatisation Society <-r:uncil inst evening. He «tated that in the first place it would be an acquisition to the funds, of Acciinv.'tisation .Societies. It would also irr.ult in more protection of game, ttnd prevent a lot of indiscriminate r.hooting and peaching. At present (very cow-boy, when he went after his cows, carried a gun and had a shot at every mortal thing that happened to be around. A snwll tax would not be objected to by any legitimate shooter. Tiie tax might also do something to restrict the use of ths pea-rifle, which was the mast pernicious thing in the world. There were numerous accidents caused by ite use, and he would like to sec it abolished out of New Zealand. The imposition a gun tax would Te-strict shooting to more or less re.spor_.ible men. As far as rabbit districts were concerned, the guns there could b?.. exempted from tho tax, just a« rabbiters' dogs were exempted from the dog tax. ]>r. Moorhouse expressed' regret that there was no probability of the Government ever agrecin"- to the imposition of the tax. The objection seemed to be that it was too reminiscent oi the old game laws—a most ndjculou.s conclusion, in view of the tact that the tax was imncsed in that democratic of countries, the Ln.ted states The benefit to the gome there had been simply enormous. J he council passed a resolution in favour of the gun tax. and tho delegates to the annual conference were instructed to support it.