THE LAND TAX.

Evening Post, Volume XVII, Issue 371, 18 March 1879, Page 2

THE LAND TAX.

Although it is semi-officially announced that the Land Tax will realise the sum which the Treasurer estimated it would yield, it' must, nevertheless, be admitted that the new experiment in taxation is a failure. The expense of collection is out ot all proportion to tbe amount collected. If £90.000 goes into the Treasury as the result «i the tax, the amount taken out of the pockets of the tax-payers is enormously greater. The difference between the two amounts represents an actual loss to the public. Ttie £90,000 of revenue has been acquired at a terribly expensive cost. The charges of collection amount to a ruinous rate of interest on the amount of money obtained. We have raised this comparatively small addition to the revenue much after the style of the young spendthrift, wuo melts a £100 acceptance and gets £10 cash out of it, .tbe rest being represented by interest, sham pictures, and bad sherry. The Colonial Treasurer, however, like the spendthrift, has got something else for the experiment, something else which may prove really worth the cost — we mean experience. No doubt a large mass of valuable information has been collected under the Land Tax Act which may be utilised for purposes of taxation and legislation outside the four corners j of the present Aot altogether. If the Colonial Treasurer be wise be will utilise this information at once, and be prepared to admit frankly that the Land Tax itself has not answered expectations. If he does this, and at the same time comes down with a well conceived and carefully digested scheme for a thorough and general Laud and Property Tax, he vml give evidence of the possession of the highest quality of generalship and statesmanship — the ability to turn a defeat to advantage, and ultimately to convert it into a victory.

Mr. Henry Jackson has received a letter from the Government intimating that, as he declined to resign his appointment as Chief Surveyor of the Wellington province, he must consider himself dismissed from the Civil Service. As the letter requests Mr. Jackson to band over his papers, &c, to Mr. J. W. A Marchant, at present geodetic surveyor to the North Island, we presume that Mr. Marchant will bs his successor. At a meeting of the Bishop's Residence Committee held yesterday, it was resolved to ask the subscribers who have not yet paid the accounts they promised, to do so at their earliest convenience. It was reported that the contractors, Messrs. Mitchell and Thompson, were proceeding rapidly with the work, and expected to have it finished before the time allowed in the contract— July next. The Licensing Court sat to-day, and granted a license to the Kilburnie Hotel. Mr. Mansford, R M , and Mr. Moore, J.P., were on the Bench. We are requested to state that the collection of £8 Is. received by the Treasurer of the Kaitangata Rolief pund was from the United Methodist f'tte Church. Mr. Henry Moss, merchant and commission agent, of Wellington, has assigned his estate to Mr. W. Berry, for the benefit of his creditor?. In December last a telegram from Auckland, tendering an expression of condolence with her Majesty on Jb,e death, of Princess Aljce, was sent ta the Secretary of State for the Colonies. A despatch just received acknowledges the message; and Sir M. E. Hicks-Beach says,with regard to it, " I have laid the message before her Mai-sty, and I am commanded to request that you wul convey to the citizens of j Auckland her Maiesty's gracims appreciation and recognition of this expression of heartfelt sympathy in her bereavement" The arrival of the barque Natal Queen, from Hobart Town, this afternoon, caused consiedrable excitement among the members of our police force, and a corresponding curiosity in the minds of the public. The barque anchored about 100 yards from the wharf, when a couple of policemen proceeded on

board, evidently with the intention of searching for somebody, but they maintained a mysterious silence as to their intentions. It is believed that they expected to find an escaped convict from Launceston on board, bat they were unsuccessful in their quest. In reference to a telegram in another column announcing the arrest of two brothers named Schwartz at Christchurch, on a charge of fncendiariim, it may be mentioned that the accused were ia Wellington some thne ago and nearly concluded the purchase of a tobacconist's i bowne— in WflKs-oinet. The negotiation was broken off, however, and they went to Christj church. Yesterday being St Patrick's Day, the members of tha Hibernian Society proceeded to the Lower Hutt, where they spent the day In Mr. Parker's paddock, indulging in various amusements. Two racing events— one open to all comers and one restricted to members of the society — excited considerable interest. In the former, the first prize Ca silver watch) was won by O'Leary, the second (£1) by Woods. In the Hibernian Race, the first prize (£2) was won by'O'Leary, and the second (£1) by Leahy. Dancing was indulged ia to the strains of the Hibernian Band, and, with football and other games, the day passed away pleasantly. The party returned to town by the 5 o'clock train, and having inarched in procession, headed by their band, to the Boulcott-stroet schools, dispereed for their respective homes. • ' By the p.s. Manawatu, which left this after•nooQ, 20 of the immigrants ex the ship Hudson proceeded to Wanganui ; 7 were also taken to Foxton by the Jane Douglas last evening. Mr. J. W. Leahy, to-day received a letter from Colonel Reader, stating that no steps have yet been taken to have the newly-formed Naval Brigade gazetted, because the Government are awaiting further information relative po the amalgamation of the two corps, which have offered their services to the Government. A meeting of the " Pioneer" Naval Brigade has been called by Mr. Leahy, the Secretary pro tern at the Central Hotel, for Friday evening, to dr*cuss*the proposed amalgamation. The promoters of the Seatnens'. Brigade are -specially invited to be present. It is to be hoped that the promoters of the rival brigades may amicably settle their differences, and agree te amalgamate. We understand that tha Bijou Minstrels intend shortly giving another ot' their enjoyable entertainments, when a new and varied programme will be introduced. The proceeds will be in aid of the Lunatic Asylum Recreation Fund. The Lower Hutt residents were somewhat taken by surprise on Saturday'evening when the rumor got afloat that the Railway Hotel was to be lighted with gas The novelty very naturally brought together a good number, especially those interested in scientific improvements ; and certainly tbe comments' made by the Engineering Times were fully borne out on Siturday evening by the working of the "Alpha" gas-making apparatus. Mr. Valentine, who is the first adventurer in its use at the Hutt, feels quite satisfied with his .outlay, and indeed the softness and brilliancy of the lighting must prove a fair warranty for dispensing with the risky and unreliable kerosene. ' The «vent was not allowed to pass off without the customary christening, and toasts in champagne were drunk to . Mr. Hayes, for the very satisfactory completion of the work, and to Mr. Valentine, for the plucky manner in which he has introduced this really valuable improvement in country hotel lighting. It is generally reported that one or two others are about to adopt the new " Alpha " method of lighting. A short sitting of the Bankruptcy Court was held this morning, when Henry Girdlestone, of the firm of Wylie and Girdlestone, Masterton, received his discharge. Speaking at the Presbyterian General Assembly at Christchurch, the Rev. J. Paterson said he thought they should oppose any measure having denominationalism for its object. The present system was working admirably. He vn.% very strongly in favor of the Bible being read in their public schools, and simple religion taught, and would rejoice to see any system that would give satisfaction to the country. But that was the difficulty — to give that without consulting the feelings and wishes of the various' denominations throughout the country. He did not think they could do this through any legislation, but it might be done if it was left to the local committee to arrange, ia conjunction, with a conscience clause. The system was in vogue in Scotland, where there were 4000 or £000 schools, and where there were only some seven or eight in which the Bible was not read, and only some twelve or thirteen where the shorter catechism was not taught. If left to the local committees in this colony, he Believed that the Bible would be read .in. ninety-nine schools out of 100. He, therefore, thought their course would be to memorialise the Government on the subject, and that the local committees should have the power referred to with regard to a conscience clause. They must remember that at present they had the Cathplics and Episcopalians arrayecUgainat them,- Whereas he believed that if they, could get the Government to expunge the clause which said the Bible must not be read in school during school hours they would have the Episcopalians with them. At the same time tbe Act was working so well that he was not sure it would be judicious to interfere with it' at all. After some discussion, a resolution was passed to the effect that in the opinion of tha Assembly a Te-iotroduction of a denominational system of education would be disastrous to the interests of education in general, and that in the event of any amendment of the Act being made the clause relative to the purely secular character of the education to be given should be expunged and the giving of Bible instruction left to be decided by the general committee. To-night is' announced as the last night but two of the Georgia Minstrels' season here. A change of programme is advertised for tomorrow night. The cricket match between the Civil Service and town teams was brought to a close after we .went to press yesterday, the town winning by 18 runs, with one innings to spare. In tfieir second innings the Civil Service (who, it should be said, played one man short, and had several of their best men absent), made 69, which, added to their previous scoro of 45, made a total of 114 for the two innings. , T,he town team obtained 132 in their first innings, of which Page contributed 29, Blacklock, who carried his bat out, 25, and Fordham 14. Some of tbe big guns brought out from Home by the Lorraine for the Defence Department were landed yesterday and removed by a detachment of the Armed Constabulary ta the reclaimed land,.it not being definitely decided where they are to be fixed. That they were somewhat cumbersome to move about may ba Inferred from the fact that four of them weighed very nearly seven tons eanh. They were landed, however, without an accident occurring. Mr. F. W. Frankland, tho able Government Actuary, has been elected a Fellow of the Statistical Society ot Great Britain, and Associate of the. Institute of Actuaries, ia recognition of his valuable services to mathematical science. Mr.R. J. Duncan yesterday sold the lease of a section in Willis-street, situate opposite the New Zealand Times Office. Mr. Joseph Loubere became the purchaser at £4 15s per foot, per annum. The lease is for 42 years, the rent to be increased 50 per cent, at the end of the first 21 years. The last experiment in competition (says the Home News), is the approaching introduction of hop culture into New Zealand. It is said that &s one solution of the conflict between the agricultural labourers and their omployers in Kent; the Agent-General for New- Zealand has provided passages for some 3000 of them to that colony. As these labourers are mostly hop-pickers or men practised in the cultivation of that valuable plant, part of the scheme is to send with them a quantity of hop seeds and cuttings. It has long been said that the climate of New Zealand, is very similar to our own at Home. But it is not less variable; and climatic influences have a good deal to say to the success or failure of tbe hop harvests. The hop "vine" varies extraordinarily in its value from year to year ; it U easily affected and damaged by insect*, continued rains or thunderstorms, so that the average of good crops is only one in five years. Even if the plant will grow well in New Zealand, the processes of drying it and preparing it for market are co very intricate and varied that those who embark in this new agricultural operation will find many difficulties to surmount before they make it a commercial success. One of the survey party at present at work upon the Wanganui Harbor block, near Ashburst (the Manawatn Times is informed), lost his way in tbe bush on Sunday. As he had not returned up to noon of Monday two of his mates started that evening on a search. The man sought for, however, being an old and experienced bushman, got upon one of the survey tracks, and returned to camp shortly after the departure ol the others, up to the time of our receiving the information, which was Thursday morning, the search party had not returned, and as the two men composing it were comparatively new arrivals, it is greatly to be feared, that they stand in much greater danger of being lost than the one they went out to discover. "Australia has already sent cricketers and rowing men to the mother country, who have weU sustained $& honor of the antipodes in the old would, and now," says the BaUarat Star, "we understand there is a probability of Victoria sending swimmers to England to battle far glory ia foreign waters. M'lndoe, who won tbe principal rapes at the swimming m itches here this, week, and bis brother, wh.o are both well known to be expert swimmers, are stated tt be talking about taking a pro* fessional trip to Great Britain, and we have no doubt that if they do go they will render a good account of themselves." A correspondent of the Sporting and Dramatic News sends the following: — " Ido not know if you are aware of a curious incident in connection with the late Major Whyte-Mel-ville. It was new to me till the other 'day. For many yean before bis death he gave away 1 n

charity all the not inconsiderable profits which accrued to him from hU successful and popular literary labors. This was done, I have heard hinted, as an amende for some youthful peccadillo, and in his liveliest and gayest pages there certainly cropped out occasionally a strange vein of meditative melancholy." In the matter of immoral novels, says a writer in an English paper, the French can give us, in racing men's parlance, " pounds of weight." Madame Quivogue, who writes under the pseudonym of Marc de Montifaud. has just been condemned to four mouths' imprisonment and ££6 fine on account of her last novel, " Madame Ducroisy," which the Paris tribunal found to contain on almost every page scenes or words which constituted an outrage on public morality. The publisher of the book was also condemned to a fine of £20. Think of the footings of the Lord Chamberlain if a play by that lady were submitted to his supervision. The Czarewitch has forwarded to the Czar a memorandum protesting against the enlarged powere of. arrest given to the police by the ValoniefT Commission, and advocating a liberal Constitution as the best raoani of satisfying public opinion and strengthening the Government. A correspondent writes to the Scientific American from the Sandwich Islands sayiog that during a long life spent in tropical fever districts he has been able to escape infectiou j and miasma by the use of gunpowder, supplemented by a few simple precautions against sudden changes of temperature, sunstroke, bad water, and the like. He uses no water that has not been boiled and afterwards kept from air contact; but his main reliance is upon the practice of burning a thimbleful of gunpowder in his bedroom, and very small quantities in his trunk, wardrobe, &c, co as to keep his clothes in an atmosphere feebly charged with gunpowder gas. In Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion, the Bast Coast of Tropical Africa, and other fever-smitten lands, he has found such simple means a sure preventive of epidemicand endemic diseases, and has thereby been often brought to the philosophic reflection that gunpowder is destined to invert the aim intended by its fabrication. From the Era, a London pacer, we learn that the celebrated dwarf General Tom Thumb died on 9th January, at his native place, Bergen, in the province of Wast Kriosland, in Holland, whither he had only recently retired after realising a handsome fortune from exhibiting himself in the chief countries of Europe and America. The real name of the general was Haneman.