The Feilding Star. STAURDAY, JULY 12, 1890. More Fads

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 12, 12 July 1890, Page 2

The Feilding Star. STAURDAY, JULY 12, 1890. More Fads

It is a too common idea among New Zealand legislators that they can make people moral by Act of Parliament, and one of the latest fads is a a proposal to introduce into the Post Office Act a clause giving the officials the right to open and examine all letters — inward or outward — which may appear to be connected in any way with consultations or racing sweeps. Now, we do not think it very likely that such proposed clause will ever become law, because English speaking people have a notion that all letters entrusted to Her Majesty's mails ought to be regarded by those through whose hands they pass as absolutely inviolable. In " the good old days " which have gone before us, that sort of espionage, as now proposed, might have been— and no doubt was — sub mitted to, but it was only because the people were ignorant of their own rights and powers. Happily now such tyranny will not be submitted to without protest. These consultations are legal in New South Wales, and illegal in New Zealand it is true, but why any one should try to introduce grand-motherly legislation " to keep tbe mouey in the country " is a puzzle to right-minded men. It seems a strange contradiction that to do a thing which is legal in New South Wales a man has to commit a crime in New Zealand. Another fad is that of Mr J. G, Wilson, the member for Foxton, who appears to have got " eight millions" on the brain. Our readers are already aware that this sum represents the total untaxed balances lying to the credit of private individuals in the several Banks doing busiuess in the colony, either as balances to credit of operative accounts, or as deposits at interest for three, six, or twelve months. As a rule the latter are under the amount a man is allowed to possess free from charge under the Property Tax impost, aud which he is not compelled to show in the official form or return he sends in to the Commission* r Mr Wilson, as we understand him, wants the Banks to be compelled by law to send in to the Commissioner statements of the amounts lying to the credit of individuals on a given date, in order that no one may escape the Property Tax. It must not be forgotten that Mr Wilson has little or no faith in the truth or accuracy of the Property Tax returns sent in by the "wealthier classes." Very likely he is correct. But this we do think that the "poorer classes," to whom these small amounts belong which go to make up the "huge aggregate " which has such terrors for Mr Wilson, send in returns which for truthfulness will compare favorably with the first-named. By the one fad of opening people's letters when they are going through the post, an impertinent curiosity may be gratified, and the other, of wanting to see the state of people's banking accounts, looks like a hungry desire of the wealthy to get a knowledge of the savings of the poor in order that they may find a means to absorb them. We do sincerely hope these two fads will be rejected by the House. The country wants honest legislation for honest purposes, and not inquisitorial legislation which can serve no good end, and only bring the colony into disrepute.