Correspondence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 502, 26 August 1857, Page 4

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the LyiteUon Times,

Sik, —We are all, more or less, subject to petty annoyances, for which we can hope for no redress, except by exposing the authors through the press 5 -so may I crave a corner in your paper, to relate what occurred to me this afternoon. I had just completed loading the ■schooner Mary Thomson with a full cargo of potatoes for Sydney, and hurried on shot-e to clear at the Customs. When I presented myself, I found it was eight minutes past three o'clock, and the door locked; and, notwithstanding I entreated as a great favour to be admitted, I got no answer to my application. I then enlisted Mr. Le Cren on my behalf, who, knowing the " run of the place," entered a private door, and applied for permission to clear -me, but it appears that all his eloquence (or soft soap) could not overcome the inflexible " Cooper," or persuade him to depart one iota from those rules which he had laid down for ■the good government of his department. I . entered a minute or two after Mr. Le Cren, when, Mr. Cooper half rising from, his chair, his face flushed and his features distended with brief authority,"in formed me, in a most peremptory manner, that he did not allow any person in his office after three o'clock, alleging as a reason, that it was the only time he had for writing up his books. Now, sir, he could have cleared the vessel in two minutes, and, considering that the wind was fair and a perishable •cargo .to boot, I think he might, nay he ought to have saciuficed his book for two minutes, rather than detain the vessel for 24 hours. For Mr. Hamilton I have the highest respect, as he did me good service in repremanding another ■officer of the Customs for exceeding his duty, and I beg to assure him that in making my complaint public;, I entirely exculpate him from .all blame in the matter. I am, Sir, ' Your obedient servant, H. THOMSON, Master schooner Mary -Thomson, • L'yttelton, August 20th, 1857. To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Sir, —On reading the remarks which you appended to my'letter published on the Bth inst., I wrote a brief and somewhat hurried answer, but by some accident the letter was mislaid instead of being forwarded to your office ; I have, therefore, to apologise for my apparent neglect, and I beg to assure you that I have neither time nor inclination to inflict on you or your readers any " ponderous tomes" or lengthy " essays," and, had I not a sincere desire not to intrude too far on yoar time and space, I should have "come to the point " (as I have a point) iii.the letter which appears to have awakened dismal apprehensions in the editorial mind. As Nthe settlements of New Zealand, and Canterbury in particular, are tolerably free from political partisanship, I thought this a favourable opportunity for calling public attention to the fundamental principle of all civilized governments —that of raising the revenue. So now, sir, to my "points." . First, I am desirous of placing at the disposal of our government such a revenue as shall be fully efficient for all the purposes of the state. Secondly, I wish that revenue to be raised on a just and equitable basis. Thirdly, I believe the imposition of all excise -and customs duties to be a clumsy and expensive method of taxation. And, Fourthly, I believe the total abolition of all such imposts and the adoption of a system of direct taxation, wisely and equitably organised, would be at once cheaper for the colony at large, and beneficial to all classes of society; that it would encourage commerce and all the various branches of industry dependent thereon, and speedily place us as an agricultural, pastoral, and trading community, in a much higher position than that which we now occupy. The Constitution which we now enjoy was granted to.us, as an experiment after its principles had been discussed and agitated, and, I may say, fought for in England for years. So far it has proved successful. The principles I advocate have been and are being discussed in England. Might we not try -the experiment ? I think we might. CENSOBIUS. To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Sir, —I notice a letter in your columns announcing that Mi-. Banks has taken shares in the New Steam Company. We may, therefore, hope for that unanimity and harmony which is essential to insure the success of undertakings of this character. Doubtless, a gentlemen of his weight does not venture' upon rash assertions. He will consequently have no objection to favour those "vihao- have not his opportunities of gathering knowledge rs'ith the calculation showing the amount of tonnage per annum likely to be given by the sheep farmers to the steamers, as compared with the agricultural, dairy, and mercantile communities, .and so enable us to comprehend from figures that the flock-owning is '

" the-paramount interest of the colony" in the present question of Steam. Yours obediently, OBTUSE. August 19 th, 1857.