The Marlborough Express PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. Saturday, November 13, 1905. RIVAL STATISTICIANS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 277, 18 November 1905, Page 2

The Marlborough Express PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. Saturday, November 13, 1905. RIVAL STATISTICIANS.

Mb Duncan takes pride in the Contention that he has " bowled out" the Hon C. H. Mills in the handling ot seme figures connected with the Minister's own Department. He understands the Minister to have said that the taxation per head of population last year was a reduction of 6s 2d on that of the previous year; whereas the Official Year-book shows that there was an increase of 6s Bd. Until, of corrse the Minister of Customs has dealt with the point brought up by his opponent, the question whether the advantage rests with the Opposition candidate is a moot one, and the public will doubtless be quite content to reserve their applause. It is hardly likely that the Minister of Customs would stumble in dealing with records that must be familiar to him as household words. A table in a Blue-book which reached us by last mail represents the position at a glance. The taxation per head of mean population (excluding Maoris) has steadily risen from £3 7s Id in 1895-96 to £4 8s 2d in 1904-5; and the difference between the years quoted by Mr Duncan is, as h3 says, 6s Sd ,the figures being £4 Is 8d in 1902-3 and £4 8s 4d in 1903-4. Wo do not suppose for a moment that Mr Mills was ignorant of these details ot- that he had the slightest intention of barking them. But the matter is not by any means disposed of when this much has- been said. There are other details necessary to a complete understanding of the position. The taxation of last year was made up of the following elements:—Customs, £2 631983; beer duty, £96,210; stamps' £419,380; land-tax, £352,85-4; income-tax, £253,952. The totaljas £3.754,379, as against £3,t>4y,bUl raised in the previous year; and every source but beer returned an increase. But, as Mr Mills has already made clear, the increases are due to ths larger prosperity of the country—a prosperity assisted by much beneficial legislation, and not, as Mr Duncan would have the electors believe, to any fresh turning of the screw by the Government. The greater spending power of the people enabled them to import lai-er quantities of "to|ies"; and this was the chief causWrf the increased customs revenue. As a matter of fact, the present Government have ( already reduced the customs duties by £1,700,000, and are now proposing to give a "free breakfast table," and raise any further taxation that may be necessary by mSans of a graduated land-tax. The table that we have been quoting affords pretty plain evidence of the Minister's contention as to the prosperity of the colony. It shows the revenue per head of mean population has gone up from £6 10s in 1895-13 to £8 12s 6d in 1904-5, the increase being Us 9d as between the years Mr Duncan has selected for his ow.'i particular illustration. Though the tendency has been to reduce rather than raise the charges in the various public services, nearly every source ot revenue—railways, postal, telegraph, etc —shows improved returns, the total being £7,347,197 for 1904-5, a* , against £7,130,117. Naturally enough, tltouffh, Mr Duncan is more interested in showing an increase of fls Bdm taxation wian an advancement qt 11s 9I in the revenue. These comparisons, !it must be understood are as between : the years 1902-3 and 1903-4. Last year the taxation dropped twopence, and the reysjnuo went up one penny per head.