TAXATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4418, 11 January 1876, Page 1 (Supplement)

TAXATION.

To the Editor of the Herald. ;

Slr,—The elementary rules of politieal economy, taught in all high, schools at home, are little understood by !N"ew Zealand statesmen. All political economists—Mill, Bicardo, Fawcett, &c.-—concur -with Adam Smith's maxims on taxation as laid down in his standard work, "The "Wealth of Nations":—"The subjects of every State ought to contribute to the support of the Government as -near-as possible to their respective abilities, that is, in proportion to the revenue which they each enjoy. In the observation or neglect of this maxim consists what is called the equality or inequality of taxation. Equality ought to be the rule in all affairs of Government. A State ought to make no distinction in the sacrifices it requires, or the privileges it grants. All should be made to contribute in the same proportion to their means and capital to the taxation." Judged by this universally, admitted fundamental rule, how do we stand in this colony? "We see an infamous system of taxation, under, which Auckland, with only about l-24th part of the capital of the colony, pays £th of ..the total annual cost 6t Government." In simple justice, our contribution should be only according to our estimated wealth, and should be adjusted every three years to.- existing circumstances. The richer a district, the more taxes it should pay. Instead of each province contributing in proportion to its respective abilities,- those who had the greatest, wealth (unjustly obtained even), and who consequently derived the greatest- advantage from Government,-, were relieved from their fair quota. This inequality of _and the desire of equal rights, led to the French Revolution, which arose because the and clergy wer,e exempt from taxation, which, therefore, fell with fearful force upon the poorer classes. Where might overcomes right there is but ! one "remedy—the jsword.*•' The muclrmterestTd-ih the injuitice" taxation,' as they are large consumers of cessively* taxed 'articles.* They. would";cer■fcainly jnin •in TPi-frh na fcn fif mapd .th<B justice so long denied. power, overpower^.us; j —the odds of 53 against 35 is too-much. Jibe*! first Maori war was cans ed • at 5 the ■ Bay of theTiiistitutionof, Customs whicli the natives were opposed to. a TViell. -facts ;that -histoiy J T-Toq made manifest, our jParliament v the j

force of trathiahould prevail,''laml the right; J -side-of— ways—win?—fornothing can b. politically right which is) -pvorally wrong. Every act is either irrong Upright, just or unjust. The Southerners are irith the in the, that il he willing that Kisjirother should shed the Jast drop of his "blood-for^fie'^cauae, -but he "was not jpar-senatora have not Sn-heroic insight, the \ ®owe vw£fwfl®^. a remedy- foE»everytiiiiig-but^. deathrp: The .State isjree "vrifch the : Crown lands "as the generaTinterests -o£ may require. It has the power of 'deciding what laws'shalll exist. Our land lawsysanctioned; wrongful acquisition; they were always the;.system -was-..'wrong »in itsj conception^. and Jbecame worse as time X)rogressedfor'a.bad'law 13 not' one bad act, but a'-perpetual repetition of;bad creasing in geometrical ratio as long* as<the law lasts. • The Southern 1 claim .to; the Crown lahds; the > origina'V inheritance df the', whole people, 1 is., altog^tlier.' subordip ; , ate. , ) tothe general policy; of .the State, andutKe good of the- The States is free to deal with the ; Crown; lands as 'the general interests of "the comniniiity' ;'may, reguire.: The exceptional -privilege or monopoly is indefensible J. it. is an evil—an injustice-tliat li'as"lasted 21 years., Monopoly is ' the ' taxation 'of ;;the industrious' (in all its forms) for the • benefit of others.' It is " plunder—spoliation. '.Alii', financial j laws and questions are open to revision and amendment.' .f They are not immutable and irrevocable—like the-laws of. the Medes and. the Persians. -, The public can resume at any time their rights to proj>erty .once unjustly legislated on;' The Houses of Parliament are botracV : by : oath to # do 1 justice. f We'have to .tell them that'.we' object to fresh taxation. 1 Instead, we*agree.;to, the resumption.of thd public land fund, £SOO,CDO per annum. . Our loss in this matter —lias been gain. We desire the cost the Government to be reduced -roundly, one-third all.sinecures to be swep^away,,and a.general reform.of. all public' offices: we ,protest against' all 'extravagance. More . talent is shewn in economising' than inimposingfresli taxes —cirjcumstanced as'-wearey i mortgaged to the eyes,-and enormous. mistakes in' /blie accounts. There is -a restiveness perceptible of an .injured-people,: ;whoi ;W,iU/-no longer submit to. force;and fraud, like slaves., Our hatred r is just 5 for have we.-not been deceived, humiliated;': plundered, betrayed. But lc Thrice.- is he armed-whose cause is just." ' When, people .differ essentially it is folly to try and -.unite,- them. Let us hope that,the day is.a,tjhandVwheii-." Honest mei| wel come by tlieir.oYvii,' } ; somehow ; when " equal rights,to.- all, .exclusive privileges t6 none,will .be .the v rule;i* when (the essenf tiaVingredients' of justice) compensation for the past,, .and/due regard in the brilliant future,' shall be shewn 1 .to/'the'-reapective men,tig of those , y wli6 i arc called upon to conl tribute "taxes; ''Now-, 'tlie M biirden 'falls not equally upon each district—the richest ana the poorest—"(and, tlie'rj-diSerence between .North and.Soutli isimoienso) 7 -iu proportion to their respective consumption of tlib necessaries of life. This depresses profits, and is apolUtax, and our'natives coine under it heavily. ■ population is .not. a proper test of'"the ability of a country to bear taxes ; but revenue is. ■-The-amount of capital bejlonging to different districts is a good test; Taxes-should'be an equal portion of the incomes: of people; or districts handed to the State; and to J find. whether they are relatively higher in one province thau in it is necessary'to. find out'the respective inj. comes, the. number of.. inhabitants, and.thfe amount of tlieir ' burdens. For'. instance', what are-'tlie incomes: of : Canterbury and Auckland respectively ?-] What are the whole of tbe.'public burthens of each? .What is the .population of each 1 . Deduct, the sum. of the burthens from the amount of incomes, and divide by the population, and we-then have the amount ol income of each person ill each province. Not having,the necessary statistical''information 1 needed, I cannot work out: the. calculatipn.;;; The natives here would have to be reckoned. Equality of taxation, 'as ■ a fundamental maxim of politics, means equality of sacrifice. - It means apportioning the contribution of cach district towards the expense of the State, so that none shall feel more nor less inconvenience from the share contributed tlianevery other district feels from its. There- ■ fore, we are entitled to feel, as ; comfortable under taxation as the South" does. By all laws, human and .Divine, that is how we ought to be. But how are wels there an equality of sacrifice 2forth and South? I leave it to the public to say is it so, and how near is it so ? Che sara, sara.—l am, &c., Cromwell. A