EXPENDITURE ON ARMAMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9098, 5 July 1888, Page 3

EXPENDITURE ON ARMAMENTS.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —If Mr. Soall had taken the trouble to read my letter before answering it, he would have seen that there was no reference in it to any statements made by him. I quoted a sentence from your report, and commented on that, and on the facts reported. Mr. Soall gives no explanation of the curious paradox which these presented. It is satisfactory .to be told that the proposal is not to cost the colony a penny. The trials of the targets and the committee of investigation have, however, I presume, already cost something. Remembering the large sum which was last year alleged to have been spent on the existing target*, one may be pardoned for being a little sceptical on this point. Neither is faith strengthened by the recollection of the forty (not four) thousand pounds which the inventor of the new system wished to spend on new guns which would probably be obsolete as soon as they were bought. The schemes of military faddists always cost much and produce little. The population of New Zealand is already paying an enormous amount for defence works, which yet the military horse-leeches declare to be entirely inadequate, and which are therefore useless for their only practical purpose, that of keeping our minds calm. Such expenditure needs to be carefully watched and vigorously retrenched. — L am, &c., July 3, ISBS. W. Steadman Alms. PROPERTY TAX VALUATIONS. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Knowing as I do your opinions on the subject of property valuations 1 was not surprised to see in this morning's issue a reprint from Hansard of the speech delivered in the House of Representatives on the loth ultimo by the member for Waitemata. But, surely, Sir, neither Mr. Monk nor yourself would think of regarding prices obtained for lands at forced sales, for the non-payment of rates due thereon, as a fair criterion by which to judge the value of those lands. In most instances the owners are absentees who have never received any demand for rates, and are quite ignorant of the claim, and with but few exceptions, attendants at these sales know nothing of either the position or quality of the lands. From my knowledge of country lands in the Count}' of Waitemata, I could point out instances, nob a few, where on such occasions lands have been purchased for from one to five shillings per acre, and have afterwards been again sold for as many pounds. Fair legitimate sales I readily admit should guide an assessor in his valuations, but not such as have been quoted before our representatives.—l am, &c., Thomas Seaman. July 4, 18SS.