TAXES ON BACHELORS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20706, 2 May 1929, Page 6

TAXES ON BACHELORS.

MUSSOLINI’S SCHEME.

When national finances are low in Britain and many minds are intent on sucnew sources of revenue for The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Budget are , alm °st certain to Sreb“Wm» Signor Mussolini has not waited {of bubgestion or Budget, but is taxing the bachelors of Italy and taxing them roundly. Example is contagious, 8 and as the new impost of the Italian Prime Minister has attracted great attention it may possibly be extended to other y Britain has never had a form of/taTon bachelors—at any fate not by that name. HKwi ICal Sco , t]and - however, once established a system which was even morn thoroughgoing than Italy’s. “ what presumably would b called the good old times ”of Scotland toward the close of the thirteenth'century An Act passed by the Scottish ParliaD i e every maiden lady of both high and low estate, ‘shall have liberty to bespeak the man she likes’’ it he refuses to marry her he was condemned to pay a fine of £IOO or less as his estate might be. The only lawful excuse he could make was- that he was already engaged. In that case he was tree. How long that law lasted does not appear clear.