COST OF GOVERNMENT IN GREAT BRITAIN AND AMERICA.

Otago Witness, Issue 488, 6 April 1861, Page 10

COST OF GOVERNMENT IN GREAT BRITAIN AND AMERICA.

What the Morning Star does for the paper duty and the financial aggression of the Lords ought to be done by every clear-sighted Liberal newspaper for a comparison between English and American taxation. Such figures as those contained in Mr. Duncan M'Laren's Glasgow pamphlet on Indirect Taxation ought to be printed in huge letters in every patriotic journal, and chalked on every wall and pavement throughout the kingdom. They are beyond the reach of controversy and refutation — having been collected fromihe most reliable sources, with the greatest care ; and the lesson they teach us is one that ought to be burnt into our hearts. UNITED KINGDOM POPULATION; 30,000,000. (1860-61.) General Government Expenditure... .£76,000,000 Local Expenditure for County, Town, and Parochial purposes 18,000,000 £94,000,000 i UNITED STATES POPULATION, 31,000,000. (1860-61.) 1 General Government Expenditure... £13,000,000 Local Expenditure, &c , &c 9,884,000 I £22,884,000 Our whole population of thirty millions — with the exception of a few place-holders, pension* i crs, and State jobbers — are interested in inquiring what there is in English Government; English pi-ogresa, or English prospects, to justify this astounding difference of expenditure. Seventy-six millions against thirteen — t eighteen millions against barely ten — a grand j total of ninety-four millions against twentyj three millions, ought to give a wonderful I superior administrative article to the English tax-pa)er. That it docs nothing of the kind is shown in the rapid growth of capital aud population in the United States, which has no parallel — not even in fabulous China. Every working man should brood over these figures, and their wide disproportion, for they concern him more closely than he possibly . imagines. A day will come^ — perhaps before long — when, stung by hunger on one side, and by profligate tax-makers oil the other, he will regret his long sleep of political apathy. There will be others, too, now self-glorifying and triumphant, who will have far more cause to regret italso. — Financial lleforiner. Was Expend itd re. — The following is a statement of the sums expended on war and warlike establishments by England alone during sixty years, th-.it is, from 1800 to 1860 :—: —

The Dishop of Ripon on Chueoii Music: — At the Annual Soiree of the Wakefield Church Institution, the Bishop of Ripon, who presided, said he rejoiced that there was such an Institution in Wakefield. Adverting to its leading objects he dwelt more particularly on one of them — the cultivation of church music. What did he mean by church music ? -He would tell them what he did not mean. He did not mean such elaborate and.artistic music as could only be practised by comparatively very few out of the congregation — music of such a kind that the exercise of it was monopolised by a very privileged few, the greater part of the congregation being turned into passive listeners or admirers of the exquisite skill of those who performed (cheers). He was not against music. There \va3 a time and place for everything, and the House of God was not the place for fine solo- performances (cheers). Church music, in its finest, noblest aspect, was such music as all could unite in, so that it became the vehicle for the praises of the whole congregation to ascend as grateful incense to heaven. Wherever they had an opposite system to this introduced — such a system as he had unhappily witnessed, he would not say where — such a system as was in force at places where solo performers stood out from, the rest of the choir and sung, very beautifully he admitted, but very much out of -their place, whilst the congregation was listening in rapt attention — he said that there the church was converted into a concerr room, and he regarded it as little better than a profanation of the' House of God (loud applause). The Bishop then related an anecdote with regard to the musical services of a church at which he was some time ago called to preach. There was a fine and very elaborate service, which lasted so long that when he ascended the pulpit he could not help observing a degree of langour pervading the congregation, in which, indeed, lie could not help participating, and he felt that the morning had been spent in listening to fine music instead of to God's holy word. At the close the clergyman asked him how he liked the service. He replied that he did not like it at all, and being asked the reason why, he replied that the choir was not large enough. The clergyman expressed his surprise, stating, that in addition to their own choir they had at least two-thirds of the best singers belonging to the choir of a neighbouring church. He replied that the next time he preached they must have the whole congregation for the choir, and then he should be satisfied (loud cheers). — Church of England Record. Waste Not, Want Not. — A gentleman? who had put aside two bottles of capital ale to. recreate some friends, discovered^ j,ust before dinner, that hig servant ban* emptied them? both. " Scoundrel ! " said his master, " what do you mean by this ? " " Why, sir, I saw plain enough by the clouds that it were going to thunder, so I drank up the ale at once, lest it should turn sour, for you've often said there's nothing you abominate like waste." A Question. — At best, life is not very long. A few more smiles, a few more tears, some pleasure, much pain, sunshine and songs, clouds and darkness,- hasty greetings,. abrupt farewells — then our little play will .close, and injurer and injured will pass away. Is it worth while to hate each other ? " Husband, I wish you would buy me some pretty feathers !"— M Indeed, my. "dear littlewife, you look better without them.'? — " Oh, no," said she, coaxingly, "you alwayf call me your little bird, and how does a bird look without feathers?" Hoilowat's -Pitts.— The constant changes of temperature are causing derangements in the chest, stomach, and liver. For rectifying, Hie slimiest or most 801-ious disorders of these organs, nothing has been found so constantly successful as Holloway's tills, which may be taken by any s one without 'fear of injury. These Pills esoercise bo ealutarj, an influence over the organs of digestion, that almost any ordinary food may be eaten with impunity i and they strengthen the weakest stomach against acidity," fl'ituleucy, and heartburn?: They speedily relieve both nausea 'and biliousness.- They remoteall obstructions in .the system- and healthfully restove its .proper, function tq^every, organ., They, strengthen" the, nervous System I ; [( andTefa:ew\ridnifidence 'and energy' in shattered and feeble «»!• stitutiona. • '

v irst ten years, Second do. rhird do. Fourth . do. Fifth do. Sixth do. 1801 to 1810 1811 to 1820 1821 to 1830 1831 to 1840 1841 to 1850 1851 to 1860 ' £381,*56,800 > 400,640,786 i 151,854,855 > 131,534,285 > 165,766,048 I 274,221,59 a £1,505,194,397