The Gold Duty.

Otago Witness, Issue 1910, 29 June 1888, Page 17

The Gold Duty.

Editor Witness,-— Sir : The comments on mv letter re gold duty by Mr John W.wner have not in my opinlou altered tiha position of facts in the slightest degree. Mr .Werner meets my assertion that the miner pays no tax who gels no gold by saying that thb tanner who has no property pays no tax.' Quite so, T ndtnit that, but there is this serious difference— gold ' has a fixed value, and the miner who ha^ obtained say Vk"t of gold, can go and convert the "amount into cash at ouce at the bank, paying duty at the same time. With the farmer how -different ifc is. My land is valued by, the Crown afc £1 per acre, and I am accordingly compelled to pay every year rates and property tax on tuah value, a vame purely fictitious, as I proved six months ngo when. I offered the property for f ale and received not A bid fov it - X and my position Is onl y ono out of hundred* of othors. Mr Werner goes* on tt> say that the sheep tax mentioned by me is tjerhan& a fanciful picture. It will perhaps surprise Mr- . Werner to learn that the Sheep and Rabbit depart.ment of Kew fceaJand is kept up solely by thftsnpec. rate levied under seoUon 22 ,o£ -".The .Sheep Aefc 1878." i.!. 1 ?™. no P. 0 " 110 * 1 eeonomwt. but! do>%naintaini that the working farmer is the most .heavily taxed and worst legislated for member of' tbe community, seeing that the farming industry it. that.of.all otbera ■ on which the human race is dependent. ' Without beef, mutton, and bread Ufa would cease to exist. . On the other hand, gold i& in itself valueless, and the world would still ex.y>fc were the production of It to. cease entirely.— Tfowrs, &c, ■ x Wyndham, J wn e 26. Axtmitjhbuo.