COLONIAL.

Colonist, Issue 78, 6 July 1858, Page 4

COLONIAL.

TASMANIA,

We have papers from Hobart Town to the 9th and Launceston to the 10th June.

The Governor has returned to Hobart Town.

, Parliament stands prorogued to 20th, but will probably not meet for dispatch of business for some weeks after.

The subject ofirnposingatax in some shape or another on the absentee proprietors of the colony has been again mooted, and finds considerable favor in some quarters. One of the Hobart Town papers estimates the amount annually withdrawn from the colony by absentee proprietors at £200,000. It is said a tax on property is not unlikely to be proposed. On the other hand it has been suggested that a special tax should be placed upon the income absentees derive from the island, but that colonists who merely remain a year or two in Europe should be exempted from the operation of the impost. If this were carried into effect (remarks the Launceston Examiner) it would practically amount to a tax on the capital sent here for investment, and it would soon be withdrawn to the injury of the country. It would be useless to expect loans from England for the execution of railway* and other public works—not a lender would look in this direction. The best way to make property bear Usfair proportion i* to rate it for roads, police, and other local purpose, directly, and to make provision that the owner, not the tenant, should be responsible for the tax. It is a large subject, requires careful handling; and we therefore trust there will be no precipitancy in imposing a special tax on a small class of men. We unite with those who condemn absentees that have made their fortune* in this island, and who fail to discharge the personal duties that devolve on every owner of property by living abroad; but the loss is chiefly the want of their individual aid and influence, and the trifling proportion of profit that tradesmen in the island would receive on the unproductive expenditure of themselves and their domestics. The immediate effect of a special tax would be to enhance the price of money to the borrower: the rate of interest would rise, and bank-notes be more in de^ mand than broad acres. ,s; At Hobart Town, on the' Bth June, a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held, to take into consideration the present postal arrangements respecting the transmission of the English mail* to Melbourne, with * view to remedy the inconveniences to which the mercantile community have been hitherto subjected. Mr. T. D. Chapman, M.H.A., occupied the chair, and on the motion of Mr. S. Most, seconded by Mr. L. Stevenson, a resolution was carried to the effect that an application should be made to the Government to enter into the necessary arrangements so. that a steamer should leave Lanceston for Melbourne on the 13th of every month. This would secure the arrival of the Tasmania mails in Hobson's Bay on the 14th,! the monthly steamer always leaving on the 15th. A controversy has arisen in consequence of the introduction of an organ into St. Andrews' Presbyterian Church, Bathurst-street, Hobart Town. Some of the seatholders have signed a protest containing fourteen reasons against the use of the organ. Since the new land regulations came into force, two sales have been held. ; It is stated that there was a good competition amongst working men for the majority of the agricultural lots offered, owing no doubt to the allowance of credit, which is given on all purchases in one lot pf £40 and upwards. The last sale was a very satisfactory one, the total amount realised being 413>945,

The gang of bushrangers whose depredations in the Both well district were lately alluded to, is still at large, but a strong party is out in." pursuit. These outrages have suggested the propriety of establishing a fund to co-operate with the executive in stimulating the capture of mauraders, whose presence under arms can keep a whole district in a state of alarm for weeks together. A Rifle club has been formed at Hobart Town, and awaits the sanction of the government. Messrs, L'Estage and Carrol, sub-con-tractors for the construction-of the submarine telegraph across Bass's' Straits, have proceeded to King's Island, to construct the the land line which is to travers that portion of the route. There is to be a station on the island, so that succour may be promptly sent to the shipwrecked in that dangerous locality. The idea of carrying* a land line through the Western District of Tasmania has been given up.