The Taranaki Herald PUBLISHED DAILY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 9301, 29 January 1892, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald PUBLISHED DAILY.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 1892^ Tiiehe is every indication of large amounts of capital being removed from the "colony if any alteration is maJo in the mode of taxation next session. Everywhere wo hoar of tho refusal on tho part of lendora to renew mortgages, and whore money can bo called in notices have been itjsaed to that effect. This ißanextracxpenso to borrowers, not to say a wor 1 about the voxatious inconvonienco it entails. Those who liavo been investing for outsiders have orders to collect the money in so that it may bo returned to the owners if the new system of taxation is adopted. Mr Roberts, who woa President of the Dunedin Exhibition, has just returned from a trip to England, and ho says tho alteration of taxation in' this colony had given those with whom ho came in contact at Home an opportunity of expressing their opinions that changes in taxation of tho nature proposed are not desirable . The spirit of unrost which such alterations aro likely to generate, had with the bulk of tho popple, says Mr Roberts, a distinctly disquietinginfluonco, aud soveral of those for whom ho ha 1 acted for years requested him to have thoir securities realised and tho money sent Homo. This ho was doing; and Mt Roberts considers that this curtailment of tho amount of money available for investment must tend to the raising of tho rate of interest. Mr Roberts states that before he - left London, " one and all expressed themselves as firmly convinced that constant changes of direct taxation wore unwiso." They asked " why not continue your property tax and vary that from time to timo, either increasing or decreasing it, os tho necessity of tho country demanded." Tho repeal of the | Property Tax aad the institution of a n&w

system of taxation is regarded at Home j with great disfavour as-showing a desire on the part of the Colonial Legislature to somewhat alter the incidence of direct taxation". It accordingly tends to make investors doubtful as to the value of their securities — for they argue thus, "if the Legislators will act as they propose doing, they may go further and confiscate our property." Previous to these proposals being iua<?e by the Government, the colony was ehowing the dawn of great prosperity, but since the provisions of the new Act -ha^e been examined, enterprise has been depressed, and business operations have beeu very much retarded thereby, owing to the uncertainty of persons, as to how this change in the incident of taxation will affect them ; and this depression will exist, we fear, whilst the present Government are in power.

A number of Auckland athletes, who are on their way to the Championship Meeting at Christchorch, wore in town this (Friday) morning. About 40 local and district oxcursioniste loft by tho Mahinapua - this (Friday) -morning for Nelaon, in orJer to participate in the Jubilee celebrations there. Tho Bowling Club will be represented by three rinks at the Napier tournament, which will be held at Eaßter« Aa tho result of Mr Courtney's lecture at Greenock we have to welcome to New Plymouth Mr and Mrs Riddell and family, who have rre lealu come to settle here, Mr Walker the representative of the[firm of Messrs Jacobs^ son, fruiters, of Covent Garden Market London, who is on a visit to this colony for the purpose of opening an export trade in apples with New Zealand, was in Now Plymouth this (Friday) morning, and "■ left by tho Takapuna for Auckland. On the bowling green on Wednesday afternoon, Knyvett beat McKellar by 21 to 7 in tho single handed competition for beginners. Those membors who are engaged in the Bingle-handed competitions are reminded that all such matches must be played off on or before February 6th. Tho party of gentlemen who rode out to tho Mountain Hut on Thursday for the purpose of formally opening the building, mado tho ascent or tho mountain to-day (Friday). They return this evening. The Hut was formally opened by the Commissioner of Crown Lands (Mr Weotman) on Thursday. Mr F. L. Webster's name was omitted in yesterday's issue as being one of tho party. - ■ » Tho return mitch between tho second eleven of the New Plymouth Club and the' Star Club was played on Thursday, and resulted in a win for the latter by soven runs on tho two innings. The Stars made 44 and 21, Mitchinson contributing 15 in the first ; and tho New Plymouth put together 42 and 16, Okoy making 15 in the first inningß. Great interest waß manifested in the match. Mr Pattle, who has returned from a a short holiday spent in Taranaki, sa. s the Marlon Mercury, astounded the Martonians by showing them a sample of what can bo done in the way of fruit growing in the "Garden of New Zealand." Mr Pattle brought back from lu3 father in law'B orchard near Inglowood, a bough from a damson plum tree, to which tho expression " laden with fruit" would bo absolutely commonplace We have never scon fruit in such abundance, tho bough being simply covered, and tho leaves hardly to be seen for the beautiful fruit. We venture tosay that New Zealand could be searched in vain to find a tree similarly prolific. During his late visit to Wanganui the Premier was approached by the Mayor, with tho object of obtaining tho loan of a large dredge for the purpose of dredging the flats in the river between the town and the Heads. The Mayor, says a local paper, was so fortunate in his representations as to get from the Premier a promise that as soon as the Oamaru dredge had finished at New Plymouth it should bo placed at tho disposal of tho Wanganui Harbour Board. Now that Mr Ballance has promised the dredge to. Wanganui there may bo some chance of our seeing it. , "Proteus" in the Kaikoura Star, alludng to the dislike of somo representatives to return to their ordinary callings, relates the following circumstance :— Calling in at tho Athburton Jltail office I found tho Member for Waimate, attired in a manner as became his temporary occupation; engaged in folding that afternoon's issue of his paper. Srirely tlien if tho Spoaker of' the House of Representatives does not consider it derogatory to his dignity to discard "the " ermine," setting * aside the robes of his exalted office, and engage in work which is generally performed by some one or more of the juvenile "imps'! attached to the staff of a printing office, then it is certainly not undignified to hark back to tho jaclc-plane, the shoomakors's awl, or the tailor's goose — as tho case may bo. Major Steward by his action proved to mo that he is truly a representative of Labour, as all are who act in a similar manner. Not so those who, when .they enter the Legislative fold, consider themselves elevated to a higher sphere — above the common herd — and at onco become inflated with a ' false idea as to .thoir position^ In their pride they renounce thoir legitimate means of gaining thoir livelihood, and trade upon the credulity and kind hearteincss of their unsophisticated associates and follow workmen.