THE Thames Advertiser. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22, 1875.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VIII, Issue 2154, 22 September 1875, Page 2

THE Thames Advertiser. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22, 1875.

viucoa. But it tfill bo seen that tliey now turn round aud say that it is not desirable to continue this spocial form of? taxation i'

j \ ,Tlio result of Ml' O'Connor's amend* i monts, so, far as this district is con* 1 cerped, \vill be most advantageous | The gold Gelds rovonuo is now something liko £12,000 per annum, aud after deducting tho costs of thoso departments not taken ovor upon tho ' general revenue, there should bo, left ! say at tho least £8,000. Tho district i therefore wouldreceive £2 for £1 upon this sum, or a total of £16,000 from tho general rovenuo by way of endowment, This, added to tho £8,000 of gold Gelds revenue, would : give a total of £24,000 to tho district, '• in addition to tho publicans' license '• fees,.and' other' miscellaneous items. ; Aud this is outside of tho. borough, no i' change being made in the endowments ; of municipalities, , Tho clause as | amended was passed, but not without an attempt to reduce its bonefit; Sir . .Georgo Grey immediately roso and proposed'that tho' gold duty should bo abolished, and ho was backed up by Mr Macandrew,' who, .in .a . mischievous spirit, declared that tho' duty was not worth bothering about, -as it only amoun ted', to £ 12,000. Tho-, telegram makes Mr Macandrew say-that this is all that is derived from goldfields rovonue, ;It is ovident that gold duty alono is meant. 1 Of; coiirSo tho rovenuo van worth continuing so 1 long ad it went into tho provincial chests and was dovoted to paying the salaries of" responsible provincial; ministers," ■ butnow that it is to bo handed- over to. local boards to bo employed in making roads, it' is " not worth bothering about." This is Mr Macandrew'i argument, But wo must object, and wo do.so most earnestly, to tho repeal of. tho duty just at the time when it is to bo applied to its-legitimate use. Take tho Thames as an example of how much would be lost by Sir Georgo Groy's amendment.were it carried, Tho gold duty last year, if wo-remember aright, was something over £3,000;; If this were continued, under tho Abolition Bill, tho district would bo. entitled to receive £0,000 from tho general • revenue, making a total of £9,000. Can tho district afford to lose this grant altogether for tho sake of abolishing the gold ' duty, and carrying out a policy which will benefit.no one except .tho banks"? Mr Stafford, who lias always been a staunch friend to the goldfields, stated that ho would voto for tho amendment if he' thought it would' bo ; beneficial, but lie showed that it would riot bo bo, now. that the'roveuuo from tho'gold duty is to bd treated as a special rate. Wo tbiuk that some representation should bo .made to tho member for.tho district,.upon this'matter, by our local bodies. A committeq ,was appointed at a public meeting' here to watch tho progress of the Abolition Bill 'through the Assombly, and tlioy should jit least make their wishes known to the representative for the Thames upon", this proposal regarding tho gold dlity, _ So long as tho duty is treated as a special rate, and used.accordingly, no- reasonable person can object to its continuance,