OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
295
WEDNESDAY, 18th April.
The house met at 3 o'clock.
Mr. COFFIN reported from the committee on
Land Damages.
Hon. PROV. SEC. laid on the table the Report of the President and Directors of the Horticultural
Society.
Hon. Mr. MCFARLANE introduced a bill to
enable School District No. 34, Cumberland to
sell an old house and lot.
The House then went into committee and
passed the following bills:
To legalize Assessment Rolls in the county
of Kings.
To legalize Assessment Rolls in the county
of Digby.
To amend the Act incorporating the Governors of King's College, Windsor.
Bill relative to Assessment in the county of
Yarmouth.
To authorize the sale of a school house at
Lower Stewiacke.
An act for the better security of the Crown
in Nova Scotla against seditious and treasonable practices and acts.
On the bill to amend chap. 45 of County
Assessment some desultory discussion ensued.
Mr. ARCHIBALD explained that at present
assessment is based upon real and personal
property. A man who possesses a large
amount of income, and little or no real estate,
is not taxed in proportion to his wealth. The
object of the bill is to make his income liable,
and thereby relieve the poorer classes to a
large extent.
Mr. STEWART CAMPBELL said that this was
an attempt to impose upon the Province at
large an income tax, at best a most inquisitorial tax. He moved that the bill be deferred.
Mr. ALLISON thought that the bill was very
much required; a farmer was now heavily
taxed, whilst his neighbour, a much richer one
who lent money, had little or no taxes to pay
comparatively.
Mr. BLANCHARD said that the present bill
only meant to establish the principle in existence in the city.
Mr. COFFIN and Mr. TOWNSEND hoped that
the bill would not pass, as it might operate injuriously.
Mr. PARKER supported the bill, as it would
favour the poor.
Mr. BILL said that there was no question as
to the correctness of the principle of the bill,
but how would it work in the country where
the credit system so largely prevails?
Mr. COWIE said that the difficulty was to
ascertain the actual income a man might have.
He could understand how the bill might work
in reference to a man who lends money out at
interest.
Mr. BLANCHARD said that the bill was not
of an inquisitorial character; if a man was not
taxed fairly he had his remedy by making an
affidavit of the fact.
Mr DONKIN believed that any gentleman
who reflected on the subject would see the
propriety of the hill before the House.
Hon. ATTY. GENL. was in favour of the principle of the hill; but suggested whether a more
simple machinery could not be found than
what was in the hill. He believed that a fair
system of taxation, something like what was
proposed in the bill, would relieve the industrial classes largely from taxation.
He was
afraid the present measure went too far.
Hon. PRO. SEC. was of opinion that the bill
was a good one; the effect would be to relieve
the poorer classes.
Mr. ROSS pointed out defects in the existing
assessment law; there should be a general
assessor appointed in every county by the
sessions.
Mr. KILLAM doubted the advisability of the
measure.
Mr. ARCHIBALD introduced a bill to authorize the sale of certain school lands.
The House adjourned.