South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Thursday 20 March 1851, page 3


MEETING OP TEE ANTllDRAY AND LAND jy TAX LEAGUE.

There was a large meeting of delegates from the radons hundreds, at the White Horse, Currie-street, yesterday. In the absence of the Chairman, Mr. A. Anderson, of Momhett Vale.

Mr. Norman, of Willunga, was called on to preside. He said that meeting was called to consider one of the most important questions that had as yet engaged their attention. The question was as to the probability of their being disfranchised if they would continue to refuse the payment of the Land Assessment. The Secretary argued -mth him that it was a subject deserving of the consideration of a general meeting, and for that purpose it was convened.' It waB known to all present that the 1st of April was rapidly approaching, and after that day the registration ceased. His opinion was well known that no Act of the British Parliament could have a retrospective operation, and no man could by the Imperial Act, conferring representativeinstitutions, be disqualified for the non-payment of rate* levied and refused before that Act was in existence. (Hear» hear.) He (Mr. Norman) intended to pay no assessment, but simply register himself, and take his chance of being accepted at the poll or his qualification affirmed by the Court of Revision, should it be questioned. (Hear, near.) He was of opinion that they were all qualified to vote ; but although ho would never pay the tax himself, he would not seek to induce others to follow his example ; for he would regret indeed, if disqualification followed the non-payment of the rate, that some eight or nine persons should have the power to return members to Council for a district, as they now had in Willnnga to select Road Commissioners. (Hear, hear.) He would only repeat his own conviction that there was no necessity for their paying the rate in order to be qualified as voters at the next election; but it was the question for that meeting to determine whether it might not be desirable to pay the taxes in order to secure the franchise. ? .1 ? Mr. Wilson thought there was a matter of more immediate importance demanding their attention. Upwards of 20_ summonses had been issued by the popularly-chosen Willunga Commissioners (a laugh), who seemed determined to enforce if possible the payment of the rate. Under these circumstances, he submitted the first duty of that League was to assist those who refused to pay the tax, and have, the question settled in the Law Courts. (Cheers.) In his hundred the levy was resisted, and, after the payments were suspended, the people subscribed cheerfully towards tbo repair of the roads. He had himself given much more than the assessment would have extorted from himj; yet still, after all, he supposed he was to be disfranchised. (Hear, hear.) He thought the League was bound to carry out its original object, and give instructions in the proper quarter to have the summonses defended. (Cheers.) The Chairman said the meeting wad called for a certain purpose'; that being disposed of, it was competent to any delegate to submit a resolution on any subject connected with the objects of the League. (Cheers.) Mr. Wilson was content. He would not submit tea wrong in order to gain a privilege. (Hear, hear.) The franchise was the prescriptive right of every man, and he thought their disfranchisement would result in a great public benefit ; for it would make them more earnest in procuring that extension of the suffrage which would secure to every man a vote. (Cheers.) They would, while smarting under injustice, the more cheerfully assist the movement that must achieve the political rights of every individual in the .colonv. If they, hejng unrepresented, had a right to oppose the old Council', they; being disfranchised, had a right, in common with all who were unrepresented, to denounce the new Council as unconstitutional, to deny its right to impose taxes, and resist legally its enactments. (Cheers.)' It would he the grossest injustice to disfranchise the mass of the people, and then pretend that a Council elected by a miserable minority was a Representative Government. (Cheers.) It would not be chosen by the people, but by a section of the people. (Continued applause.) In all questions of property it would perhaps be right to give property its due influence; but in the matter of civil rights every man was interested, and every man should have a vote! (Cheers.) . Suppose the State were in jeopardy, would they hesitate to accept a strong arm if fits owner was not a duly qualified elector? (Hear, hear.) In his opinion the course for every man was to register, and claim his right to -vote. , If it was proper to oppose an unjust rate in the first instance, would it now bo correct to submit to it for the purpose of securing a paltry right ? He called it paltry, because it was confined to a small section of the people. (Cheers.) Those who thought the original opposition of the League was wrong might recant and pay the taxes, but he (Mr. Wilson) would not do so even to qualify himself aa, an elector. He bogged to move— ' That H would be inconsistent for any member of the League- to par the old land-tax In order to secure a vote at the ensuing elections, and that they Individually pledged the'raselveirnot to pay it at1 the risk of being disfranchised.' Mr. Manful!, in seconding the resolution, hoped every member of the League would stand true to his colours. (Hear, hear.) They had every encouragement to do bo ; they' had' fought and conquered. The Government had abandoned the dray-tax, and injustice the land-tax should also have been abolished. (Cheers.) They had successfully contended for some time for the principle ' No taxation without representation,' and he would now sooner suffer death than pay the. tax to secure a vote at the ensuing election. Some days ago he went to the office of the Adelaide District Board to register his claim. After paying his shilling, the clerk demanded another penny for inserting his name on a piece of paper, and then gratuitously and impertinently informed him that he (the clerk) protested against his claim, as he had not paid tho assessment. (Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Manfnll) told the clerk that his only business was to register his claim, and Mr. Hall (who was present) said the clerk had absolutely refused to register his claim until he paid the the tax, which he did (amounting to £10) the previous day. (Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Manfull) would sooner see the bed sold from under him than pay the tax, and certainty would not do it for the sake of the vote ; but that was all right, as would be proved' by another speaker before the close of the meeting, notwithstanding tho opinions of the law officers.

Air. uraig cpuJrt state tnat tne iarmers wun wnom ne naa communicated were all unanimously of the opinion expressed in the resolution. Like^Mr... Manfull, they would sooner have their household gods invaded than submit willingly to pay the tax; (Hear, . hear.) In applying to them' to know their, opinions he had purposely kept his own in the background, but everywhere the fanners expressed a hope that the League would not strike its colours. (Cheers.) He (Mr. Craig) thought they were right in opposing the tax at first, and he was still of the same opinion. He thought their four petitions should have been attended to. The clause praying that they should not be disfranchised for the non- payment of the land-tax was passed by without notice until JIajor O'Halloran, with his usual hypocrisy, wrote to the Government. Mr. Wilson rose to order. He objected to such unmeasured abuse -of a respectable individual who was not present. The Chairman admitted it was not relevant. Mr. Craig— They could have settled the 'mntter easily, but they had as much reason as ever to oppose the land-tax, and were as well pupported by the people. The Chairman said the question before the meeting was a most important one, and should be calmly discussed. He hoped to have the opinion of other gentlemen upon it. Mr. V/ells had held throughout the doctrine thnt fhera should be no taxation without representation. (Cheers.) He would adhere to the resolution if it was passed. It was a radical question— a question of wright and wrong— {hear, hear) — and as a straightforward man he felt bonna to give his opinion, that they should adopt the resolution, and take their chance of being disfranchised or not. Mr. Darby wished to hear the grounds upon which the opinion was held that the non-payment of rates did not disqualify electors. A desultory conversation ensued, which was ended by Mr. James Allen, who entered into a long and lucid, ex- , planation of the local Act, showing that, although the 4th section of the Imperial Act required the payment of tatss, &c., before the -Uy of election, yet the IocaI Ordinance -provided no machinery for carrying out that requirement, and that the payment of rates was not necessary previous to re'-ristration,' and after that the term of the Ordinance precluded enquiry into the matter. When Mr. Allen concluded, a motion was agreed the effect that the necessary steps should be taken to defend the summonses issned'by the Willunga Commissioners, and the -meeting broke up. . ^ -'. IIri», Tin*, Hurrah ! — Originally a war bryj adopted by the stormers of a, German town, wherein a great manv Jews had taken their refuge. The plaC3 being sacked, they were all put to the sword, tinder the shouts of— Hie.ro sob;mu est}terdiia ! From the flirt letter of those words i'H. e.p.) an exclamation was contrived. We little think, when the red wine sparkles in the cup, find soulstirring toasts are applaudd by our ' Hip, hip, hurrah ! ' that we record the fall of Jerusalem, and the cruelty of Christians against the chosen people of God. — Notes and Queries. . . .: A great improvement in the manufacture of watches has just been made at Geneva, by which -watch-kevs aw rendered unnecessary. Uy simply turning a screw in 4he handle the watch is wound up, and another movement regulates the hands. . . [',-.?: