Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 - 1954), Wednesday 4 May 1927, page 5


"GO TO GAOL"

CR. SMITH'S SLOGAN.

FOR NEW WATER TAX.

The opposition to the water tax is

increasing every day. The man on the land, whatever his political opinions are has but one opinion about the water tax, and that is it is an added burden to the already heavy one he has to carry and one which, so some of them assert, they are prepared to go to gaol

rather than pay.

Such sentiments were expressed at the first meeting of the new Livingstone Shire yesterday, when the question of payment under the scheme was men-tioned by Cr. Svendsen. This coun- cillor asked if the tax affected the

Council as far as its well at Yeppoon was concerned. He hoped the Council would take no action in the matter.

The Chairman (Cr. T. Smith) re-plied that so far the Council had taken

no action.

Cr. Svendsen: Personally, I'm glad to see they took no action. I'll fill my well in and remove my machinery be-

fore I'll pay the tax.

The Chairman: I'm not going to re-

gister or take any action, and they can put me in gaol if they like. That seems to be the general opinion through-out, the country, and if they try to put us all in gaol it will have to be a pretty big one to hold us. I think all the set-tlers should hold out.

Cr. Clayton: I think you will find this tax has been misconstrued. I un- derstand that it has no bearing on

wells or dams that are not on water courses and will have no bearing on the Yeppoon well. I think when it is ex-plained the tax will have a different complexion.

The Chairman said that thc Act ap-plied to all wells. At thc graziers' meeting thc members had emphatically refused to pay the tax and they were not prepared to give any information in connection with the matter if it meant a further burden on the land-

owner.

Cr. Geddes suggested that the Coun-cil should write for information on the matter and see what wells were in-cluded. He thought to refuse to pay the Government after an Act had been passed by Parliament was carrying things too far. It would bc better to gel an extension.

Thc Chairman: The graziers have

asked for an extension and are being

supported by all the L.P.A.'s through-

out the district.

In regard to the licensing of wells.

the Act statcs:--

Within a period of six months after the date of thc passing of this Act every owner or occupier of land upon

which there exists an artesian or sub-artesian well, or any other work of water conservation, whether such well or work was constructed before the passing of this Act or partly before and partly after thc passing of this Act, or whether or not such well or work was constructed under a license gran-ted under the repealed Acts, shall notify the Commissioner, in writing, of the existence of such well or work and shall apply for a license (or a fresh license in any case where a license under the repealed Acts is subsisting) in the form prescribed in respect of such well

or work.

The provisions of the last preceding section shall apply to every such ap-plication and to every such license in the same manner as if the application were for and the license were granted

for a new well or work.