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TO THE EDITOR. OP THE AGS.
Sir, — In this morning's issue you report
that a deputation, headed by Mr. Woolcott
and Dr. M'Arthur, waited on the Minister
and placed their views before him in advo
cacy of a gun tax. These gentlemen, and
the associations they represent, have about
us much in common with the great body
of ruii lovers as have the residents of the
Arctic Circle. They probably go out ou
tbe various openiug days, and if a super
abundance of game is not available the
eonnnou or garden shooter is blamed for
ti c scarcity, and a gun tax is considered
necessary. Mr. Woolcott suggests a
licence fee of 5/, or, failing that, a super
charge of 1/ per 100 on cartridges. To this
sportsman 5/ is probably a very Bmall sum,
but to the vast number of country lads
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by keeping -the rabbit pest in check it is
a very appreciable sum. Dr. M'Arthur
considers that a tax would be in the in
terests of stock and property owners. Who
constituted him their guardian ? Has he
liny property in the country adjoining
dingo or rabbit infested Crown lands ? The
secretary of the G.C.A.. like mj'Belf, 'con
demns the shooting of game for the mar
ket. hut gooB on to Bay that a tax would
be in the interests of game shooting and
"sportsmen" generally. This raises the
question, "Who are sportsmen ?" A few
vears back, before the bag limit was im
posed, a member of this association, the
crack shot of his day, visited Waranga
Basin on opening day. and bagged 502 wild
dock. Was be a "sportsman "? The term
"bird murderer" would be more applicable.
Yet it is in the interests of such that a
gun. tax is advocated. Again, I say, "Wake
up. country shooters, instruct your mem
bers of Parliament to vote against this
tax. 1 Otherwise a money-hungrv Govern-
ment will clap it on."— Yours, &c„
NO LICENCE.
$