Letters to the editor—Stamp duty

Sir,

I beg through the medium of your valuable paper to call the attention of the honourable the Colonial Treasurer to the unsatisfactory working of the Stamp Act of 1866, as far as regards the duties payable on policies of insurance.

The Act in its operations is found inapplicable to Sydney companies doing business in Queensland, who contend that whereas their policies are signed and issued from Sydney the duties do not apply.

The policies of these offices not being stamped there is a great loss to the public revenue (a thing much to be deplored at the present time); besides, great injustice is done the other companies who stamp their policies.

An amended Act is certainly necessary in this colony, and by it the liability of all insurers to get their policies legally stamped should be clearly and unmistakably set forth.  The Act should also be made explicit as to the amount of duty. Reinsurances, however, between the offices should be made legal without the necessity of a second payment of the percentage duty. I think the tariff of duties on such instruments should be also be revised—1s. for every policy up to ₤200; above that amount, but not exceeding ₤1000, 2s. 6d.; and for every additional ₤1000, 2s. 6d., seems to me to be quite sufficient. One shilling per cent on the amount insured is a heavy tax on the insuring public.

Another matter requires attention, that is receipt stamps for receipts for premiums.  One company has evaded this duty by adopting a peculiar wording of the receipt.

Apologising for trespassing so far on your valuable space.

Yours, &c.,

JUSTICE.

Sir,

I suggest that in the Stamp Duties Bill, now before Parliament, the stamp duty on articles of clerkship be made ₤100. The duty in England is ₤80, and there as a rule solicitors’ articled clerks receive no salary. In Queensland they generally receive salaries, and this is an argument in favour of their articles being liable to higher duty than in England. Why not at the same time raise the duty on articles of apprenticeship from ₤1 1s. to ₤5 5s.?

As regards articled clerks, if a higher duty is payable by them on their articles it will be no disadvantage to the public should the present absurd overcrowding of the ranks of the solicitors be thereby a little discouraged. Already it is well known many of the younger solicitors both in Brisbane and the country towns can with difficulty make their 'tucker', and the excessive competition does not benefit the public, because the fees of solicitors are fixed by scale and regulated by the Judges and the taxing officer.

I am, sir, &c.,

Brisbane, 5th October                                                         SPONDEE

'I have received a letter from the Commissioner for Stamps intimating that I have been fined a penny for failing to affix the correct duty stamp to a receipt,'  the secretary of the Bundaberg Chamber of Commerce (Mr. G. H. D. Plant) told members of that body last night. 'They had to send the letter notifying me of the fine, and now I will have to get a receipt.'  Efficiency at any cost is apparently the dictum of the Commissioner, even though the collecting has involved an expenditure of over double the amount of the fine.