1 



AN ENQUIRY. 43 



£24,342,020; in 1898, £24,100,332; and in 1899, 

 £24,034,703 ; or an average annual decrease 

 between 189G and 1899 of £198,883 or 0*8 per 

 cent, per annum. In 1901, according to Parlia- 

 mentary Paper Xo. 300, issued in Juh', 1903, 

 the rateable value of agricultural land as defined 

 by the Act alluded to, bad still further declined 

 to £23,885,995... 



Rates axd Taxes, Here axd Abkoad. 



Agriculturists have never ceased to complain of 

 the injustice under which they suffer of having 

 so many burdens in the shape of rates and taxes 

 thrown upon them, some of which are certainly 

 more of a national rather than of a local character. 



It is interesting, therefore, to observe, that a 

 reference to other countries would appear to show 

 they arc justified in the position they take up. 



For instance, the total burdens on agriculture 

 in the various countries named below, is as 

 follows * : — 



AGmCULTURAL CAriTAL, IIeRE- AND AbROAD. 



According to ^lulhall, the agricultural capital 

 in Great Britain, which in 1840 was 1,908 millions 



. »w.-t^"- 



/. 



* Mulhall. 



