'2 i'2 I ' i nir/i i-i . 



Mr. Leslie lust the seat. If an elected member refused to serve he was 

 liable to a Him- of $200, but no member of the Court of Policy was 

 bound to serve or any one who could "assign a satisfactory reason for 

 declining to serve.'" The merits of such reason had to be determined on 

 by the Governor and Court of Policy. As now, no member could be 

 elected except by his own consent during the two years next after his 

 going out of office. As now. the two senior members retired 

 .-very .Tub 



In those days the Board, as already stated, had not the power ti> 

 pass a tax resolution and proceed to the collection of the taxes. A regu 

 lar Ordinance had to be parsed by tin- Court of Policy, with such a 

 preamble as the following: -Whereas the Board of Superintendence of 

 the Town of New Amsterdam, in the County of P>erbiee. have laid 

 before this Court a Statement of their funds and of the sum by them 

 required to he raised by taxation for the service of the present year. Be 

 it therefore vVc" Up to the establishment of the Town Council in 1891 

 only private property was subject to taxation. The property of the Crown 

 ami Colony was exempt, presumably because the Government gave a grant- 

 in-aid to the Board, as conscience money. I suppose, for the commandeer- 

 ing by them of the proceeds of certain licences which were collected and 

 appropriated by the Board of Police. The arrangement is now changed, 

 the Government having decided, for the past ten years, to be regarded 

 as ordinary ratepayers. They contribute also a moiety of the cost of 

 the maintenance of the roads and bridges in the town. Although that 

 part of Xew Amsterdam known as the Winkle lies within the municipal 

 confines, the property therein has never been assessed for taxation, and. 

 indeed no municipal cognisance is taken of it. The Winklers fondly hug 

 the belief that they are a chosen people, sacrosanct from taxation, but 

 such is not the case. And though whenever the Council takes courage 

 in both hands and impose taxation in that quarter, there will be a howl- 

 ing and gnashing of teeth, the law will be found to be on the side of the 

 tax-gatherer. Manses and parsonage houses have all along enjoyed 

 immunity from taxation also, an immunity to which they are not entitled, 

 and of which at last they are being deprived this year, at the instance and 

 instigation of the present Town Clerk wdio, regardless of tradition and 

 presc iption, has assaulted the citadel of the non-taxpaying Zion. I trust 

 the grand array of the members of the Board and Council, in abstaining 

 from doing their duty by exacting the impost in respect of the manses, 

 were not imbued with the idea that they were laying up treasures in 

 that quarter where, we are told, neither moth nor rust doth corrupt 

 and where thieves do not break in and steal. 



A goodly percentage of the taxes due is collected within the year 

 nowadays. It is hardly to be expected that, in a town of splendid 

 antecedents anil aspirations untamed in spite of evolutionary changes 

 making not for economic betterment, the payment of taxes will be as 

 prompt as it is in many villages where individual wants cannot increase 

 as rapidly as in a town proud of its age. still prouder of its prestige, 

 unwilling to utter the Fin l»nt having the Resurgam ever on its lips. 



