The Sun.
London, England, 1834-07-12 00:00:00

THE EMIGRANT TAX.

The 10s. and ss. levied on emigrants arrived at Quebec
last year, are not at present levied ; the bill passed by both
branches of the Colonial Legislature having been reserved
for the Royal assent. The practice of ship-masters in the
preceding years was to add this tax to the fare of the pas-
sage ; and, as they could not know of the change this sea-
son before sailing, they have done so as usual. There can
be no doubt that the tax is ultimately paid by the emigrant
in most part, in one shape or the other, whether by a spe-
cial arrangement or not, the fare being so much less or more
than it would otherwise be. It must be the emigrant that
pays the tax, or at least the greater portion of it,
though the ship-owner, in ',consequence of competition
among the vessels to this port, and those sailing for the
United States may be forced to make a service of a portion
of the tax out of his charge. Generally speaking, however,
at least two-thirds of the tax would have been saved to the
emigrant, had it been known that it was not levied when he
saile. Where a special arrangement was made for the
payment of the tax over and above the passage fare, now
that it is not paid, it is at once the property of the emi-
grant, and the shipowner, his agent, or the captain, ought to
be compelled to refund it. Whore no special arrangement
has been made, the case may be somewhat different ; but
still it is clear that the emigrant would have paid less for his
passage by nearly the amount of the tax. Under these circum-
stances, we understand that serious difficulties have arisen be-
tween the emigrants and some of the ship captains and con-
signees. Mr. Buchanan, the chief resident emigrant agent,
has actively promoted the claims of the emigrants, and on
Friday and Saturday, more than 700 of them from Corn
and Belfast, got the tax repaid at his office. To-day many
others have got back the money they advanced the ship-
eaptains. No means ought to be spared to have a fair set-
tlement of all similar claims at present due. All are inte-
rested in getting justice done to both parties, and where
there is any trick to avoid a settlement, or an unnecessary
delay, by which the emigrant who is proceeding upwards
may be induced to sacrifice his claim, security ought to be
taken. We are afraid, however, that a considerable por-
tion of the tax will be lost to the emigrants, if some sum-
mary proceeding is not established for the settlement of
claims.—Quebec Paper.

MOTHER TO THE GIPSIES.--Died last week, in
Loughton-lane, near Gainsbro', Merriley Buckley, in her one
hundred and second year, well known throughout most of the
midland counties as the mother of a tribe of gipsies who
have for years perambulated that district. Perhaps few
persons have had an opportunity of witnessing greater
changes in the appearance of the country than this old
woman. In the early part of her life the inclosing of
waste lands had little more than commenced, the cross-
roads were in a most lamentable state, barely passable in
the summer months, and consequently there was but little
communication even between neighbouring towns, and
the villages remained pretty nearly in the same state in which
they had been perhaps for 200 years previously. But in the
latter-years of her life she witnessed a wonderful change :
every spot of land, where a blade would grow, was brought
into use and cultivation—smiling villages have grown where
formerly there was little else than desert—the roads have been
so much improved that at all seasons communication is easy
and frequent, and villages have almost become towns, and
towns cities. Indeed it is probable, that in no country in the
world has there been a greater change than in England, during
the last 100 years. Her funeral, which took place in
Gainsbro' church-yard on Sunday last, attracted an immense
concourse of people, and was conducted with much propriety.
—Doncaster Gazette.

CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA.--Although it is now
300 years since the Catholic missionaries of the different orders
entered China, with the view of making proselytes to the
tenets of their respective creeds, there probably is not, at this
time, throughout the whole of that extensive empire, a single
native Chinese, with the exception of some ten or a dozen
educated at the Propaganda at Naples, that has the least
knowledge of the Christian religion, or of the language, the
civil institutions, or the moral condition of any one nation of
•Europe ; so little have their labours succeeded.
GIFT TO THE NEGROES.—The committee of the
British and Foreign Bible Society have resolved, " That a
copy of the New Testament, accompanied by the Book of
Psalms, in a large type, and substantially bound, be tendered
to every person receiving the gift of freedom on the approach-
ing Ist of August, who can read; or who, though not able
to read, is the head of a family in which there are readers, or
children learning to read ; such parties receiving a recom-
mendation from a minister, teacher, or employer."

THREE INCENDIARY FIRES.—About ball-past
eleven o'clock on Tuesday night last, the parish of Speen was
thrown into great alarm by the discovery of three large fires,
evidently the work of incendiaries, and all the property of
R. Townsend, Esq., of Speen Farm. The first observed was
an oat rick, containing about 30 quarters, situate in a large
field at Stockcross ; and within five minutes afterwards a
second fire was seen to burst forth, being about a quarter of a
mile distant from the first, also situate at Stockcross, contain-
ing a clover rick of about 16 tons, and a seed rick ; and a few
minutes after the second a third fire burst forth, situate at
Dane Wood, half a mile further northward, containing a bar-
ley rick of about 25 quarters, and two seed ricks. The ap-
pearance of the north-western part of the element at this time
was awfully grand, and had it not been for the active exertions
of a few labourers present at the last fire, a large wood of
several acres must have been destroyed, as the hedge and part
of the plantation were on fire, which was prevented from
spreading by cutting off the communication. The property
was insured to the full amount.—Reading Mercury

PRICES OF STOCKS WI
Bank s.?xk
3 Titer Cent. Peel. QI -
:3 per Cent. Con
p,•r Ccnt

_

. ~",

Dit;',l 1:(13.
die: 3 Y Peer (:( fit.
As,entod
4 per rent. foisented
101 U
Bank Long Annuities to expire
Jan. 3, 1860 l7!,‘ 5 16
Oct. 10, 1859
Jan. 5, 1860
Jan. 5, 1880
April 5, 1880
Jan. 5, 1870

PRICE* OF FOREIGN FUNDS
Austrian Bonds 10:34 2i4
Be-gian Bonds - 0314
Ditto Account OS
Brazilian Bonds WV,
Ditto Account
Buenos Ayres Bonds 33.4 3
Ditto Account 33
Milian Bonds ft274
Ditto Account 3214
Columbian Bonds 29 ~c

Ditto Account
Columbian Bonds, 15:24 31 14
Ditto Account 3114
Danish Bonds

Ditto Account
Greek Bonds
Ditto Bonds, 1823 33,4
Ditto Account
--
Mexican Bonds, 5 per cent 3.1%
Ditto Account 34,4
Ditto, 6 per cent 434 ,4?
Ditto Account 434 4
Neapolitan 94%

PRICES OF IRISH STOi
3 per Cent. Consols ... 921

.
D:tto Reduced
334 per Cent. Stock 99%
Ditto New, 1830 99
34 per Cent. Debentures 1)1%
Bank Stock 2194
Royal Canal Stock
Grand Canal Stock --