Star.
London, England, 1830-04-19 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR.

Sla,—There is I believe, a Tax—but a very incon-
siderable Tax—levied upon all Pensions ; and upon all
Places held under Government. The Collectors of these
Taxes receive, I presume, a poundage upon them ; so
that the amount deducted from the Pensioner and the
Placeman never reaches the Exchequer. Would it not
be a much more effectual, and prudent measure, and a
much more simple mode of relieving the revenue, at once
to reduce the amount of the Pension, or the salary of the
Placeman ?

There is a fund collected at the War Office, and I be-
lieve at all the public offices, from certain fees:—at the
War Office, particularly, this fund is raised from the fees
paid on all commissions of military officers. How is it ap-
plied ? lam told that it is under the exclusive controul
of the Secretary at War; and that he distributes it as he
thinks proper amongst his clerks, in addition to their re-
spective salaries. Would it not be more proper to apply
this fund to the payment of the superannuation pensions
of the clerks who retire from office ?" Or, would it not be
a more beneficial arrangement in all public offices to pay
men for their services, as long as they are able to per-1
form these services efficiently, and not to give any re-
tired
allowances, unless they choose individually to
subscribe to a fund to be raised and established
for that purpose, like the Civil Fund at each Presidency
in India ? I would propose that all fees should be de-
voted to this Fund, and let every clerk have the option
of subscribing to it, according to the amount of his sa-
lary. Then, after the service of a stipulated number of
years, three or four pensions, of sums fairly proportioned,
should be appropriated to the seniors whamight choose
to take them. After the death of any such pensioner,
let the annuity be offered, in rotation, to the senior clerks
who may be entitled to it from the length of service ;
but never let the number of annuitant's be increased ;
and until the Fund shall be able to supply such annuity,
let the Government make up whatever sum may be
deemed the proper amount.
I would also propose that a similar fund should be
established for all the Minister, of State, for all An:-
bassadors, Consuls, &c. from the tax on their places,
from fees of office, and from subscriptions annually,
for a given number of years, according to the amounts
of their several salaries, some of which are enormous.
This would constitute a sort of Mutual Insurance for
annuities. No man ought to have a pension for services
until he shall be of a certain age, or after a certain
number of years' service, (and that number ought far tl
exceed the term now considered necessary) and until he
shall have paid subscriptions for a stipulated time.
With respect to the National Debt and Sinking Fund
it would, in my opinion, be a saving measure to abolish
the whole machinery of the latter, and to impose a mo-
dified property tax, to be applied to the express purpose
—and to that purpose only—of annually cancelling as
much of the debt as might be the amount of this specific
Tax, in addition to all surplus revenue.—nut these sub-
jects require a mole extensive and laborious considera-
tion, than I can at present devote to them.

I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
INVESTIGATOR.